Jump to content

Changing Rear Springs


Recommended Posts

Hello All,

 

We have fitted uprated rear springs to a 1959 TR3A, however the body has not been re-assembled as yet. It did strike us that if we found the new springs too hard would it be easy to change them?

 

Does anyone know is it possible to change the rear springs without seperating the body from the chassis? Doesn't look easy to me.

 

Regards,

 

Martin

post-4338-0-76765300-1294006697_thumb.jpg

post-4338-0-76765300-1294006697_thumb.jpg

Link to post
Share on other sites

Provided you have removed and well greased the front spring pin then its a fairly straightforward job. If not do it now! ;)

Stuart

Link to post
Share on other sites

EASY peasy, PROVIDED you make sure that you can withdraw the pin, You MUST have the pin fully withdrawn and a well lubricated fit to the chassis tube.Grease it well now and it should not give trouble.

A lot of people use a stainless steel pin again well lubricated. Personally i would use the original type steel one but lubricate with never seize or Coppaslip. I am suspicious of the action of disimilar metals.

 

I had even considered having a grease scroll machined onto the pin shank, anything that keeps a lubricant as a barrier.

 

Also consider the fitting of the front location washers sold by Revington.

 

I am sure others will have more ideas but I have just done my pins after 18 years in position.

 

If you do not do this you may need to cut the spring eye and the pin off and then drill it out, not something to contemplate if at all possible.

 

Forgot to say to make sure to grease the front eye metalastic bush so it is also free on the pin!

Edited by Rodbr
Link to post
Share on other sites

EASY peasy, PROVIDED you make sure that you can withdraw the pin, You MUST have the pin fully withdrawn and a well lubricated fit to the chassis tube.Grease it well now and it should not give trouble.

A lot of people use a stainless steel pin again well lubricated. Personally i would use the original type steel one but lubricate with never seize or Coppaslip. I am suspicious of the action of disimilar metals.

 

I had even considered having a grease scroll machined onto the pin shank, anything that keeps a lubricant as a barrier.

 

Also consider the fitting of the front location washers sold by Revington.

 

I am sure others will have more ideas but I have just done my pins after 18 years in position.

 

If you do not do this you may need to cut the spring eye and the pin off and then drill it out, not something to contemplate if at all possible.

 

Forgot to say to make sure to grease the front eye metalastic bush so it is also free on the pin!

 

 

Thank you both Stuart and Rodb,

 

I am glad I asked this question as I did not realise that there was a pin to come out internally. It is so well painted onto the chasis that the head looked like a permanent fixture rather than a pin. Since your replies I of course had a look at the original Triumph Parts Manual where it is detailed in an excellent diagram. Something I should have done initially.

 

I will now scrape the paint of the pins and make sure both pins are mobile and well greased.

 

The power of the Forum!

 

Regards,

 

Martin :D

Link to post
Share on other sites

I had a brand new Standard Triumph Chassis and the pins would not move even with some serioud heavy hammers. I fitted the body and when a spring broke I was able to undo the body to chasis fittings on that side and jack up the body enouogh to slide on the spring. It was easy.

I noticed that the main agent had cut out the rear inner side of the cill on a previuos occasion. This makes the rest of the cill exposed to rain and rust.

As long as you used stainless bolts to hold on the body you will have no problem with this alternative fitting method. It is also quick.

Good Luck :)

Link to post
Share on other sites

I had a brand new Standard Triumph Chassis and the pins would not move even with some serioud heavy hammers. I fitted the body and when a spring broke I was able to undo the body to chasis fittings on that side and jack up the body enouogh to slide on the spring. It was easy.

I noticed that the main agent had cut out the rear inner side of the cill on a previuos occasion. This makes the rest of the cill exposed to rain and rust.

As long as you used stainless bolts to hold on the body you will have no problem with this alternative fitting method. It is also quick.

Good Luck :)

 

 

Thanks, Richard. That was going to be my next question - how much of lift would do it? It's nice to know that is relatively easy.

 

Regards,

 

Martin

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks, Richard. That was going to be my next question - how much of lift would do it? It's nice to know that is relatively easy.

 

Regards,

 

Martin

 

The body needs to come up enough to clear the pin by a couple of inches which is actually quite a lot at the tail end and needs to be done evenly not just on one side. It does involve a bit more than just undoing the bolts as you do really need to undo the fuel line and the steering column.

Stuart

Link to post
Share on other sites

The body needs to come up enough to clear the pin by a couple of inches which is actually quite a lot at the tail end and needs to be done evenly not just on one side. It does involve a bit more than just undoing the bolts as you do really need to undo the fuel line and the steering column.

Stuart

 

Thanks, Stuart.

Good points. I think it is probably best to make sure the pins will be able to slide out easily by using copious copper grease rather than have to lift the body.

 

regards,

 

Martin

Link to post
Share on other sites

On my 1958 TR3A with the one-piece steering column, I did not have to remove the steering column. (I have to admit that it may be another story for the later two-piece steering column). I loosened all the bolts from the far deep end of both foot-wells plus the 4 near the "A" posts. I removed the two in the rear floor area, the 4 near the "B" posts and the rear bumperettes and the brackets plus bolts for these. I didn't touch the fuel line which was (is) still the original steel pipe that came with the TR new. Then I used my rolling floor jack and a piece of plywood under the spare wheel well and lifted the tail about 8" inches. This gave me enough space to slide the original springs off the rusted-in bolts and to slide the new ones into place. This was in 2000 with about 130,000 miles on the TR from new. At 80,350 when I did the full body-off restoration, the famous bolts were rusted into place but it was easy to work on the springs because the body was off. Since 2000 when I replaced the rear leaf springs with the rear end lifted, I have driven another 55,000 miles. I calculate that these springs will need to be replaced again in about another 75,000 miles and that will take me till 2026.

 

Don Elliott, TR Register Member since 1987

Original Owner, 1958 TR3A, TS 27489 LO

Link to post
Share on other sites

On my 1958 TR3A with the one-piece steering column, I did not have to remove the steering column. (I have to admit that it may be another story for the later two-piece steering column). I loosened all the bolts from the far deep end of both foot-wells plus the 4 near the "A" posts. I removed the two in the rear floor area, the 4 near the "B" posts and the rear bumperettes and the brackets plus bolts for these. I didn't touch the fuel line which was (is) still the original steel pipe that came with the TR new. Then I used my rolling floor jack and a piece of plywood under the spare wheel well and lifted the tail about 8" inches. This gave me enough space to slide the original springs off the rusted-in bolts and to slide the new ones into place. This was in 2000 with about 130,000 miles on the TR from new. At 80,350 when I did the full body-off restoration, the famous bolts were rusted into place but it was easy to work on the springs because the body was off. Since 2000 when I replaced the rear leaf springs with the rear end lifted, I have driven another 55,000 miles. I calculate that these springs will need to be replaced again in about another 75,000 miles and that will take me till 2026.

 

Don Elliott, TR Register Member since 1987

Original Owner, 1958 TR3A, TS 27489 LO

 

 

Thanks for the reply, Don.

 

I don't know of the bolts securing the body to the chassis that you describe at the "the far deep end of the footwell". Am I missing somthing here? We have fitted a new floor and there are no holes at the front end of the footwell to fit bolts to the chassis. Can you confirm that there are 8 fixing points for the body to the chassis. Two at the very front, the four outriggers and two at the rear of the car.

 

Regards,

 

Martin

Link to post
Share on other sites

There are 20 bolts holding the shell down. 2 at the front 4 on the turret support tubes in the engine bay, 2 in the front of the footwells, 8 in the main outriggers, 2 in the rear centre of the floor and 2 at the very tail end .

Stuart.

Link to post
Share on other sites

The bolt positions referred to by Stuart are clearly shown in the factory TR2 & TR3 Service Instruction Manual, Section N (Body), Fig.1.

This also provides a useful checklist and sequence of operations for removing and refitting the body.

Same diagram also shows the positions of packing pieces.

Link to post
Share on other sites

There are 20 bolts holding the shell down. 2 at the front 4 on the turret support tubes in the engine bay, 2 in the front of the footwells, 8 in the main outriggers, 2 in the rear centre of the floor and 2 at the very tail end .

Stuart.

 

Thanks, Stuart & Brian,

 

Didn't know about the ones in the turrets, footwell and the rear of the floor.

 

Regards,

 

Martin :)

Edited by TR Man
Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks, Stuart & Brian,

 

Didn't know about the ones in the turrets, footwell and the rear of the floor.

 

Regards,

 

Martin :)

 

Thats the turret support tubes by the way i.e. behind the turrets.

Stuart.

Link to post
Share on other sites

One last thought on this topic...

 

When I did mine I tried the puller set up without success, but at some stage in the efforts the 'nib' on the chassis that locates the flat on the end of the pin broke away leaving the pin with nothing to stop it rotating. So I rotated it and gradually was able to remove it.

 

Apart from originality does the 'nib' matter? In theory I suppose the new pin could also rotate but am I bovvered? (thats supposed to be a genuine question...should I be bothered?)

 

And if I'm not bothered doesn't it give something else to try before lifting the body?

 

Malcolm T

Link to post
Share on other sites

One last thought on this topic...

 

When I did mine I tried the puller set up without success, but at some stage in the efforts the 'nib' on the chassis that locates the flat on the end of the pin broke away leaving the pin with nothing to stop it rotating. So I rotated it and gradually was able to remove it.

 

Apart from originality does the 'nib' matter? In theory I suppose the new pin could also rotate but am I bovvered? (thats supposed to be a genuine question...should I be bothered?)

 

And if I'm not bothered doesn't it give something else to try before lifting the body?

 

Malcolm T

 

Youre right the "Nib" was there originally to stop the pin rotating with the constant action of the spring which would wear either the pin or the chassis tube over time :lol: and you were pretty lucky that you managed to get the pin to rotate as they are usually seized solid by now. :( Assuming you have now fitted either a new one or sufficiently greased and freed up the old one you could now suffer this problem so it may be worth "pinning" it now.

Stuart

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Please familiarise yourself with our Terms and Conditions. By using this site, you agree to the following: Terms of Use.