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Technical Issues

The Club's aim is to help owners resolve issues which are specific to their Ronart W152 or Lightning: we seek a solution through either our members or Ronart Cars.

So, below is a slowly growing list of problems & resolutions which we hope will help somebody, sometime.

And below that, a list of issues we are compiling to assist members who still have to get their W152 cars through the SVA/IVA test.

Chassis 002 Chassis No.002

W152

Problem Area

Symptoms

Resolution

Electrics

Low voltage: dim lights, reluctant starting

Obvious, but tried every other possibility before finding that new battery had a defective cell (Graham Hallett). Moral:- always fit good brand.

Rear Shockers

Rattle in rear suspension

Lower bush compresses with wear; there is a mod to fit large washers either side of the lower bush to prevent movement. (Gordon Mills)

Rear Shockers

Bang when going over bumps/potholes

Often a bump-stop-rubber is not fitted to rear dampers. These can be retro-fitted. Also, raising ride-height can mitigate the symptoms. (Graham Hallett & Tony Legon)

Rear Radius Arms

Rattle in rear suspension

The rubberised bush at the axle-end of the radius arm flexes as the suspension moves and can bang the axle brackets. There is a modification which involves a large nylon spacer on either side of the bush. This has the effect of reducing the clearance and cushioning the blow. (Graham Hallett & David Small)

Wheel Spinners

Tighten up over time.

Regularly loosen-off and re-tighten moderately (Graham Hallett, Orson Equipment)

Petrol Pump

Fuel feed falters or fails

SU Petrol pump clogged with swarf from petrol tank gaskets. (Dislodged by enthusiastic cornering at Laon - Tony Legon)

Petrol Tank

Springs leaks.

Suspected fatigue, mitigated by strengthened supports under the bottom of the tank. Best solution is to make stronger tank. (Dennis Baker & John Ellis)

Petrol Tank

Overflows when full.

Either put restrictor in breather tube, or cut out breather tube and put self-sealing breather in the filler cap. (Freddie Trodd can describe the fix)

Rear Wing Stays

Fatigue and break

Usually rhs fractures because of extra weight and wind-resistance of the number-plate assembly.

For a long period a strengthening fillet near the chassis mount was omitted by the factory. If this fillet is missing it is an easy welding job to fabricate and strengthen the mounting (both sides). (Graham Hallett & Peter Jordan).

W152 SVA Test

Item

Problem

Work-Around

Number plates

Temporarily use modern type

Petrol filler cap

Protrusions

Leave off

Windscreen

Leave off

Aero Screens

Use BS-marked version or, better, leave off entirely

Rear View Mirror

Radii

Racing mirrors n/s and o/s OK because within the outline of the car. There must be an adjustable central mirror of a certain size; the normal pedestal-type mirror will fail on sharp edges - maybe a temporary racing mirror will get through.

Bonnet catches

Protrusions

Leave off old-style quick-releases; key-lock type are OK.

Front suspension nuts

Radii

Fit plastic covers to bolt-heads; fit hose over whole track rod.

Steering wheel

No holes allowed

Borrow plain wheel from Ronart Cars

Wire wheel spinners

Winged spinners not allowed!

Borrow late hex-headed nuts from Ronart Cars

Inner panel switches

Mount whole panel using plastic screws or velcro (to show that it will break away under impact)

Instrument bevel radii

Use SVA-friendly bevels (Speedy Cables)

Dashboard

Radii of edges

Wood dash can be radiussed. Alloy dash will fail, so glue rubber moulding temporarily or fit wood dash temporarily.