Tim D. Posted September 30, 2014 Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 Hi chaps, As part of my chassis change I am rebuilding the suspension.. Just finished disassembling one front corner and I thoguht I would share a picture of the thread on the vertical link.. Bare in mind this passed the last 4 MOTs.. The threads are very pitted with bits missing in places. The whole thing is "waisted" at the top and there was 2-3 mm of play in almost all directions.. (what is really scary is that I drove round Spa and Lemans like this!!0 think I need a new link! tim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peejay4A Posted September 30, 2014 Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 (edited) Looking at the state of that you are very lucky indeed. Apart from everything else it shows the classic pointy thread wear pattern. Edited September 30, 2014 by peejay4A Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Motorsport Mickey Posted September 30, 2014 Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 Tim, Buy a lottery ticket this weekend ! Mick Richards Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BlueTR3A-5EKT Posted September 30, 2014 Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 Hi chaps, As part of my chassis change I am rebuilding the suspension.. Just finished disassembling one front corner and I thoguht I would share a picture of the thread on the vertical link.. Bare in mind this passed the last 4 MOTs.. The threads are very pitted with bits missing in places. The whole thing is "waisted" at the top and there was 2-3 mm of play in almost all directions.. (what is really scary is that I drove round Spa and Lemans like this!!0 think I need a new link! tim I have the identical for the other hand - do you want it to make a pair? - it is a bit grottier I suspect as it has been the garage door stop for 20 years Peter W Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted September 30, 2014 Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 The other side will likely be just as bad. All too easy to overlook the facts that Any 40 year old car needs a proper serious maintenance and service regime. The MoT test will not show up all potentially dangerous wear aspects, not by a long chalk. Too few classic owners realise either . . . . . Cheers Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tim D. Posted September 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 Yes... did the same sort of rebuild on a spitfire 10 years ago and had similar damage... Wonder how many TRs are out there with similar issues. Cheers Tim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted September 30, 2014 Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 Too many by far . . . . . ! I'm fortunate in so much as my MoT man will happily give my car a proper going over with me - first he MoT tests it, then we get out the big hammer, chisel and pry bar and give it some stick . . . . and check over the things the MoT test doesn't cover. And he gives the car a road test work out. Guaranteed to find the odd lurking problem, need I add, and well worth the forty quid in folding for the extra hour. Cheers Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted September 30, 2014 Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 Hi Tim, that was certainly a timely find. The VL can and does break at the top of the thread. When my wish bone bracket snapped in July I decided to replace both VL's as they were of the same vintage 47 years old. Consider using the SuperPro seal that seals the top of the threaded section. Water in threads just sits there and does its work. The grease may slow it down but will not stop it. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ed_h Posted October 1, 2014 Report Share Posted October 1, 2014 You might luck out and the other side will be better. That was the case with mine. In the pic, the right piece was the knackered one, the middle piece was the other side. The left one is a new replacement. Ed Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Denis Posted October 1, 2014 Report Share Posted October 1, 2014 And to think, many owners fit wider wheels and tyres, it wasn't designed to cope with! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tim D. Posted October 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2014 Interestingly there were a number of other issues. The lower shock bolt on the same side was pretty siezed. This meant that when the chassis was "bounced" by me standing above the 't shirt' only the drivers side suspension moved significantly. The passengers side hardly moved at all. Tim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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