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RE: TR-3A - Dangerous steering problem (was 53 MPH shimmy)

To: <triumphs@autox.team.net>
Subject: RE: TR-3A - Dangerous steering problem (was 53 MPH shimmy)
From: "Randall" <ryoung@navcomtech.com>
Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2000 10:28:00 -0800charset="iso-8859-1"
Importance: Normal
John :

Sounds to me like you need to replace the nyloc nut (they shouldn't be
reused) and then have your wheel dynamically balanced.  See below for more
comments.

John Cowan wrote :
>
>       Some questions:
> 1. Is the stem of the tie rod supposed to rotate within the socket?

It's normal for the stem to be able to turn within the tie rod end.  It has
to turn a little when you turn the steering wheel.

> 2. Does the loose and rotating stem indicate that the tie rod end is
> trashed? (I think it does).

If there is no extra movement detectable in the tie rod end when you turn
the steering wheel back and forth, the end is probably OK.

> 3. Things seem tight, now, but should I assume the tie rod
> end is unsafe to
> drive with?

I sure wouldn't continue to drive it with that vibration.  It will continue
to tear things up until you get it fixed.  The tie rod end is probably safe
to drive with, even if it is a little loose, if you can get the vibration
fixed.

> 4.  Could the nyloc nut have worked itself out?  I was
> standing by when the
> tie rods were initially installed this time last year and had
> the mechanic
> check each of the ends. We both agreed they were tight.  The
> only other
> time anyone was near the tie rod ends was shortly thereafter
> when I had the
> front end aligned.  I suppose the tech could have unscrewed
> the nut, but I
> don't know why he would have.  I had also asked him to check
> if everything
> was secure and he said it was, although I was not able to
> watch.  I've put
> about 1000 miles on the car since then.

A severe shimmy can shake many things loose, especially if the nut wasn't
replaced.

> 5.  Does this sound like I got a bad tie rod end from TRF?

No.

>
>      Further note: Some time ago I posted a question about
> dealing with an
> annoying shimmy just above 50 MPH.  I never fully solved the
> problem, but
> it had diminished to the point where I could ignore it -
> until we tightened
> up the tie rod end last week.  Now it's worse than ever.
> Interestingly,
> the shimmy began just after I had the front end aligned.

What's happening is that the balance plane of the hub/wheel/tire assembly is
not the same as the rotation plane.  This means that, at speed, the wheel
tries to wobble back and forth at each rotation.  With the tie rod end
loose, there was enough play to let the wheel rotate in it's balance plane,
without transmitting the vibration to the rest of the car.  This of course
is not good.  One possible cause is that someone did a sloppy computer
balance, or did a bubble balance and put all the weights on the outside of
the wheel.  Another cause could be a lost weight.

Try a good 'computer' balance of the wheel/tire assembly.  If that doesn't
work, replace the tire.  If that doesn't work, find some place that can
still do a 'computer balance' on the car (try calling around to places that
work on big trucks, or those that have been in business 20 years or more).
Or, another alternative is to replace the wheel and/or hub assembly.

If you do have the wheel balanced on the car, mark the wheel and hub so that
you can put them back in the same relative position if you have the wheel
off for some reason.

Randall


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