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It is a stormy where I am, so I'm inside with my laptop instead of under
my TR6 working to get that rear shock mount cross member out. Somehow I
must have deleted some of this thread, and I don't remember if I ever
continued with my "fix" to the problem. I did carry it over to "The
Triumph Experience" where I got some more recommendations, and though I
was discouraged for a time, I am now very optimistic about my choices.
First, I got out the lever shocks that I had removed a couple of decades
ago and opened them up and found the cause of their horrible
performance. They were filled with grease! I found a Youtube video on
the "Yakov's Beauties" site (so many great Triumph jobs there) that
showed how to refurbish them. I did what he did and got a similar result
where much more force was needed to move the levers. I really think they
are going to work as is, but if not I'll get them done by one of the
shops mentioned by others here.
Second, I did embark on an attempt to weld up and patch the cracks that
had appeared on the left side of the cross member (gas tank out of
course). I thought I could hold the pieces together with C-clamps and
then spot weld them in a few places from underneath, up into the
channel. The idea was to then add more to the welds in the channel and
then weld patches to the outer surfaces of the channel that I would cut
from 14 gauge sheet steel. I did get a couple of spot welds done, but
the channel is narrow, the MIG nozzle is pretty wide, and it was very
hard to see anything when the nozzle and my hand blocked the light. The
killer was my discovery of another crack farther up near the
differential that was in an even narrower spot. I called a local welder
who was happy to come take a look at the possibility of doing a stick
weld up there, but he said there was no way it could be done, and he
thought the cracking would spread anyway. Total discouragement at that
point because I just couldn't imagine incurring the expense of a
frame-off job to install the RATCO Differential Tower replacement after
post-Helene clearing and tree work had depleted our accounts.
A very helpful post on The Triumph Experience (from Ken D) let me know
that the RATCO replacement could be done without removing the frame.
"Read the instructions on the RATCO site," he said. I did, and the
process sounded very doable, even for this 78 year old. I talked to Bob
at RATCO, and got some good advice about carefully checking my frame for
rust before proceeding. The cross member set up for lever shocks was not
in stock, but it is likely to be shipped next week. Meanwhile I have
been busy following the instructions. I'll briefly describe how things
have gone for those who might be thinking of the same solution.
There was some initial frame prep required that would be very difficult
to do without first making room by removing the hubs and half axles from
the trailing arms and letting the arms hang lower. Each side has 6 nyloc
nuts holding the hub to the cast aluminum trailing arm. All but one of
mine came out nicely, but one nut was frozen to its stud, and that stud
and nut unit re-tightened after several turns out. It was extremely
tight and I feared stripping the aluminum threads in the arm by forcing
it out. It took several hours (over a couple of days) of spraying Liquid
Wrench, turning back in and then out, tapping the surrounding metal,
applying heat with a heat gun (a torch might have been too much for the
aluminum) to loosen the nut. It seemed interminable, but I did begin to
feel that the nut was backing out a little farther on the stud, and it
did finally give leaving the stud and arm threads intact. Whew. Another
Yakov video showed how to simply pull out the hubs (no need to do
anything with the diff). Mine were stuck, but I borrowed a hub puller
with a slide hammer from Advance Auto (payed $175, got it refunded after
pulling the hubs in 90 min).
I used my little air compression driven grinder with cutting wheel to
slice the shock bump stops from the frame sides (to be re-welded later
to a frame collar in the RATCO kit). It was a tedious job. I borrowed a
friend's Makita electric angle grinder with a 4.5" diameter, .040" thick
cutting wheel for the cuts to the old cross member. The cuts on the
front side of the old cross member to separate it from the frame were
about 6" long and took less than a minute each! The same cuts on the
back side of the old cross were hindered by the bottom of the trunk area
where the gas tank resides. Only about an inch of the cutting wheel
could cut until the body of the angle grinder was blocked from moving
farther in. This was incredibly discouraging, and I think it is the only
flaw in the instructions provided by RATCO. Maybe there are low profile
angle grinders that could work? I finally hit on the idea using my
saws-all with a good long Diablo metal-cutting blade (I do have a few of
my own tools at hand). It did a good job of cutting the rest of the way
and took only a few minutes. I have used a grinding wheel to smooth out
the metal left on the frame after some of the cuts, and that has gone
well.
Yesterday I reinstalled the hubs using just 2 new nyloc nuts on each.
The hardest part (not really bad) was sliding the new rubber boots (old
ones worn) over the splines in the shafts before pushing them through
the trailing arms (held up with a scrap piece of wood). This next is the
best thing about the whole job. Tomorrow I plan to place a jack under
the diff, remove the 4 nuts holding it to the mounts (2 in the old
cross), and then lowering the jack to allow the diff to settle into a
cradle of the 2 axles and the drive shaft. The only thing left holding
the old cross in place is an easily accessed half inch weld on each
frame rail. Should take about a minute to cut through those and then
pull out the old cross. There will be more grinding to smooth the frame
surface in preparation for the new cross member. That cross will be
positioned by slowly jacking the diff back up into the 2 stationary
forward mounts and into the mounts on the temporarily movable new cross.
Ingenious! At that point my nearby pro welder has agreed to do the
welding to the frame.
The current price tag on the RATCO kit is $375 plus shipping. The welder
charges by the hour, but I don't think it should take too long. Maybe
$200 or so there; certainly less than $800 total for the fix. That is
more than I thought it would take originally, but this is much better
than having an iffy patch job or a car that sits in the garage until . .
=2E ?
Tim
------ Original Message ------
>From "Stan Foster" <stan@redtr6.com>
To "Tim Gaines" <mtgaines@presby.edu>; "Triumphs"
<triumphs@autox.team.net>
Date 10/8/2025 5:37:30 PM
Subject RE: [TR] TR6 rear shock mount break
>I had those brackets and the stress caused the cross ember to be torn
>off the frame. I fitted the cross member from RATCO and switched back
>to lever arm schocks.
>
>
>
>Stan
>
>
>
>From: Triumphs <triumphs-bounces@autox.team.net> On Behalf Of Tim
>Gaines
>Sent: Wednesday, October 8, 2025 4:37 PM
>To: Triumphs <triumphs@autox.team.net>
>Subject: [TR] TR6 rear shock mount break
>
>
>
>I have been hearing a slapping sound either under or behind me in the
>1974 TR6 when I encounter even slightly rough pavement, so today I
>decided to sort it out. I thought I had found the problem quickly when
>I saw that the spare tire securing hook bolt had come loose, but no
>such luck. When I finally gave up on simple fixes and jacked up the
>left rear end and removed the tire, I saw that the cross member had
>cracked near where the after market shock mount adaptor bolts on. I did
>a quick check with the Moss parts catalog and that cross member is not
>available with them. So, I'm wondering if this shock mount replacement
>for the old lever shock (I installed a couple of decades ago) was a bad
>idea and put too much pressure on that frame member. It occurs to me
>that there may be some folks out there who have gone through this and
>can tell me just how a fix should be attempted.
>
>
>
>That crack shown in the photo seems to be only on the back side of the
>cross member. I have learned some welding skills in the last few years,
>and I have a mig welder, but I have never done anything under a car. I
>really don't like the proximity of the gas tank either. I am thinking
>that my local pro welder would be the guy to call on, but is this
>really something that can be fixed that way?
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
><https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=3Demail&utm_source=3Dlink&utm_=
campaign=3Dsig-email&utm_content=3Demailclient>
>
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>
>
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<body><div>It is a stormy where I am, so I'm inside with my laptop instead=
of under my TR6 working to get that rear shock mount cross member out. Some=
how I must have deleted some of this thread, and I don't remember if I ever =
continued with my "fix" to the problem. I did carry it over to "The Triump=
h Experience" where I got some more recommendations, and though I was disco=
uraged for a time, I am now very optimistic about my choices.</div><div><br =
/></div><div>First, I got out the lever shocks that I had removed a couple =
of decades ago and opened them up and found the cause of their horrible pe=
rformance. They were filled with grease! I found a Youtube video on the "Ya=
kov's Beauties" site (so many great Triumph jobs there) that showed how to=
refurbish them. I did what he did and got a similar result where much more=
force was needed to move the levers. I really think they are going to work=
as is, but if not I'll get them done by one of the shops mentioned by other=
s here.</div><div><br /></div><div>Second, I did embark on an attempt to we=
ld up and patch the cracks that had appeared on the left side of the cross=
member (gas tank out of course). I thought I could hold the pieces together =
with C-clamps and then spot weld them in a few places from underneath, up=
into the channel. The idea was to then add more to the welds in the channel =
and then weld patches to the outer surfaces of the channel that I would cu=
t from 14 gauge sheet steel. I did get a couple of spot welds done, but the =
channel is narrow, the MIG nozzle is pretty wide, and it was very hard to=
see anything when the nozzle and my hand blocked the light. The killer was=
my discovery of another crack farther up near the differential that was in=
an even narrower spot. I called a local welder who was happy to come take a =
look at the possibility of doing a stick weld up there, but he said there=
was no way it could be done, and he thought the cracking would spread anywa=
y. Total discouragement at that point because I just couldn't imagine incur=
ring the expense of a frame-off job to install the RATCO Differential Tower =
replacement after post-Helene clearing and tree work had depleted our acco=
unts.</div><div><br /></div><div>A very helpful post on The Triumph Experie=
nce (from Ken D) let me know that the RATCO replacement could be done witho=
ut removing the frame. "Read the instructions on the RATCO site," he said.=
I did, and the process sounded very doable, even for this 78 year old. I ta=
lked to Bob at RATCO, and got some good advice about carefully checking my=
frame for rust before proceeding. The cross member set up for lever shocks=
was not in stock, but it is likely to be shipped next week. Meanwhile I hav=
e been busy following the instructions. I'll briefly describe how things ha=
ve gone for those who might be thinking of the same solution.</div><div><br =
/></div><div>There was some initial frame prep required that would be very =
difficult to do without first making room by removing the hubs and half ax=
les from the trailing arms and letting the arms hang lower. Each side has 6 =
nyloc nuts holding the hub to the cast aluminum trailing arm. All but one=
of mine came out nicely, but one nut was frozen to its stud, and that stud=
and nut unit re-tightened after several turns out. It was extremely tight a=
nd I feared stripping the aluminum threads in the arm by forcing it out. It =
took several hours (over a couple of days) of spraying Liquid Wrench, turn=
ing back in and then out, tapping the surrounding metal, applying heat with =
a heat gun (a torch might have been too much for the aluminum) to loosen t=
he nut. It seemed interminable, but I did begin to feel that the nut was ba=
cking out a little farther on the stud, and it did finally give leaving the =
stud and arm threads intact. Whew. Another Yakov video showed how to simpl=
y pull out the hubs (no need to do anything with the diff). Mine were stuck=
, but I borrowed a hub puller with a slide hammer from Advance Auto (payed=
$175, got it refunded after pulling the hubs in 90 min).=C2=A0</div><div><b=
r /></div><div>I used my little air compression driven grinder with cutting =
wheel to slice the shock bump stops from the frame sides (to be re-welded=
later to a frame collar in the RATCO kit). It was a tedious job. I borrowed =
a friend's Makita electric angle grinder with a 4.5" diameter, .040" thick =
cutting wheel for the cuts to the old cross member. The cuts on the front=
side of the old cross member to separate it from the frame were about 6" lo=
ng and took less than a minute each! The same cuts on the back side of the=
old cross were hindered by the bottom of the trunk area where the gas tank=
resides. Only about an inch of the cutting wheel could cut until the body o=
f the angle grinder was blocked from moving farther in. This was incredibly =
discouraging, and I think it is the only flaw in the instructions provided =
by RATCO. Maybe there are low profile angle grinders that could work? I fi=
nally hit on the idea using my saws-all with a good long Diablo metal-cutti=
ng blade (I do have a few of my own tools at hand). It did a good job of cu=
tting the rest of the way and took only a few minutes. I have used a grindi=
ng wheel to smooth out the metal left on the frame after some of the cuts,=
and that has gone well.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yesterday I reinstalled=
the hubs using just 2 new nyloc nuts on each. The hardest part (not really=
bad) was sliding the new rubber boots (old ones worn) over the splines in t=
he shafts before pushing them through the trailing arms (held up with a scr=
ap piece of wood). This next is the best thing about the whole job. Tomorro=
w I plan to place a jack under the diff, remove the 4 nuts holding it to th=
e mounts (2 in the old cross), and then lowering the jack to allow the diff =
to settle into a cradle of the 2 axles and the drive shaft. The only thing =
left holding the old cross in place is an easily accessed half inch weld o=
n each frame rail. Should take about a minute to cut through those and then =
pull out the old cross. There will be more grinding to smooth the frame su=
rface in preparation for the new cross member. That cross will be positione=
d by slowly jacking the diff back up into the 2 stationary forward mounts a=
nd into the mounts on the temporarily movable new cross. Ingenious! At that =
point my nearby pro welder has agreed to do the welding to the frame.</div=
><div><br /></div><div>The current price tag on the RATCO kit is $375 plus=
shipping. The welder charges by the hour, but I don't think it should take=
too long. Maybe $200 or so there; certainly less than $800 total for the fi=
x. That is more than I thought it would take originally, but this is much b=
etter than having an iffy patch job or a car that sits in the garage until=
. . . ?</div><div><br /></div><div>Tim=C2=A0=C2=A0</div><div><br /></div><d=
iv>=C2=A0</div>
<div x-em-replyforwardheader=3D""><br /></div>
<div>
<div>------ Original Message ------</div>
<div>From "Stan Foster" <<a href=3D"mailto:stan@redtr6.com";>stan@redtr6.=
com</a>></div>
<div>To "Tim Gaines" <<a href=3D"mailto:mtgaines@presby.edu";>mtgaines@pr=
esby.edu</a>>; "Triumphs" <<a href=3D"mailto:triumphs@autox.team.net"=
>triumphs@autox.team.net</a>></div>
<div>Date 10/8/2025 5:37:30 PM</div>
<div>Subject RE: [TR] TR6 rear shock mount break</div></div><div x-em-quote=
=3D""><br /></div>
<div id=3D"x1b44cab5f9b34d1" style=3D"word-wrap:break-word"><blockquote cit=
e=3D"SJ0PR05MB77863CABC3CB1760ED22525DFEE1A@SJ0PR05MB7786.namprd05.prod.out=
look.com" type=3D"cite" class=3D"cite2">
<div class=3D"WordSection1">
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:11.0pt">I had those bracket=
s and the stress caused the cross ember to be torn off the frame. I fitted=
the cross member from RATCO and switched back to lever arm schocks.<o:p xml=
ns:o=3D"#unknown"></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:11.0pt"><o:p xmlns:o=3D"#un=
known">=C2=A0</o:p></span></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:11.0pt">Stan<o:p xmlns:o=3D=
"#unknown"></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-size:11.0pt"><o:p xmlns:o=3D"#un=
known">=C2=A0</o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style=3D"border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in=
0in 0in">
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><b><span style=3D"font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"=
;Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style=3D"font-size:11.0pt;=
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> Triumphs <triumphs-bounces@=
autox.team.net>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Tim Gaines<br />
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, October 8, 2025 4:37 PM<br />
<b>To:</b> Triumphs <triumphs@autox.team.net><br />
<b>Subject:</b> [TR] TR6 rear shock mount break<o:p xmlns:o=3D"#unknown"></=
o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><o:p xmlns:o=3D"#unknown">=C2=A0</o:p></p>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-family:"Segoe UI",sans=
-serif">I have been hearing a slapping sound either under or behind me in t=
he 1974 TR6 when I encounter even slightly rough pavement, so today I decid=
ed to sort it out. I thought I had found the problem
quickly when I saw that the spare tire securing hook bolt had come loose,=
but no such luck. When I finally gave up on simple fixes and jacked up the=
left rear end and removed the tire, I saw that the cross member had cracked =
near where the after market shock
mount adaptor bolts on. I did a quick check with the Moss parts catalog an=
d that cross member is not available with them. So, I'm wondering if this s=
hock mount replacement for the old lever shock (I installed a couple of dec=
ades ago) was a bad idea and put
too much pressure on that frame member. It occurs to me that there may be=
some folks out there who have gone through this and can tell me just how a=
fix should be attempted.
<o:p xmlns:o=3D"#unknown"></o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-family:"Segoe UI",sans=
-serif"><o:p xmlns:o=3D"#unknown">=C2=A0</o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-family:"Segoe UI",sans=
-serif">That crack shown in the photo seems to be only on the back side of=
the cross member. I have learned some welding skills in the last few years, =
and I have a mig welder, but I have never done
anything under a car. I really don't like the proximity of the gas tank ei=
ther. I am thinking that my local pro welder would be the guy to call on, b=
ut is this really something that can be fixed that way?
<o:p xmlns:o=3D"#unknown"></o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-family:"Segoe UI",sans=
-serif"><o:p xmlns:o=3D"#unknown">=C2=A0</o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-family:"Segoe UI",sans=
-serif">=C2=A0<o:p xmlns:o=3D"#unknown"></o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-family:"Segoe UI",sans=
-serif"><o:p xmlns:o=3D"#unknown">=C2=A0</o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-family:"Segoe UI",sans=
-serif"><o:p xmlns:o=3D"#unknown">=C2=A0</o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-family:"Segoe UI",sans=
-serif"><o:p xmlns:o=3D"#unknown">=C2=A0</o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"font-family:"Segoe UI",sans=
-serif"><o:p xmlns:o=3D"#unknown">=C2=A0</o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div id=3D"DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2">
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