Steering Idler

[Nigel Lay]

A quick question - There has always been a VERY small amount of play in the steering idler on TS952 after the grease has 'settled'. I have always packed it full of grease before the MOT and no problems so far. However the friend of ours with the 3A has been told that his must be changed before the next MOT (even though they let it through this time) as there is 'discernable' play in it. In point of fact there is less play in his compared with mine!

Do you do what I do or should I consider looking for a better idler (or a repro, which sends shivers up the spine).

Nigel

[Don Elliott]

Nigel - I re-did all my front suspension in 1989 during my restoration except for the idler arm assembly. I never could get rid of that last bit of slop. I have just now completed another total re-built of all the front suspension (drove 94,000 miles during this period) and this time, I also changed the idler arm. It'll be about 3 weeks before I have it back on the road, but already, just by moving the steering wheel with the front end up, I can feel a big improvement. I bought the replacement from Triumph Roadster Factory in 2004. I think it's like all the other replacement idler arms. Right out the box, I could tell it would make an improvement.

Edited June 12, 2007 by Don Elliott

[stuart]

Nigel I think that Revingtons do a conversion for the idler that turns it into a proper bushed housing. Not sure about how good it is as every sidescreen car I have done lately I have fitted rack conversions. May be worth giving them a call. I take it you know the old dodge of grinding a small amount off the top of the housing and then screwing it in one more turn to utilise the unworn thread further in the housing(Of course I could never recommend that one) I may however have a good one kicking around in amongst my spares stash.

Stuart

[Nigel Lay]

Thanks for your replies, I haven't gone down that route yet Stuart as the slop is only slight - however why didn't I think of that when it was all apart, knowledge is a wonderful thing

I found your card that you gave me at Tregenna, I wondered where it had gone - tucked away in our small odds & ends bag that we use when we go away - proves we don't go away that often. I honestly think the one of my car is OK, steering is fine even on the old box - no rack & pinion here - yet

Nigel

Edited June 13, 2007 by Nigel Lay

[Guest colinTR2]

A quick question - There has always been a VERY small amount of play in the steering idler on TS952 after the grease has 'settled'. I have always packed it full of grease before the MOT and no problems so far. However the friend of ours with the 3A has been told that his must be changed before the next MOT (even though they let it through this time) as there is 'discernable' play in it. In point of fact there is less play in his compared with mine!

Do you do what I do or should I consider looking for a better idler (or a repro, which sends shivers up the spine).

Nigel

 

Nigel

The idler on my 2 has a little slack in it for probably all the years I have been having it MOTd. Hugo in our local garage always comments on it, but then issues the certificate whereupon I forget all about it until next year! Anyway, Tony Jeanes next door who has a well known 3A had his idler bushed by Hugo's dad who has the necessary gear to do this. So when I had the apron off recently to do another job I gave my idler to Hugo's dad to have it bushed. It came back some weeks later with the comment " can't do this, the wall is not thick enough".

This suggests that the idler on the 3A was beefed up from that on the 2. So I think the answer may be to find a second hand idler from a 3A and if it is sloppy have it bushed.

Tony also has another trick, grind the welds off the arm, rotate 180 degrees and re-weld, I guess this locates the thread onto the unused threads further into the housing.

When all is said and done, these things probably always had some slack in them, grease it well and use an understanding MOT tester!!

 

Colin

[stuart]

Nigel

The idler on my 2 has a little slack in it for probably all the years I have been having it MOTd. Hugo in our local garage always comments on it, but then issues the certificate whereupon I forget all about it until next year! Anyway, Tony Jeanes next door who has a well known 3A had his idler bushed by Hugo's dad who has the necessary gear to do this. So when I had the apron off recently to do another job I gave my idler to Hugo's dad to have it bushed. It came back some weeks later with the comment " can't do this, the wall is not thick enough".

This suggests that the idler on the 3A was beefed up from that on the 2. So I think the answer may be to find a second hand idler from a 3A and if it is sloppy have it bushed.

Tony also has another trick, grind the welds off the arm, rotate 180 degrees and re-weld, I guess this locates the thread onto the unused threads further into the housing.

When all is said and done, these things probably always had some slack in them, grease it well and use an understanding MOT tester!!

 

Colin

Thats a similar remedy to the one I had previously posted, as in the normal "in use" position the wear occurs on a certain portion of the thread, however there is more thread unused further in the housing and even an early 2 unit can be considerably improved by a little judicous grinding and screwing further in. (as the actress said to the bishop!) Apologies to anyone of a nervous disposition.

Stuart.