Menno van Rij Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 Hi all, A very memorable moment today: The chassis came back from the paint shop. Oh so shiny, oh so black. And this afternoon the powder coat shop called me that I to tell that all parts where ready to be picked up. So I went straigth away! Time to start reassembling!!! I've just finished a compressed air session: I selected all powder coated parts and with the help of an air hose and compressor I've thoroughly cleaned off all parts. All small blasting-particles are blown away with compressed air. After that, I've take pics of all parts and sorted all parts. For now, I will start assembling the front suspension. Just have to wait for new bearings. They will arrive tomorrow. Off course I'm interested in your input. It's my first TR reassembling, so all advice will be considered and perhaps used when building! Regards, Menno Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew Smith Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 Hi Menno It's all looking good, but I must warn you about a serious error you have made during reassembly and it will affect the handling and steering of you finished car if not corrected immediately! If you look pictures 1 and 4, you appear to have mounted the springs and vertical link in the wrong place, so put down your spanners now and check with the manual - I hope it's not too late?! Good luck and cheers Andrew Quote Link to post Share on other sites
david ferry Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 (edited) I reckon those springs are those from the optional centre seat. they may be more comfortable than the seats for driver and passenger! Seriously for a moment Menno, I would give serious consideration to protecting the inside of the chassis members with Waxoyl or preferably Dinitrol (cannot remember the product specific number). Whilst the chassis is stripped down, you will more easily be able to turn it end to end vertically and over from top to bottom. This helps coat all the inside surfaces far better than spraying alone. If you do it on a warm day, so much the better. I did this on my TR3a and TR4. The 5 will get the same treatment when that gets restored. This is much more difficult once the chassis is built up with suspension and certainly impossible once engine etc are in. Having gone to as much trouble as you have done so far, I am sure you want it to last as long as possible. It looks like it will be a quality job (the only way in my opinion). Keep the photos and updates coming. Regards David Edited September 6, 2007 by david ferry Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Elliott Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 Menno - It all looks super ! I agree with David. I sprayed Wax Oyl inside the frame from each end and through any hole I could find along its length. I also sprayed into the cross pipes and into the projecting outriggers. I left the outter surfaces painted. After 97,000 miles it's still like it was 17 years ago. As for any wise advive during re-assembly, remember, it was designed by humans, built by humans, driven by humans, taken apart by a human and it can all be done again. There is only one way to do it - and that is to do it correctly. It doesn't take any longer or cost any more to do it right - rather than accepting something that is not correct. If you run into a problem which delays you a bit, don't worry. Go on to do something else that is ready and easy to do. Some morning about 4 AM, you will suddenly awaken and exclaim that you have solved the problem. Or ask us here. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Menno van Rij Posted September 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 (edited) Yes, it was a give-away, wasn't it! Using the springs for the driver's side seat(...!). I'm so eager to drive my new(ish) car, that I'm willing to sacrifice some comfort. About waxoil. Yes, you all are right. I forgot to mention. Next Saterday will be waxoil day. I've bought very large sheet of agricultural plastic and some pins to hold it down at the corners. I will put the chassis on a ramp and then I going tol waxoil all cavities and allow it a few day days to settle. (21 degrees C. next Saterday, I love that Firefox add-on on my computer!|). Perhaps you noticed on an older picture: the chassis in front of the turrets was patched and it was done badly. At first I didn't care, but after a few days, the patches were removed and new parts were welded in. Correctly, I may add. (And Don, you are right: there's only one way: the right way!). On a picture I saw on the 'net, there were originally 2 holes drilled in the front part of the chassis. Just large enough to put a waxoil nozzle in and spray the chassis inside from the front. I don't know what to do after waxoiling the inside: should I close off these holes, or should I leave them open. I remember a Volvo PV544-guru saying that similar holes on a PV544 should stay open, to prevend moisture to be trapped inside. Menno Edited September 6, 2007 by Menno van Rij Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jean Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 Menno, while re-assemble don't forget to carefully remove all paint and powder coating from surfaces that are bolted together Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Elliott Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 Leave the holes at the front of the frame open. Mine were open and they are still open. A concours judge will look for them and if you have closed them, you' maylose a part of a point. Ventilation is good for the frame. I poured thinned out paint primer down the inside of my inner sills before I welded them during assembly of the tub. I also put waxoil in them from the small hole at the front and via other new holes on the inside below the door sill. These will get covered so no-one can see these holes once the aluminium interior door sill strip is screwed into place. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
vivdownunder Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 Hi Menno, I have posted this before, but a while ago... have you had the verticle uprights and stub axles crack tested ?. Even if they are brand new, I suggest you get them checked as we found a batch of new repro uprights with cracks from deficient manufacture. One of our members had a failure on a busy road on a Saturday morning, and his TR3 slewed into another car head on. Nobody hurt thankfully. But the other party to this incident turned out to be a best friend of my wife, and we still haven't figured the odds of that happening in a city of 4 million people. The tester I use thinks the starting point for a crack is likely to be from a previous accident stressing the upright/stub axle. Don't want to be alarmist as failures are extremely rare, but it's a peace of mind thing. Regarding the upper wishbones, I suggest you use polyurethane upper inner bushes instead of rubber which chops out. The fulcrum pins here get pitted and need to be dressed smooth, and the polyurethane bushes are best installed with white lube to the fulcrum pins. A sachet of this lube is usually supplied with these parts. The last set I used were Moss Motors part TT3062 Best regards, Viv. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jean Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 Menno, I had a look at the windows you made for the sidescreens. Look very good,but what are your plans to fit the front window panels. I'm afraid that there is not enough space in the frame to fit two overlap windows of the same thickness. Originally the front part is very thin and soft and is stitched to the frame covering Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Menno van Rij Posted September 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 Thank you all for your reply! Viv, I forgot to mention after your earlier posting about the uprights: I took them to the workshop where my engine currently is. I asked them to test them for cracks. They have a machine that can test cranks for cracks. They were surprised by my question, but carried out the tests. No cracks. In June I've ordered polybush (blue) material from E.S. overhere in Holland; they sell Revington, Polybush, Green Stuff and Draper products and tools. After buying Green Stuff, braided hoses, new shocks and polybush products, my credit card needed a vacation... Jean, you are right about the front windows; I didn't know that the large fixed ones are much thinner that the ones I've made. Stitching them (as should be done) was not an option from the beginning. I know that it is not original, but I will sacrifice that for safety. Last Spring I drove a TR with s/screens and I nearly missed a car that came from the left. I didn't notice the car. Only the last second. The car was hidden behind the front wing stanchion and the front part of the s/screen. Still, you are right: the current material I've used is too thick! The sliding part and the fixed part both are 3.9 mill. thick, so I''ll have to find thinner material for the fixed ones. Good brakes on that TR though. Not really this topic, but is there a DIY way to test the quality of the rear shocks? Can I refurbish them myself. I've heard horror stories from a fellow TR owner who bought 'new' shocks from a well known supplier (4 letters). They leaked and after closely examining them, he found out that the only new thing about them was the paint! It's the well known story about new parts being rubbish and the supplier gets away with it. (After all, we still buy stuff from them) Regards, Menno Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Elliott Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 Menno - I have the original shocks still on my TR3A. After 80,350 miles (about 20,000 of that was severe rallying on gravel roads from 1959 to 1965) I did my restoration and drained out the original oil. I put in new oil from a plastic jar marked "Oil for Armstrong Lever Shocks". You have to do this with the shock vertical. I did it on the bench. If you lay it flat (on its side) you will add too much oil. I then drove another 94,000 miles of highway touring and fun driving and changed the oil again this past spring. Test the shocks with the body of the shock held vertical (perhaps held gently in a vice) and with a bar on the lever arm, flex the lever arm to see what happens. I figure mine are still good for another 50 years. BTW, when you want to tighten the shocks back onto the frame, use bolts that are about 30mm longer. And slide a tube with the ID to slide over the shaft of the bolt and the OD equal to the OD of an appropriate flate washer. The length should be 30 mm. This spacer goes onto the shaft of the bolt just before you put on the nut. This extension allows you to tighten the shock bolts and nuts easily. If you stay with the original design, you can't get a socket down in beside the cast shock housing to tighten it fully. And then they will bang on wavy or rough roads. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
vivdownunder Posted September 8, 2007 Report Share Posted September 8, 2007 Hi Menno, Regarding the rear shockers, if you can't get "Oil for Armstrong Lever Shocks" as used by Don, then another correct option is Castrol Hyspin AWH68 Hydraulic Fluid, or its equivalent in another brand. It is not appropriate to use heavy duty oil to tighten up the shockers as this soon wrecks them completely. Multiple flat machine washers (skinny diameter) can also be used as a spacer for longer shocker mounting bolts, if you can't find a suitable heavy walled tube. Normal sockets, as we know, won't get in to properly tighten up, or undo the original bolts. A 9/16" socket with a 1/4" drive is thin walled enough to get in, but you can't use too much pressure. I have ground down a thinwall 9/16" x 3/8" drive socket to an even thinner wall to get in and undo the original shocker mount bolts. A 9/16" x 1/2" drive socket is too thick at the drive end. If the rear shocker mount bolts are just barely loose they will elongate the mounting holes, which is very hard to repair. Once they become more loose, as Don said, they will conveniently bang away under the car like someone beating the chassis with a hammer to inform that they attention. Regards, Viv. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jean Posted September 8, 2007 Report Share Posted September 8, 2007 I would like to add to the previous good advises that in general as long as the shocks don't leak they will be ok. If you replace the oil you will have to fill them by slowly pumping the oil inside with the lever. One problem I faced was that it's almost impossible to find new cork cover seals, so as a preventive measure, try to keep the present seal in good condition, what is rather difficult when removing the cover Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BrianC Posted September 8, 2007 Report Share Posted September 8, 2007 One problem I faced was that it's almost impossible to find new cork cover seals, so as a preventive measure, try to keep the present seal in good condition, what is rather difficult when removing the cover Most auto-jumbles have stalls selling sheets of cork gasket material in various thicknesses, so it should be relatively easy to make new ones using a scalpel or craft knife and a piece of tubing to punch out any holes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jean Posted September 8, 2007 Report Share Posted September 8, 2007 Brian, unfortunately I was looking for these cork sheets for years at auto jumbles, but never found one. Yes all kind of sealing stuff, but no cork sheets. Wanted to make a gasket for my Triumph-Tune valve cover as no other available gasket seals properly. The roundings on the cover are completely different from the roundings on the cyl.head At the end I bought a new cover with the correct corners Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BrianC Posted September 8, 2007 Report Share Posted September 8, 2007 Jean, Perhaps you need to visit UK classic car shows more often However, there seem to be plenty of on-line companies selling sheet material and custom-cut gaskets. Other places I have seen the material is at steam fairs (traction engines and model railway variety) and in marine chandlers. I'm not an engineer, but I assume you would need material which is (rubber or nitrile?) impregnated, especially if it is to be subjected to pressure. If it's OK for steam engines, I would think it should be good enough for shock absorbers or rocker covers. Doubtless someone will correct me Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.