foster461 Posted January 11, 2015 Report Share Posted January 11, 2015 I have a spare control head face (the part with the chrome ring for the horn push) that is in better shape than the one on the control head that I took off the car. I understand that the control head has a lot of small parts when fully disassembled but if all I want to do it swap the front piece is that just a matter of removing the three big screws on the rear of the control head and managing the horn push and spring ?. I'm also hoping that while I have the front off I can do a little cleaning without having to fully dismantle it. The unit was working correctly before I took it off the car. Regarding the re-installation.. does the control head need to be connected to the stator tube and the whole thing inserted into the steering column as a unit or can I install the wiring into the tube, install the tube and secure it with the olive/nut and then attach the control head to the tube ?. Stan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Richardtr3a Posted January 11, 2015 Report Share Posted January 11, 2015 No this is very complicated to reassemble and as you remove the three screws you will start on a very long job. If the one you have installed is working , cancelling and does not rotate when you steer round corners you would be beast to leave it alone until it fails. If you do open it up make sure that you have a pattern to hand for re assembly, no work deadlines and fine weather. Try polishing the existing horn push with some special polish. Good Luck Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted January 11, 2015 Report Share Posted January 11, 2015 No this is very complicated to reassemble and as you remove the three screws you will start on a very long job. If the one you have installed is working , cancelling and does not rotate when you steer round corners you would be beast to leave it alone until it fails. If you do open it up make sure that you have a pattern to hand for re assembly, no work deadlines and fine weather. Try polishing the existing horn push with some special polish. Good Luck ^^^ this ^^^ I learned it the hare way and it's what Richard says! Menno Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fireman049 Posted January 11, 2015 Report Share Posted January 11, 2015 Hi Stan ~ When I converted my 3A to rack and pinion steering I fitted a Mini Cooper Mk.2 indicator/horn/main/dip/flasher switch and I still have the centre horn control working. If you need any photo's of the conversion then please PM me your eMail address. Tom. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
EdwinTiben Posted January 11, 2015 Report Share Posted January 11, 2015 Hmm , if you only want to swap the front face, that shouldnt Be too difficult, i took to completely apart, but the front face doesnt contain many parts. As long as you keep out of the cancelling bit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
EdwinTiben Posted January 11, 2015 Report Share Posted January 11, 2015 (edited) Tom, i think that would Be Interesting for lots of the readers. Will you post them here? Edited January 11, 2015 by EdwinTiben Quote Link to post Share on other sites
foster461 Posted January 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2015 So casting caution to the wind I pulled out the three screws and Edwin is correct. The three screws on the rear just release the front face so you dont get deep into the unit at that stage. Just the horn push, a spring and a plastic peg that the spring engages with. A five minute job do to the swap and a bit of cleaning of the innards. It looks ok, not like new but suitable patina for a car that just had its 55th birthday. I'll post a picture shortly. Tom, My goal is to keep this TR3A more or less original at least for the first year or two before I start messing with it but your conversion would be of interest. How about my other question regarding the order of assembly of the control head, wire sub-loom, stator tube and the steering column ? Stan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ntc Posted January 11, 2015 Report Share Posted January 11, 2015 Stan Are we talking none split column here? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
EdwinTiben Posted January 11, 2015 Report Share Posted January 11, 2015 How about my other question regarding the order of assembly of the control head, wire sub-loom, stator tube and the steering column ? Stan Stan, I think the order you suggested is too difficult because of the limited space and length of the wires. I put the whole thing together on my workbench, soldered bullet connectors each wire a cm in length different to keep the loom as thin as possible. I used a new shrink tube and when before i pushed the stator tube through the steering column i used a piece of shrink tube to keep the bullet connectors in place. afterwards I removed this piece of course. last, the olive nut. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
foster461 Posted January 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2015 Stan Are we talking none split column here? It's a post 60K TR3a Neil with the two piece column. The steering box and column are already in place. Does the procedure differ between the one piece and two piece columns ? Stan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
foster461 Posted January 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2015 Here's how the control head came out after an hour of cleaning and polishing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ntc Posted January 11, 2015 Report Share Posted January 11, 2015 Stan No idea as I have not done the split one,however my best friend was fuse wire to put the cables back Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 Fit the stator tube not forgetting the anti rattle pieces until it just protrudes from the steering box enough to slip the olive over the end and then fit the brass nut but dont tighten it fully (just enough to stop the tube sliding in the column. Make sure the slots that engage with the short extension on the control head is correctly lined up. With the wires attached to the control head tape your wires together on the end of the cable so as Edwin says the bullets are one behind the other and then the finished taped lump is as thin as possible, you can tape a draw wire into it if the cable is new (but if its still an original one I have found they are usually stiff enough that you can pass them down the tube as is.) Slide your draw wire down through and when it emerges from the other end just draw the cable down through until the head engages with the tube. Slacken the brass nut on the steering box just enough so that you can push the control head fully into the steering wheel and do up the three grub screws. Tighten up the brass nut at the steering box end (Do not over tighten the nut as they will split.) and then refill the box with oil using the hole in the outer column just above the box rather than the filler plug. Fit the rubber bung to the hole afterwards. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
EdwinTiben Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 As Stuart says. I like the penrite steering box lube very much. no leakage because a bit thicker than regular oil. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 +1 not sure if mine is Penrite, but it is a very thick oil intended for old steering boxes. Bob. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
EdwinTiben Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 As listed on the revington site: http://www.revingtontr.com/shop/product_display.asp?mscssid=RDV3DCF9494H9HHRUE5VUEGN3UHS01S1&CarType=TR2&ProductID=RTR5010 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
foster461 Posted January 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 (edited) Perfect, thanks again for the help and suggestions. I see Moss US sells the steering box oil. I'm sure this control head and stator tube design seemed like a good idea at the time. My original tube was bent and the chineese lanterns broken so I will be using a stainless tube from Mark Macey Stan Edited January 12, 2015 by foster461 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rodbr Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 (edited) FWIW Just a few pointers to save time and much swearing. Strip and rebuild head before you start, take photos as you do it, lots of springs and tiny screws! There are brass rings and spring plates that benefit cleaning and application of Crocus paper cleaning. Worth noting There are two types of stator tube not always obvious, the top section ( about 5" long) has a slot into the bottom section sometimes already welded. Align the steering wheel with wheels pointing straight ahead as the first thing. Bolt and torque steering wheel to column, column clamp to lower column. Feed your pullin wire down column, you may need to split the column as it can and does catch the wire due to the upper and lower tube gap. Lace the pullin wire (1" longer than first bullit) with the bullit connectors in a line one after the other and tape to the loom, Then fold over the 1" tail and tape down giving a smooth taper. This gives a stronger joint for pulling the loom wire down the tube and stator. You may be doing this job on your own so it saves having start again when you pull the pulling wire off the loom when you try to pull the stator tube as well. Fit the olive and nut but loosely at this point but not tight. Now wire the connectors and check all functions (horns and indicators) work. Saves the nightmare of draining again and pulling an oily tube back into the car. Align the head with the indicator tab at the top and then tighten the lower brass nut, worthwhile using PTFE tape to assist sealing, they always leaked if you over tightened them and as Stuart says the olive may split. Horsing it up with a pipe wrench does not work. "Tight enough to prevent turning but not tight enough to split the olive " Finally install the three grubscrews to retain the head canceling ring. Fill with your chosen lubricant, oil or fluid grease using a syringe, less messy. Bob's your filial relation and effy's you female aunt. (english version Bob's you uncle and effy's you aunt) OK Job done! Edited January 12, 2015 by Rodbr Quote Link to post Share on other sites
james christie Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 As a complement to the precious info above I have an excellent illustrated article on how to take the steering head apart and put it together again dating from December 2002. Unfortunately I can't remember from where I lifted it. Hopefully somebody with a better memory than me will paste the link. If anybody wants a copy by mail then pm me James Quote Link to post Share on other sites
johnhodges Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 (edited) This is the link, I hope. Sidescreen Control Head-disassemble.doc Edited January 12, 2015 by johnhodges Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 Clive did an excellent job with that little article . . . . Cheers Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fireman049 Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 Sorry but I am unable to post photo's of my Mini Cooper indicator switch conversion on here as I don't know how! Incidentally, my indicator switch is also self cancelling. Tom. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ian Vincent Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 (edited) Just a few things to add. If you are dismantling it do it inside a clear plastic bag, then when it explodes apart you will be able to find all the bits. I can provide you with a pdf of the relevant pages from the Lucas technical manual covering this topic or alternatively you can search for it on the Web. Subject to you not having lost any bits, putting it back together is not difficult, just a tad fiddly. Metal polish followed by black shoe polish does a good job when restoring a slightly scruffy control head. Rgds Ian Edited January 12, 2015 by Ian Vincent Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 When refitting the c/head to the stator tube, it's best to follow Stuart's 'how to' (as always!). May I add a detail? The three wires are bundled into a long braided hose. And I've dismantled two c/heads & stator tube assemblies. On both occassions, I noticed that the braided hose was brittle and falling apart. That makes re-inserting the wires + braided hose not easier. Last time I did this trick, I removed the old material and replaced it with heat shrink wrap. First, I made sure that the 3 wires made the smallest possible bundle all the way down, then I applied heat to the wrap. The wrap covers the wires perfectly pulling them even tighter. After that I sprayed a few drops of WD40 on the wrap, making it as slippery as possible. With the aid of Stuart's prementioned piece of string / wire, it was relatively easy to insert pull the three wires through the tube. One detail: the first part of the tube is slotted. Try to file or sand the edges of the that area as smooth as possible! sharp edges can damage the wrap (or the braided hose when you insist in keeping it original) Menno Quote Link to post Share on other sites
james christie Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 This is the link, I hope. yes that's the one - thanks for finding and posting! James Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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