In a message dated 2/10/01 10:43:27 PM Pacific Standard Time,
drewst03@home.com writes:
<<
> When I drove Theo Loevenovich's TR-3 in some west coast vintage events, in
> the early 90s, when it had an open diff, there was a BIG problem with
> wheelspin out of any 2'nd gear corners. I t required a very gentle driving
> style. The Detroit Locker that it usually ran made it around 2 seconds a
> lap quicker at Sears Point than I could do with the open diff.
> >>
Maybe I am becoming a little slow in the head with my advanced age, but I now
assume that an open diff is the stock TR-3/TR-4 differential, which is not
locked up. In the late 60's/early 70's, locking these units was not allowed.
I can remember doing many spinouts, and taking trips into the boondocks
going backwards.
Most of the Triumph drivers at that time were locking up their differential
and saying that they were using the expensive positraction unit. I bought a
rear axle assembly with this unit from someone who rolled his TR-3 end over
end. Later, drivers convinced me that the locked up rear end is still better
than the positraction setup.
I still have this positraction unit today minus the center floating slug,
which was sawed in half and welded into the center of my first locked up
differential. This axle assembly turned out to be from a TR-2. As a result,
the axle end play clearance could not be set. Trying to make a Mid-Ohio race
with some of my friends, I must have just thrown the unit together and never
checked anything. My first experience was that the car wouldn't handle worth
anything, resulting in a violent spin under the bridge. The next experience
was that all of the gear oil was being spread on the track.
For some reason, I had hauled along another junk yard greasy axle assembly in
my 1956 Ford wagon tow vehicle. This unit was installed for the next day,
along with plenty of help from others. By that time, all my arm and leg
muscles were cramping up, like those of Dr. Stranglove.
I better quit boring people with this soap opera.
|