Ian Vincent Posted July 21, 2007 Report Share Posted July 21, 2007 I am rebuilding a TR3a and have just seen the attached photo (see link) with a substantial tubular bar bolted across the front of the engine. My car doesn't have one, Is this a standard part that was removed by a previous owner and never replaced or is it a bolt on extra? And if I should have one, where can I get it from?? - any ideas? Advice pls? Rgds Ian http://s211.photobucket.com/albums/bb315/T...nt=P1000398.jpg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
marvmul Posted July 21, 2007 Report Share Posted July 21, 2007 This bar is mounted between the suspension towers and is surely necessary. Without it, these towers will be bent inwards after a while. I suppose it's only secondhand available. Fabricating one would only be a minor difficulty in the rebuild! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted July 21, 2007 Report Share Posted July 21, 2007 I am rebuilding a TR3a and have just seen the attached photo (see link) with a substantial tubular bar bolted across the front of the engine. My car doesn't have one, Is this a standard part that was removed by a previous owner and never replaced or is it a bolt on extra? And if I should have one, where can I get it from?? - any ideas? Advice pls? Rgds Ian http://s211.photobucket.com/albums/bb315/T...nt=P1000398.jpg Ian I do have one if you are interested. Give the workshop a ring on 01726 882680 would have been taking it to Malvern but not now!! Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kiwifrog Posted July 21, 2007 Report Share Posted July 21, 2007 I am rebuilding a TR3a and have just seen the attached photo (see link) with a substantial tubular bar bolted across the front of the engine. My car doesn't have one, Is this a standard part that was removed by a previous owner and never replaced or is it a bolt on extra? And if I should have one, where can I get it from?? - any ideas? Advice pls? Rgds Ian http://s211.photobucket.com/albums/bb315/T...nt=P1000398.jpg If your car has been driven without the crosstube then there is a likleyhood that the front turrets have bent inwards. I would check very carefully the geometry of the turrets themselves and also the mounting points where the turrets meet the chassis for deformation or cracks Cheers Alan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ianc Posted July 22, 2007 Report Share Posted July 22, 2007 If you can't get a secondhand cross tube, contact Colin at CTM (see advert in TRaction) - he can provide one, I am sure. Please don't drive the car without the cross tube in place, you could damage the car and have an accident. If the spring turrets have already moved inwards, you may need to push them back with a hydraulic jack - problem then is knowing whether each pillar has gone back to its original position. May need to get a specialist to check (e.g. Colin) - possibly do the job for you. Tracking will need to be checked afterwards. One wonders how the car ever passed an MOT without this tube, which is an essential part of the chassis (even though dismountable). Ian Cornish Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ian Vincent Posted July 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2007 Thanks for all the replies, I was one of the few that did manage to make it to Malvern and saw enough examples there to realise that it is an essential piece of kit. I even managed to pick up a TR4 one secondhand for £5 and allthough it is longer, it looks like it will fit if I do a cut & shut on it. My car is a USA import that I bought last year and I suspect that it hasn't been used without it, however, I will check the turrets to make sure they haven't moved. Rgds Ian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
marvmul Posted July 22, 2007 Report Share Posted July 22, 2007 If the spring turrets have already moved inwards, you may need to push them back with a hydraulic jack - problem then is knowing whether each pillar has gone back to its original position. May need to get a specialist to check (e.g. Colin) - possibly do the job for you. Tracking will need to be checked afterwards.Ian Cornish In case you would be interested : fitting a shorter bar and pulling the turrets inwards with the bolts is a proven way to get negative camber (or less positive camber). A bar that is about 2/3 inch shorter can easily be fitted without putting much strain on the chassis. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ian Vincent Posted July 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2007 In case you would be interested : fitting a shorter bar and pulling the turrets inwards with the bolts is a proven way to get negative camber (or less positive camber). A bar that is about 2/3 inch shorter can easily be fitted without putting much strain on the chassis. Thanks for this offering, I do want to get negative camber and was going to look at new vertical links (@£130 ea). I did wonder if anyone had ever tried pulling the turrets in. Fortunately, as an old engineer (civil) I have a set of drawing instruments and a board, I will draw it out at 1/2 scale and see how much I need to adjust it. I assume I would need to either elongate the holes or redrill the inner wings where they sit on the longitudinal props. Any advice gratefully received. Ian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
I used to have one of those! Posted July 30, 2007 Report Share Posted July 30, 2007 I am rebuilding a TR3a and have just seen the attached photo (see link) with a substantial tubular bar bolted across the front of the engine. My car doesn't have one, Is this a standard part that was removed by a previous owner and never replaced or is it a bolt on extra? And if I should have one, where can I get it from?? - any ideas? Advice pls? Rgds Ian http://s211.photobucket.com/albums/bb315/T...nt=P1000398.jpg Ian, Simon Westlake here, you've bought parts off me before, RHD stuff I think from memory. I have a correct TR2-3B cross tube if you want one. Call me on 07977 258506 to arrange. Regards Simon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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