Liege Build Intructions @ 18th August 2001
1. Chassis preparation:
First place the chassis onto some safe padded stands to a comfortable working height.
Check with a 3/8" bolt that the suspension pivot holes in the brackets are clear of powder coating. If tight, clean out with a 3/8" drill bit, care 3/8", not oversize.
Injecting Waxoil into the chassis tubes is recommended. Note, there are strengthener plates inside the main chassis tubes, these plates are positioned inside the rear riser welded joint. The plates are a restriction for the Waxoil so inject from both ends through the threaded insert holes on the top of the tubes. Cross tubes can also be injected and plastic bungs fitted to seal ends. Tubes with no Waxoil access holes may be drilled for injection in non-stressed areas in the sides of the tubes (small holes and plastic bungs fitted to seal afterwards).
The phosphating and powder coating of the chassis and suspension give good protection against rust, any chips should be touched up with an after market rust preventive solution and paint.
Front suspension:
The front suspension top and bottom wishbones, ‘A’ bracket and trailing arms pivot on polyurethane bushes. These are pushed into each side of the suspension end bushes, followed by pressing in the stainless steel spacers. Starting with the bottom front wishbones (FP3,4), with the damper bottom mount at the front and looking upwards. Gently slide the wishbones into place, if tight use some washing-up liquid and maybe the thin blade of a narrow paint scraper. Fit the 3/8"UNF 2-1/4" plated bolts (NB14). The bolts are fitted from the front towards the back with a plain washer under the nylock self lock nut. Add copper grease to the bolt shaft before fitting (this goes for all bolts). Do not fully tighten any suspension bolts until all the weight is on the car and it is sitting at its static ride height (Important: do not forget to tighten up all the suspension bolts before your first test drive, a good time to re-check the tightness of all fasteners). The top wishbones (FP1,2) can be fitted temporarily. The 4" x 3/8UNF bolts (NB13) are fitted from the wishbone pivot side, with the self lock nuts inside the turret top bushes. The top wishbones need to be disconnected just prior to fitting the body and slid back through the body slots when the body has been fitted. Two plated spacer washers need to be slotted in-between the top wishbone mounting turret and the pivot polyurethane bushes, these act as possible castor adjustment (some NB11 washers come with an 8mm hole, these need to be drilled out to 3/8"). The same type of washer is fitted to the outside of the polyurethane bush under the bolt head.
Outboard of the top wishbone is an adjustable balljoint (SP7x), the adjustment thread (with 5/8" UNF lock nut NB2) allows a final camber adjustment of ½ degree positive set-up at static (finished car with it’s weight on the wheels). The nylock nuts that are supplied with the top ball-joints are too long for the nylon to reach the end of the thread, ask a friendly lathe operator to turn a few millimetres of the base of the nut to rectify this.
Fit the cleaned and painted stub-axle/upright assembly between the top and bottom balljoints.
The bottom wishbone ball joint (SP8x) is pre-fitted into the wishbone outer bush. Check if the castle nut (supplied with bottom balljoint) slots line up with the split pin hole through the thread. If the nut is too low add a spacer washer.
When the steering arms are fitted to the rear of the upright with the 5/16"UNF Reliant bolts, spring washers and small spacers, check that there is clearance between the back of the upright and the mudguard stay mounting bracket welded to the steering arm. If the mounting touches the upright the steering arm will not sit flat on the bolt spacers.
The front spring damper units (EX1,2) are fitted with a 3/8 UNF 2" bolt (NB18) at the top and a 3/8 UNF 2¼ bolt (NB17) at the bottom. The bolts are fitted from the front with plain washers under the nylock nuts. After the brake back plates have been fitted, (preferably new ones, but if re-using the Kitten backplates, check that the adjusters are free to turn) slide on the bearing and hub assembly, cleaned and with new high temperature melting grease, and not forgetting the felt seal. As per the Reliant manual. Grease the bottom wishbone ball joints (SP8x) with a grease gun, the nipple is fitted to the underside.
Steering rack:
Place the mounting rubber mouldings onto the steering rack (if the original rubbers are in poor condition they can be replaced by new ones from a Ford dealer, the Ford Escort Mk 1/2 uses the same type of steering rack housing as the Kitten). Slide the modified U clamps over the rubbers and fit to the chassis angled mounting plates with four 5/16" UNF 1.3/4" bolts (NB22) and spring washers. Fit the new trackrod ends and 1/2" UNF lock nuts (NB4x) to the steering arms. The toe-in on the Liege should be set to 1/16" either side, this should be finally set-up when the car is finished. Later when the radiator panels are in place, the bottom section of the Reliant Robin steering column, with the universal joints at each end, can be attached to the steering rack spline and secured with the 5/16" UNF bolt, nut and spring washer.
Rear suspension and axle:
Fit the trailing arms (FP6,7) to the chassis first. These are fitted with two 3/8" UNF 3-5/8" long bolts (NB12) washes and nylock nuts. These bolts are supplied 4" long and have to be cut down to size and filed square, this allows clearance to the floor moulding. Next fit the ‘A’ bracket (FP5) to the bottom mountings on the nearside of the chassis, again use washing up liquid if needed. Two 3/8"UNF 2-1/4" bolts (NB15) washers and nylock nuts secure the ‘A’ bracket to the chassis. Use copper grease on the bolts.
With the finished axle positioned at the rear of the chassis, check the fit of the rear trailing arms into the axle top mounts, The axle pivot rose joint (SP9x) is threaded to allow the axle to be set up in the correct position, i.e. with the bottom damper mounting bolts horizontal at static ride height. When the axle is set up, cross-check there is sufficient thread in the ‘A’ bracket threaded bush, including the 5/8inch UNF lock nut (NB1). The 1/2" UNF 2-3/4" bolt (NB3), washer and self locking nut secure the rose joint and 2 spacers (FP32) to the axle. Fit the spacers with the tapered ends towards the rosejoint.
With suitable support, position the axle ready to connect up the trailing arms and the ‘A’ bracket rose joint. Once attached, the spring damper units can be fitted to help support of the axle. (Care, do not let the axle hang without support as the front end of the trailing arm will be pressed against the bottom of the chassis mounting). The top of the damper fits into the mounting holes in the plates each end of the top cross tube. The rubbers, retained by four cup washers, fit each side of the plate, the double nuts (one as a locking nut) should, when finally tightened, not over-compress the rubbers.
The bottom of the rear spring damper units are mounted on 7/16" UNF 5" long bolts (NB5) under the axle. These bolts fit from the front. At the rear of the axle mounting bush large diameter 7/16"washers (NB10) are fitted each side of the damper bottom bush and are secured with nylock nuts. Before the springs are fitted to the dampers, trial fit the damper units to the axle and chassis, add weight to the front of the chassis to stop it lifting. Lower and raise the axle from full droop to full bump (and from up one side and down the other ). Check clearances to chassis cross tube and to the drivers side seatbelt bolt (Care, that the bolt does not protrude too far through the weld nut), the differential pinion and propshaft flange is offset to the drivers side and when the axle is at an extreme angle, it moves close to the seatbelt chassis weldnut. Note: the lower inner seatbelt bolts have spacers (FP34) fitted where the fixing bolt passes through the glass fibre. Adjust the axle ‘A’ bracket rose joint thread, if necessary, so that there is clearance to the crosstube under the propshaft, check when the rear suspension is on full droop. Finally check the rosejoint is vertical in the axle mount and that the lock nut is tightened against the ‘A’ bracket threaded bush.
Brake and fuel lines:
The brake bundy pipe and fuel pipe to the rear are clipped to the inner face of the off-side (drivers side) main chassis tube. Holes need to be drilled for the self tapping screws which secure the ten pipe clips (BP18, five of each size). The fuel pipe should be fitted below the brake bundy pipe. If the original Reliant plastic fuel pipe is damaged or kinked it should be replaced. At the front, the plastic fuel pipe sweeps upwards before the engine bay brace tube to where it will eventually be connected to the fuel pump on the engine. At the rear, the pipe sweeps under the rear of the chassis main tube riser. Another hole for a single clip is required at this point and is followed by the Reliant in-line fuel filter. The fuel pipe continues to the tank via the rear hanger after the body is fitted. Where the Reliant plastic pipe is pushed inside the rubber joint pipe, use the Reliant spring sealing clips.
The brake bundy pipe to the rear (BP7), fitted above the fuel line, follows the same line, i.e. curving under the central gearbox mounting cross tube. At the rear the brake pipe sweeps upwards to curve over the radius arm chassis mount, at this point a short piece of plastic pipe should be fitted over the bundy pipe for protection. Following the gentle radius over the mount, the pipe should then bend 90 degrees inwards to finish at the rear brake hose bracket. At the front end of this bundy pipe is a female/female straight coupling (BP10). The pipe should be bent towards the chassis mounting bracket welded to the outside of the main chassis tube, with any excess taken up in a return bend at this point. The coupling BP10 is supported in the mounting by a rubber grommet.
The brake bundy pipes BP8 and BP9 run from the 3/8" UNF brass tee mounted on the Suzuki axle to the Girling wheel cylinders. The longer pipe is attached to mounting clips at the rear of the axle and bent forwards to run under the n/s trailing arm towards the brake back plate.
Do not secure the brake pipes tightly to the axle tubes close to the wheel cylinders, having them free allows the pipe to move as the wheel cylinders self-adjust. Care should be taken not to over tighten any of the bundy pipe fittings.
Also check that the tapered joint face inside the wheel cylinder 3/8" UNF thread is concave and not convex (some are! if so ‘operation 2’ needs to be carried out to the end of the bundy pipe to change it from male to female).
To the forward facing outlet of the brass tee on the axle, fit brake hose BP2, together with a copper washer. The long thread of the hose needs to be reduced in length so that the shoulder of the hose fitting seals against the copper washer and the brass tee face. The other end of the brake hose (BP2) pushes through the hole in the chassis bracket under the rear cross tube and is secured by a 3/8" UNF slim plain securing nut (NB19) and a shake proof washer (NB20). The female nut on the rear end of the already fitted bundy pipe (BP7) can now be connected up to the hose.
Later when the body is on, the bundy pipe BP6 can be fitted, joining up the female/female coupling BP10 to the rear outlet of the Reliant Lockheed tandem master cylinder. Also when the body is on, the bundy pipe BP5 can be fitted, joining the front outlet of the mastercylinder to the front brake 3/8"UNF brass tee. This pipe follows the line of the rear bundy pipe at the back of the pedal box housing, bending down by the starter motor, then it turns forward following the line of the chassis and under the steering column. At the front, the bundy pipe should do a 180 degree turn round the front of the offside radiator panel, under the steering column universal joint. It then is bent forward again to line up with the centre of the brass tee which joins the front brake pipes. The brass tee is attached to mounting bracket (centre/rear of the 80X40 cross tube) by 1x25 M6 set bolt (NB34), lock washer and plain M6 nut.
Two ‘L’ shaped angled mounting brackets (FP22,23), which point forwards, attach to the back of the bottom wishbone front mounting bolts (NB14). The front brake hoses (BP1) fit into the holes in these brackets and a shake proof washer (NB20) is fitted behind the 3/8" UNF slim plain securing nut (NB19). (These should not to be tightened up until the outboard connection into the wheel cylinder, has been tightened.
Later when the Kitten/Mini dual front brake assemblies are fitted to Kitten stub axles and attached to the front wishbones, the front brake hoses together with new copper washers can be screwed into the top outlet of the rear wheel cylinder. Care should be taken that there is clearance between the rubber brake hose and the spring damper unit. If necessary slightly rotate the hose rearwards before finally tightening up the inner lock nut.
Into the lower outlet of the rear wheel cylinders fit the banjo fittings, plus bang bolts with a copper washer each side of the banjo (care not to over tighten the banjo bolts). The banjos should face downwards and forwards. The link bundy pipes join the rear wheel cylinder to the lower inlet of the front wheel cylinder (top outlet is for the bleed nipple, not to be over tightened). The link pipes should be bent to avoid contact with the stub axle assembly and not restrict access to the brake adjuster. Note: the banjo fitting allows full lock clearance, check this clearance both sides. When fitting the bent bundy pipes, attach the front first, and with the banjo screwed to the pipe, traverse it across the wheel-cylinder hole and gently final bend the pipe until the bolt lines up with the thread.
Self adjusting front brakes:
The SVA test requires self adjusting front brakes. This is not standard on Lockheed twin leading shoe front drum brakes. There is now available a Liege designed self adjusting linkage for the Lockheed drum brakes and assembly is straight forward.
Engine and gearbox:
With assistance lift the cleaned and prepared Reliant engine, preferably with new rubber mountings, and lower it towards the chassis. Slide the gearbox rubber mount threads into the slots first, followed by lowering the front engine rubber mount threads into the holes in the angled chassis plates. Fit large washers under gearbox mounting adjustment slots before the nuts, note the rear of the clutch return spring attaches to the off-side mounting nut. Also look at the engine installation instructions in the Reliant manual.
Propshaft:
Following the engine and gearbox, the propshaft can be fitted (the universal joints having been checked for play and replaced if necessary). Universal joints should be greased as per Reliant manual instructions. Check which way round the bolts are fitted into flanges i.e. with locking washers on the bolt heads rather than on the plain nuts, as per Reliant.
Exhaust:
The Liege exhaust exits the nearside of the car in front of the rear wheel. The original, or a replacement Reliant Robin circular silencer, with mounting brackets facing inwards, is hung from the two brackets FP24,25. These brackets are attached the chassis (M8 threaded Rivnuts in chassis) by two M8 x 20mm bolts (NB30) and spring washers. Between the bracket and the silencer mounting are rubber ‘cotton reel’ mountings (with 5/16" UNF threads each end requiring plain nuts and spring washers). The Liege exhaust down pipe bolts to the original cast manifold. The tail pipe double bend attaches to the rear of the Reliant silencer (there are two sizes of rear outlet on Reliant silencers, one will require a sleeve adapter to fit the tail pipe) The front and rear of the silencer is secured with a U bolt exhaust clamp. A standard Reliant front exhaust pipe support bracket, which hangs from a bellhousing stud, is required. This takes the stain off the front pipe to manifold gasket.
Fuel Tank and support hangers:
As the fuel tank hangers (FP8,9) are a firm fit into the chassis mounting sleeves at the rear of the chassis, care should be taken not to fit them without lubrication. If the hanger tubes are tight, look for any high spots in the sleeve by the welds. If necessary, make up a rotating emery strip tool, use a 5/16" shaft with a split end, this can be used in a pistol drill to hone the sleeve bore. Trial fit the hangers and check that they point backwards squarely, this can be checked by placing a straight edge against the side of the chassis rear riser and lining them up each side. The hangers are held in place by two M8 x 20mm set bolts (NB28) and spring washers. The two arms extending rearwards have M8 threaded inserts welded into the ends. The fuel tank support cross tube has flats on the ends with holes which take two M8 x 20mm set bolts (NB29) and spring washers. These bolts secure the cross tube to the hangers. The fuel tank is hung from the brackets on the cross tube and is secured with two 5/16UNF plain nuts and spring washers. The fuel tank front bracket (FP11) holds the front of the tank to the chassis mounting below the spare wheel sleeve, and is secured by an M6 x 20mm (NB35) set bolt, plain nut and spring washer. The seam on the six gallon Reliant fuel tank needs to be on the same vertical line as the chassis, if it is not, adjust the front bracket until it is in line.
Fuel tank support end adjusters:
Welded to each end of the fuel tank support cross tube are some 8mm bore sleeves, these are to take the pennant shaped body adjusters. These are held at the correct height each side by two plain M8 lock nuts at the top and bottom. The flat of each pendent should face outwards, and with it adjusted to midway, need to be marked and drilled 1/4" to take the mudguard rear screws (four M6 x 15mm, NB42). Final adjustment is made to these pennant threads to keep the rear firm and to keep the door shut line gaps correct.
Radiator and support panels :
The radiator is supported firmly by three glass fibre panels, a base panel (GF14) and two side panels (n/s GF15, o/s GF16). These also act as a ducting for air to the radiator. The off side panel needs to have a small section removed from the bottom front corner, 1.1/4" wide by 4" high, to give clearance for the universal joint on the bottom of the steering column. The bundy pipe (BP5) to the front brass tee also passes round this cut out. The hole identification indents in the panels need to be drilled 1/8"to suit the cross headed self-tapping screws (NB47). First position the base panel and check that the back of the raised flange is 1.1/4" in front of the engine mount cross tube. The front of the base panel should be against the rear of diagonal riser tubes supporting the top damper cross tube. The side panels lean outwards against the rear diagonal risers and are secured with self-tapping screws sideways at the top and also into the base panel. Check the marked slots, which line up with the engine bay front flange, are cut into the top of the panels before fitting. Marked crosses in the glass fibre side panels identify the positions of the radiator bolt holes for the short 5/16" UNF set bolts and spring washers. While preparing the Reliant parts it is worth having the radiator pressure tested. Try the radiator in place to check the mounting bolt alignment (earlier Reliants used Mini radiators which had different mounting hole positions). With the radiator secured, the original, or preferably new radiator hoses can be fitted. Finish with the fitting of the overflow pipe, or consider taking the pipe to a clear plastic expansion tank.
Roll over bar:
The roll over bar can be trial fitted before the body goes on (in which case an allowance should be made for the thickness of the glassfibre missing under the rollover bar mounting plate). The rollover bar (FP3x) is secured to the chassis with long bolts. These pass through four compression tubes welded into the top of the rear risers. They are metric M10 x 100mm bolts (NB21x) and slim nylock nuts (if the nuts are not slim nuts then the nylon will not cover the end of the thread, which could fail the SVA). The front bolts fit from the top and the rear bolts fit from the bottom. Handed braces secure the rollover bar to the top of the rear hangers. The rear of the braces sit on spacers that pass though the glassfibre and are fixed by two 7/16" UNF 3-1/2" bolts.
Seat belts:
All chassis seat belt mounts are threaded welded fixings as per the regulations. On the inner face of the main chassis risers are mountings for the recoil assembly as used on later Reliants. Two spacers (FP33) position the recoil assembly correctly, secured by two 7/16 UNF 2" bolts (NB7). The lower inner seatbelt stalks are secured to mountings, at the rear of the propshaft tunnel base tubes, with the original seatbelt 7/16" UNF slim headed bolts. Slim spacers (FP34) are fitted where the bolts pass through the glass fibre. Similarly the lower outer seatbelt mountings are secured by the original 7/16"UNF bolts. The seatbelt hanger secured to the outside of the rollover bar brace uses 7/16"UNF slim headed bolts. Two shorter bolts are also required for the back of the thread.
Lubrication:
Now with the chassis assembly complete (front wishbones, stub axles, steering arms, hub and brake assemblies, rear axle, trailing arms, ‘A’ bracket, four spring damper units, brake bundy pipes, brake hoses, engine/gearbox, propshaft and steering rack, exhaust, silencer and tail pipe, radiator and panels), it is a good time to fill the various mechanical assemblies with the correct oils.
Engine 5.50 pints (3.13 litres) multi grade oil
Gearbox 1.125 pints (0.64 litres) hypoy light EP80
Steering rack 0.33 pints (0.19 litres) EP80
Suzuki axle: 2.3 pints (1.3 litres) hypoy EP 80/90 API-GL5
Chassis to body insulation strip:
The last job before fitting the body, is to stick down the 1.1/2" wide, self adhesive, foam insulation strip. This should be stuck to the chassis in the places where the body joins it (on the top of the main tubes from the footwell bolt holes to the top of the rear riser, on top of the rear cross tube, and along the top of the propshaft tunnel base tubes, total six metres, EX11).
Fitting the Liege body:
Note: Before the body is lifted onto chassis the fuel tank should be placed loose in the rear of the body section from underneath. This is best carried out with the tank empty to reduce the weight when lifting the body. When the tank is being refurbished it’s worth removing the fuel sender to check it works all right, also wash out any lose particles at the same time.
For clearance when fitting the body, the alternator has to be left off and finally fitted after the body is in place. Prior to the body being fitted, the bolts on the top of the front spring/damper units should have the nuts removed from the back of the cross tube and the bolts slid forwards, this allows the curve of the body to slide down without fouling the nut. Afterwards the bolts (NB18) can be slid back through and the and self-locking nut and washer re-fitted and finally tightened.
Before the body is fitted, check the underside, at the point where the main chassis tubes start to raise towards the back. This tunnel section, on the inside of the outer seat runner, retains the body sideways. Just check that there is not a surplus of glassfibre in this area to restrict the body lowering fully down.
Clutch cable:
The Liege uses a shorter clutch cable than the original Reliant, the channel mounting plate which pushes over the plastic end fitting and is attached to the underside of the body, needs to be modified as per the drawing. Small BA screws and nuts are an alternative to the original self-tapping screws.
This is a draught copy of the Liege build instructions, stage one-rolling chassis, please advise any amendments: liegecars@hotmail.com Liege Motor Company, 11 July 2001
