FORD ORION manual spindle tester

BENT_8 · 20-11-2006, 03:17 PM

Hey guys,
i was just driving along Salisbury hwy at Salisbury when i noticed a ford tray top ute with this aluminium piece of machinery on it.
When we pulled up at the Waterloo cnr rd lights i noticed a sticker on the machine that read FORD ORION MANUAL SPINDLE TESTER.
It was all covered with plastic but had torn and exposed the thing and its label.
The interesting thing was it turned at the commercial rd lights and went around the back of the Holdens assembly plant at Eliz sth.
I wonder if holdens have borrowed it for testing or if it was taking a back way to Rebel Ford at Elizabeth.

Anyone out there know what this device would be for?

Sorry if this is in the wrong place but i thought it would be of interest.

Cheers
Steve

Dilan · 20-11-2006, 04:39 PM

wtf is a spindle tester?

Dr Smith · 20-11-2006, 04:45 PM

Not too familiar with Adelaide/Elizabeth area however could it have been on the way to a transport depot for shipping to Victoria?

....oh yeah, from an online dictionary
"Any of various mechanical parts that revolve or serve as axes for larger revolving parts, as in a lock, axle, phonograph turntable, or lathe."

JPFS1 · 20-11-2006, 04:59 PM

How big was the aparatus?

Most likely to test axles, drive shafts etc...

AWD Chaser · 20-11-2006, 05:00 PM

Hopefully a machine that will test out a new diff? It's really what they need.... to improve the reliability of them...

bob^ · 20-11-2006, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BENT_8

I wonder if holdens have borrowed it for testing or if it was taking a back way to Rebel Ford at Elizabeth.

Could be a possibility, as they have exchanged tooling a number of times in the past

JPFS1 · 20-11-2006, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob^

Could be a possibility, as they have exchanged tooling a number of times in the past

True, and Ford's Geelong stamping plant also plays a part in stamping for Holden/Toyota etc... Sharing amongst the manufacturer's is not uncommon.

XR8putts · 20-11-2006, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JEM

True, and Ford's Geelong stamping plant also plays a part in stamping for Holden/Toyota etc... Sharing amongst the manufacturer's is not uncommon.

But but but!!! It just seems wrong!

Orion.. will we ever see an image?

JPFS1 · 20-11-2006, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by puts99

Orion.. will we ever see an image?

yes, but i'm sure it will be a loong way off.

XR8putts · 20-11-2006, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JEM

yes, but i'm sure it will be a loong way off.

This is what worries me.

Everyones saying its great how the VE hype is over and now Ford can blow it out of the water with Orion. And the media will be all over it.

What they dont realize is, Orion will come out close to the VE replacement. VE2 is next year. VF will come out only a few months after Orion!

The way i see it:

Orion: 2nd Quarter 2008

VF: 3rd Quarter 2008

Holden ideally placed, again.

JPFS1 · 20-11-2006, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by puts99

This is what worries me.

Everyones saying its great how the VE hype is over and now Ford can blow it out of the water with Orion. And the media will be all over it.

What they dont realize is, Orion will come out close to the VE replacement. VE2 is next year. VF will come out only a few months after Orion!

The way i see it:

Orion: 2nd Quarter 2008

VF: 3rd Quarter 2008

Holden ideally placed, again.

Don't know about that puts99.

VE's architecture will not change for a good 6 years, atleast. BF's platform is not far behind as it is, Orion will be atleast on par and will remain competetive throughout VE's cycle i'm sure.

XR8putts · 20-11-2006, 05:45 PM

No the VEs architecture will not change any time soon.

But VF (2008) will bring new headlights, bumpers, bonnets, mags, guards, taillights, gearboxes?, engines? and interiors. Think of how well VX worked with the VT design, yet was very different and fresh.

And this is what the public will see. Holden will market it as the all new Commodore. And this will happen straight after Orion, correct me if I'm wrong.

falconlover · 20-11-2006, 07:46 PM

What the hell is a manual spindle tester?

JPFS1 · 20-11-2006, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by puts99

No the VEs architecture will not change any time soon.

But VF (2008) will bring new headlights, bumpers, bonnets, mags, guards, taillights, gearboxes?, engines? and interiors. Think of how well VX worked with the VT design, yet was very different and fresh.

And this is what the public will see. Holden will market it as the all new Commodore. And this will happen straight after Orion, correct me if I'm wrong.

If you are saying all these changes will happen in 2008, then i highly doubt it.

You are looking at R&D costs well into the hundreds of millions. Will not happen only 2 years into VE's life.

Interceptor · 20-11-2006, 10:44 PM

i'm suprised that ford let anything with the name orion out in public.....

Ghiadude · 20-11-2006, 10:54 PM

I beleive they have/ will do a facelift every two years.

XR Martin · 20-11-2006, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by puts99

No the VEs architecture will not change any time soon.

But VF (2008) will bring new headlights, bumpers, bonnets, mags, guards, taillights, gearboxes?, engines? and interiors. Think of how well VX worked with the VT design, yet was very different and fresh.

And this is what the public will see. Holden will market it as the all new Commodore. And this will happen straight after Orion, correct me if I'm wrong.

Try more like a VX change, ie no sheetmetal mods.
(Btw VT-VZ all had the same basic interior)

LeadFoot81 · 20-11-2006, 11:56 PM

Havent Holden released an update every 12 months since VT? VX came out out approx 2 years after VT was released. A VX style update might well be possible not long after Orions launch.
And bodyshell lifespans will be shorter now than before, I read 6 year life spans will become the norm.

XR8putts · 21-11-2006, 12:13 AM

Holden update every 2 years, not including series 2 cars.

That is my point. VX was a great upgrade to VT, with new headlights, tailligts, bumpers, wheels etc. Although not very different, VX made VT look very nice. Just over 2 years from VT release.

So VE mid 2006, so in 2008 (third quarter) - we can expect VF to have updated headlights, tailights, new wheels, bumpers, options etc. Its happend every 2 years, VT, VX, VY, VZ. Each new two letters have brought new lights, bumpers, etc.. Each 2 years apart.

And the person that said VT-VZ had the same basic interior, but google a VT interior and a VY interior and tell me theres not much difference.

Why do people find it so hard to believe that there will be a VF with all the stuff listed above in 3rd Quart 08????

BENT_8 · 21-11-2006, 01:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JEM

How big was the aparatus?

Most likely to test axles, drive shafts etc...

The piece of machinery was box shaped and about 2ft square.
It had about 6 ribbed hoses approx 1.5" in diameter coming out of the top .
It appeared as though it stood on legs and was all alloy finish except for the hoses.
Thats all i could see apart from the label, which i had to read about 4 times before it sunk in.
Nearly ran up the guys *** trying to see more.
That would have been good, heres my details now what is that and can i play with it for a minute or two.

On another note, i wouldn't be surprised if holdens were testing it as when i worked for Toyota we often were asked to clean new hilux's etc for holdens to water test for R&D.
Arent EA and VN interior light assemblies the same.

DanielXR8 · 21-11-2006, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JEM

Don't know about that puts99.

VE's architecture will not change for a good 6 years, atleast. BF's platform is not far behind as it is, Orion will be atleast on par and will remain competetive throughout VE's cycle i'm sure.

The latest Wheels has a piece where they are saying the rumour is that the Orion Falcon will be built on a warmed over BA platform. That means Holden will remain more then competitive from a handling perspective as the VE is their first crack at this new platform and I'm sure they will tweak and improve it over the years to come.

Dan

McobraR · 21-11-2006, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanielXR8

The latest Wheels has a piece where they are saying the rumour is that the Orion Falcon will be built on a warmed over BA platform.

Wouldnt be surprised if they did do that. Ford seems to be driven by the bean counters nowadays.

XR Martin · 21-11-2006, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by puts99

And the person that said VT-VZ had the same basic interior, but google a VT interior and a VY interior and tell me theres not much difference.

Minor changes, but still basically the same. Certainly not like AU-BA which was totally different.

RG · 21-11-2006, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanielXR8

The latest Wheels has a piece where they are saying the rumour is that the Orion Falcon will be built on a warmed over BA platform. That means Holden will remain more then competitive from a handling perspective as the VE is their first crack at this new platform and I'm sure they will tweak and improve it over the years to come.

Dan

Only problem with that is that it's not a BA platform as the BA was still on the AU platform, so wheels aren't really to be trusted after a comment like that.

Eaturbo · 21-11-2006, 11:54 AM

Is there really a problem with the BA platform, they also said that it will adobt the Territory steering as in rack in front of axle like the VE. So this and the fact that the AU IRS worked better than BA so they could always go back to the AU IRS. In recent test with Force 6 and VE senator they were surprised how well the Force 6 handled and said it rode better than the VE. Remember that BA had way better suspension than VZ and the VE update only brought it inline with BA layout.

JPFS1 · 21-11-2006, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanielXR8

The latest Wheels has a piece where they are saying the rumour is that the Orion Falcon will be built on a warmed over BA platform. That means Holden will remain more then competitive from a handling perspective as the VE is their first crack at this new platform and I'm sure they will tweak and improve it over the years to come.

Dan

People are still forgetting, or not realising (holden marketing getting in the way???) that the VE commodore has only now developed their chassis and body to BA/BF levels.

How many of you actually know that the BA/BF shell is still slightly more rigid than VE??? Magazines wouldn't know this, yet they harp on about commodore's rigidity...!!!

In terms of body structures and chassis development, it's only now that Holden have developed a sub cradle for their IRS (which is why control blade is better than AU IRS), their 6cyl is a pos imho, i've driven plenty of them, they do not compare to the IL6 imho.

As i said, Ford are by no means far behind the VE for body and chassis development, that's why i said Orion would be on-par at least.

There will be some innovative engineering developments for Orion, let's wait and see how it's marketed though.

JPFS1 · 21-11-2006, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eaturbo

Is there really a problem with the BA platform, they also said that it will adobt the Territory steering as in rack in front of axle like the VE. So this and the fact that the AU IRS worked better than BA so they could always go back to the AU IRS. In recent test with Force 6 and VE senator they were surprised how well the Force 6 handled and said it rode better than the VE. Remember that BA had way better suspension than VZ and the VE update only brought it inline with BA layout.

Correct - there really isn't any wrong at all with the platform and there's no need to reinvent the wheel. There are significant changes still as extra and time and money will always improve and evolve design, so Orion will benefit from this.

One more point, the AU IRS isn't better than Control blade. Control blade brought many advatages. They are two different systems in two significantly different cars, structuraly, and weight. These two differences would contribute to the dynamics of the car considerably, so isolating the IRS system and saying it's reposnsible, wouldn't be totally correct.

HSE2 · 21-11-2006, 12:34 PM

Where is this review of the Force 6 v E series senator?

**Polyal** · 21-11-2006, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HSE2

Where is this review of the Force 6 v E series senator?

Haven't they already tested the F6 vs E series...its exactly the same car. :MrT_anim:

HSE2 · 21-11-2006, 12:41 PM

I haven't seen it. Only one I have read about was the GT v GTS.

Where is the F6 comparison then?