Finally got around to getting the TR4 up on stands and taking a tour of
suspects.
Gas tank: No signs of leaking at the fuel line. The only remaining suspect
on the fuel smell in the rear of the car is the gauge-sender gasket, so
that's a final. I will get several of the gaskets and see how many I can
destroy trying to install one without removing the tank from the car.
Lever-shock (damper) links: The car has exhibited a clunk in the rear when
encountering bumps in the road. I figured this to be bad bushings in the
links. This is indeed the case. On both sides of the car, the upper end of
the link is loose on the bolt which attaches to the shock-absorber arm.
The fix for this is apparently to replace the entire link. Is there any
reason to favor any particular one of the "big three" suppliers for this
part?
As for the removal of the old links, I met with the same success and lack
thereof on both sides. Both upper and lower nuts were removed with no great
drama. The lower bolt easily came free from its bracket on the spring
mounting. The pivot runs into the frame before the bolt clears the bracket.
This can apparently be solved by getting the car's weight on the springs so
the pivot passes above the frame. I have not tried this yet. The car is
currently supported by jackstands under the frame, so the suspension is at
full droop, which means of course on an under-slung car like a TR4, the axle
is resting on the frame.
It seems the more serious problem is that the bolts on the top of the link
are reluctant to part company with the shock-absorber lever.
Are these things pressed in, or are mine just frozen in place?
Is there any possibility of grabbing the bolts with a vice-grip and rotating
them to break them loose, or are they knurled so they cannot turn?
Space looks tight to get a gear-puller in there to try to press the upper
bolt out, as the end of the bolt faces the brake backing-plate. This may
not be a factor once the lower link is off and the shock-absorber lever can
be raised to the top of its travel.
Meanwhile I shot them with some P B Blaster and left them to soak.
Phil Ethier Saint Paul Minnesota USA
1970 Lotus Europa, 1992 Saturn SL2, 1986 Suburban, 1962 Triumph TR4 CT2846L
LOON, MAC pethier@isd.net http://www.mnautox.com/
"It makes a nice noise when it goes faster"
- 4-year-old Adam, upon seeing a bitmap of Grandma Susie's TR4.
///
/// triumphs@autox.team.net mailing list
///
|