hi
I thought you'd like to know that my TR4 is back on the road following a
front-end
rebuild. New parts include nylatron bushings for the upper A-arms, new poly
bushings
for the lower A-arms, 20% uprated road springs with Spax shocks, new brake disks
and pads, the rest of it was ok. What a difference! For the first time
ever it stops very positively, the tracking seems much improved and of course
its flatter round corners. I've got a Moss(?) TR6 front sway bar too.
Heres what I've learned ....
The nylatron bushes for the upper A-arms are a very tight fit. My A-arms
were rather mucky. I tried to clean up the inside surface using a wire
brush on a
drill, but this didnt work out.. A friend of mine polished them up on a
lathe
& pressed the nylatrons in, then had to use the lathe again to skim the
nylatron
inner to allow a finger-tight movement of the steel sleeve ... the
result was a
perfect fit but no way could I have managed that alone. I assembled the
whole thing
(ie: including fulcrum pin) off the car which turned out not to be
necessary.
Easy though.
I used a Moss (UK) nylatron kit, but they had supplied the wrong size
steel sleeves.
The internal diameter between the upper & lower sleeves is different.
If you try to put one on your car & it seems too loose - its wrong. I
bought the
kit a couple of years ago so by now the problem should be fixed. Moss
blamed their
supplier.
My sway bar is also a Moss(UK) unit. The bar & the way its is fixed to
the
car is fine, but the method used to connect the ends to the lower A-arms
is pretty poor. There is a long bolt that is held in place by rubber
bushes
to allow it to bend towards a crude plate which is bolted to the lower
arm.
So, the bolt is held in the rubber at a wild angle to connect it all
together.
One day I'll think about improving all this.
The lower A-arms & poly bushes went together ok, but I could not get the
steel sleeves off the car. Heat & good access are needed here I think.
One of the steel sleeves was rather worn, the rest were more-or-less ok.
Putting the spring pans on was the predictable struggle, but its easier
if you use a threaded rod to compress the spring (as per the book) and
put
a screwdriver through the pan & bolt holes to get more guidance
leverage.
I also Hammerite'd various rusty bits of metal. Being a cheapskate I mix a bit
down with their special thinner & just slap it on as untreated metal gets
revealed.
The only thing I've got wrong is(are?) the bearings - I can probably get the
race
cages which are pressed into the hub out (via screwdriver & hammer), but I wasnt
sure I could put the new ones in without scoring or bending them. I dont have a
big enough socket & I'm unsure about banging machined parts even if through bits
of wood? Suggestions? Anyhow I've got new bearings & old races, probably A
Bad Thing.
I've got a vice/vise.
I'm a digest reader & I'm a bit behind, but I have been
reading the discussion of a few days ago about tightening up the hubs. I always
put them in so I get a hint of play, but it always worries me! I also agree
about
compressing the felt seal - I think ...
Anyhow, I got the car together so I could attend the South-West TR Register
Inter-Group meeting at a great pub in the very scenic village of Lacock in
Wiltshire. The weather in the UK has been particularly & unseasonably fine these
past few weeks, spring has sprung very early, hence about +30 TRs showed up.
Very pleasant. I also saw 6VC - this is Neil Revingtons ex-works TR4.
(note: plug follows)
He runs Revington TR - I have a his catalogue & can thoroughly recommend it
to TR nuts, particularly is you want go faster stuff. Its packed with goodies
that you guys like - everything you need to rebuild/rally your TR. Its availble
as
a paper catalogue or as a computer disk. Just get it, you wont be dissapointed.
Plenty of Early TR stuff too (Revington rallies a TR2).
Finally, I bought parts from :
Moss, London
Northern TR Centre (who sent me the wrong brake parts & were very crestfallen
when I
pointed this out! I like these guys) 01740-621447 (fax 01740 6228873)
Revington TR 01823-698437 (fax 01823-698109)
Regards, Adrian + TR4 (now fixed)
adrian_jefferies@x400.icl.co.uk
--
Regards, Adrian
adrian_jefferies@x400.icl.co.uk
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