StevedTR4A Posted October 8, 2009 Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 Hi all I took the 3A for its MOT today and planned to take advantage of it being up on the ramp. I had planned to grease the propshaft nipples but was only able to access the rear UJ. The front UJ nipple and the spline nipple are set back above the chassis mid box section and impossible to get to with a conventional grease gun. I could possibly just about get to the front UJ nipple with a flexible connection. Is this normal? I thought I had seen a picture which showed the joint just in front of the box section so accessable from below. I know that the teo UJ's and "sleeve yoke" were replaced about 5000 miles ago but cannot see that this would have made a difference. Is this another case where it is better to get at things with the gearbox cover removed? I would appreciate advice from those that have done this thanks Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BrianC Posted October 8, 2009 Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 I've recently done this for the first time for about a quarter of a century and encountered the same problem... ...until I remembered the big rubber blanking plug in the top rear of the gearbox tunnel! It's a pain having to remove the carpet but I was able to do both front nipples, although you will probably need to turn the propshaft, so jack up at least one rear wheel. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
StevedTR4A Posted October 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 Thanks Brian If you have only done this once in 25 years am I being over cautious with the lubrication. I am assuming this need to be done every 3000 miles or so. I would guess you have done a few more miles than that! I guess I will be removing the cover. Not sure there is a blanking plug but I will recheck. In any case the PO has glued the carpet and sound deadening felt to the cover and I doubt I can lift the carpet. Cheers Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BrianC Posted October 8, 2009 Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 The clue is in my signature - car was off the road for 19 years and I've just done the second 3000 mile service (didn't get around to the propshaft first time). You should be able to get away withe just rolling back the last 4" or so of the gearbox carpet (mine isn't glued down, as it needs to come out for gearbox topping up (I have an early gearbox in a late TR3A with the top filler/dipstick because that's what it had when I bought it in 1977). If you have a replacement plastic or fibreglass tunnel, then whoever fitted it may or may not have bothered to cut the big access hole. Good luck! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John McIver Posted October 9, 2009 Report Share Posted October 9, 2009 Hi Steve and Brian, As far as I can recall, in my 3a of an earlier life in the mid 60's ,the large rubber grommet was clearly visible behind the gear lever. It was not hidden under the carpet, rather the carpet was cut in line with the trans. cover and the grommet filled both holes. It would appear that with the passage of time and re-trims, this feature becomes lost. Perhaps an original owner could confirm this. Both nipples are easily accessed through the hole. Regards, John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BrianC Posted October 9, 2009 Report Share Posted October 9, 2009 Hi Steve and Brian,As far as I can recall, in my 3a of an earlier life in the mid 60's ,the large rubber grommet was clearly visible behind the gear lever. It was not hidden under the carpet, rather the carpet was cut in line with the trans. cover and the grommet filled both holes. It would appear that with the passage of time and re-trims, this feature becomes lost. Perhaps an original owner could confirm this. Both nipples are easily accessed through the hole. Regards, John I think you are correct John, and I also think the same applied to the one above the gearbox filler on the earlier cars. Unfortunately, both the TR3As I've had (one early, one late) came with replacement carpets and no holes. Similarly, I've had two replacement sets for my current car, from different suppliers and they also came without holes. I actually prefer the two-piece gearbox tunnel carpet used in the earlier cars as they fit better and one or other section can be removed separately to get at the rubber bung. The later pattern one-piece carpet which is sewn up the middle is more cumbersome to remove and refit and never lays completely smooth (unless, perhaps, it's glued down) even with carpet studs. Perhaps Don will be able to post pictures of both types? [Apologies for topic diversion] Quote Link to post Share on other sites
StevedTR4A Posted October 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2009 Hi Brian & John Had another look and have concluded the gearbox cover has to come off. No way can the carpet be rolled back and no sign (by feel) of a removable bung. Pity that it has to be disturbed as the PO has made such a perfect and tight fit of the cover carpet and the tunnel cover. However I will do some other small jobs whilst it is off. I had always thought I could get at the nipples from below as there is no mention of having to remove the gearbox cover in the maintenance book. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BrianC Posted October 9, 2009 Report Share Posted October 9, 2009 If the tunnel seal is water-tight and the carpets well-fitted, I reckon I'd prefer to remove the propshaft. Much easier, but remember to scribe the ends so that you can refit it in the same postion, otherwise you may get vibration. Alternatively, forget about greasing the thing - it will probably last for years unless you use the car as an everyday run around, long-distance touring or rallying. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Elliott Posted October 9, 2009 Report Share Posted October 9, 2009 Steve - When you remove the gearbox tunnel next time, cut a hole in it right above where the grease fittings are located. Make the hole about 2.5 to 3 inches in diameter and obtain a rubber plug used for the plugging the holes in the floor pans for the jack. I can't believe that S-T would have made a steel gearbox tunnel without this hole. Mine has the hole and as described above, the rubber plug was visible with the carpet in place. When I bought my new set of carpets and full interior from Jim Hawkins when he was still in Witney, Oxon in 1989, the carpet over the tunnel had no hole for this plug. I prefer it this way because when the original black rubber plug was visible, excess grease from these prop-shaft fittings would come up the edge of the plug and dirtied the red carpet. It looked awful. BTW, don't over-grease these fittings. The grease will spin out centrifugally and will leave a thick layer fo grease all the way back to the differential. And the bottom side of the tunnel near the greae fittings will become caked with grease. It makes a mess. Give each grease nipple no more than one pump on your grease gun. And like Brian suggests, don't do it too often. I'd say about every 10,000 miles would be fine. The carpet covering the gearbox tunnel is not glued in. The original carpet that came with my TR3A brand new in 1958 had two snaps on each side of the tunnel about 2 inches up from the floor and the carpet was retained in place with these snaps. The new carpets from 1989 are the same. I can un-snap the 4 snaps and lift the carpet out in seconds. This gives full access to the black rubber plug for the dip-stick to check the oil level in my gearbox + overdrive plus the rubber plug for greasing the prop-shaft. I also put a hole and large plug in the LHS of the tunnel wall next to the solenoid so I can change the solenoid if the need arises. I've done it this way along the side of the road in about 20 minutes. In the photo below, the plug is just visible about 4 to 6" behind the gear stick. The rear edge of the plug is hidden under the front edging of the rear carpet which is glued to the tunnel (except for the first few inches). This way, I can lift the carpet for a few inches and fold it back for better access to the plug for the grease fittings. The rest of the plug is hidden behing the red trim at the top of the door opening - but it's there if you look closely. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
StevedTR4A Posted October 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2009 Thanks Brian & Don for you full explanation, The cover is steel and I think original. The hole must be there but it is difficult to tell as everything is stretched so tight there. I guess I will track the area with a magnet. I will take the seat out and see if I can peel the carpet back. In any case, it would seem that I have got a couple of years more driving before I need to do the greasing. Thanks again for the valuable information. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Elliott Posted October 12, 2009 Report Share Posted October 12, 2009 Steve - Here is a photo I took today for you. I lifted the front carpet and folded back about 2" of the rear carpet which is gluded to the fixed tunnel - except for that front 2". I'm sure you can scrape the glue for a few inches either way where needed without permanently damaging the carpets. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
StevedTR4A Posted October 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2009 Hi Don Thanks for going to the trouble of taking the photograph and apologies for not replying earlier. I have been out of thre country for a few days. Having prodded the area I am pretty sure I have got the same arrangement as your photograph so will do as you suggest regards Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
foster461 Posted April 20, 2015 Report Share Posted April 20, 2015 I'm opening this topic up again to ask about the carpet and the rubber plug for the prop shaft UJ access. My gearbox cover has the hole but the carpet set did not. I left the carpet as it was and since it is attached with snaps it will not be a big deal to roll it back to gain access to the rubber plug. I wonder if this was a deliberate trim change or if this is just at the discretion of the carpet supplier whether they include a hole for the plug or not. Looking at the rubber plug it seems to be designed with the expectation that it will be accommodating the carpet in the groove as it is a loose fit in the steel cover alone. Stan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted April 20, 2015 Report Share Posted April 20, 2015 Originally all the bungs in the cover were visible on top of the carpet, thats the rear one for prop greasing and the right side top one for the gearbox dipstick before it was deleted. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Larnder Posted April 21, 2015 Report Share Posted April 21, 2015 Steve I have done what Don Elliott has recommended for the solenoid access as I already have a cover plater installed over the U.J.My gearbox top up and level is at the side of the gearbox via a small 1" hole I cut, with a solid grommet cover. If you ever remove your tunnel, take the opportunity to cut the holes for future use. My tunnel had the grommet for the old type filler plug so I enlarged it to get access to the two switches for the overdrive. All my cover plates are below the carpet but I never glued mine to anything so it comes off easily. Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
foster461 Posted April 21, 2015 Report Share Posted April 21, 2015 Originally all the bungs in the cover were visible on top of the carpet, thats the rear one for prop greasing and the right side top one for the gearbox dipstick before it was deleted. Stuart. ok, here is what Bill P says in his excellent book Original Triumph TR2/3/3A. "At the introduction of the TR3A, the previous four-piece transmission tunnel carpet was replaced by a moulded single-piece item and the rubber access plugs were deleted". This was one of several interior changes at that time. I'm not sure that it was a practical or aesthetic improvement but it was a design change, not the result of buying a cheap repro carpet set. Shadow blue carpet with midnight blue edging, midnight blue dash etc. Still a work in progress. Stan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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