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Hi everybody, I hope someone can help with this.

Apologies if this subject has been covered before, but I can't readily find the answer I need.

I have a 3B, which is fitted with a LHD, split type, adjustable steering column, as I believe they all were.

At some point I want to convert it to RHD, which gives me the usual dilemma of whether to stick with the original worm and peg set up, or go R&P.

My question is this, if I do stick with original, do I need to find the bottom half of a RHD adjustable split column (very hard to find I would suggest), or could a non adjustable RHD bottom half be used - i.e can you fit the top part of an adjustable column to a non adjustable bottom half?

If so, this would presumably require some sort of special adaptor coupling? 

(I know for a certain fact that the split type adjustable column exists in both left and right hand drive versions).

Any help or advice would be appreciated, or even parts 

Many thanks, Simon

 

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Hi Simon. 

My own personal view is that unless complete originality is your thing then you should get rid of the old worm and peg steering and replace it with rack and pinion.  In doing so it transforms the handling of the car and makes the steering so much lighter and more precise. No one will know you have converted it unless you lift the bonnet to show them and if you are using a smaller after market steering wheel then so much the better.    There are at least two companies that I know of who offer conversion kits, Glen Hewitt at Protek Engineering in Wallingford, Oxon  and Neil Revington near Bridgewater, Somerset and both offer well engineered conversions. 

ATB 

Hoges.  

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Thanks Paul, and I pretty much agree with all of that.

I'm also aware of the two companies you mention.

I am not paranoid about originality, but like to keep things original when I can, without compromising practibility too much.

I was more interested in whether it was an option or not, and what was available originally, as the arts books don't fully explain.

However, I would like to keep the original control head operational, and I believe that even this is possible now with a slip ring product produced by Bastuck in Germany, but have yet to investigate this fully.

Many thanks, Simon 

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Hi Simon.

Re the slip ring product - yes it allows electrical connections of the control head to be retained, but you will loose the self cancelling of indicators.

This is because there is nothing to stop the control head rotating withe the steering wheel once the steering box is removed.

I would say that steering can be precise with a steering box as long as it is in good condition, & well adjusted. The Revington sprung pin mod helps a lot also.

Bob.

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5 minutes ago, Lebro said:

Hi Simon.

Re the slip ring product - yes it allows electrical connections of the control head to be retained, but you will loose the self cancelling of indicators.

This is because there is nothing to stop the control head rotating withe the steering wheel once the steering box is removed.

I would say that steering can be precise with a steering box as long as it is in good condition, & well adjusted. The Revington sprung pin mod helps a lot also.

Bob.

I agree with Bob, a properly sorted original steering system is pretty good. If you want to make it a as good as it can get look at the offering from Revington Tr.

https://www.revingtontr.com/tr3/suspension-steering/steering/tr2-3b-worm-and-peg-steering-box-system

Iain

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TBH I dont think the lower section on a split column is different for adjustable or non adjustable columns as its all to do with the top section and the indicator/horn push stator tube and the steering wheel. So just a RHD lower column is needed and there should be plenty of them around as lots of people have gone down the R&P route.

Stuart.

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Hi Stuart - long time no speak!

Hope all is well.

I only asked because the column diameter on my 3B is the same top and bottom - about 20mm.

This would suggest that the box and internals themselves might be a different part number for an adjustable column? 

3B's are truly a one off, and the more you dig, the more differences there are.

Some are only tiny things, but still enough to make them different.

Lebro/Iain

Thanks for that, may well leave it as original, as surely that is the whole point of having an early car?

Many thanks, ~Simon 

 

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Hi, Simon:

Sorry l cannot help with your technical question, tho l think Stuart covers that.

Just total agreement with Bob and Iain about sticking with the old steering box. After adjusting to increasing degrees of steering slop over the preceeding 43 years with my early 3, l had the set-up rebuilt this summer, with parts from TR Shop, including the Revington-style sprung top-plate. The result was a revelation: ultra precise steering, making the car a pleasure to drive. I'm by no means an originality buff either; my car has, over the years, become a bitsa, par excellence!

I've seen r&p arrangements which critically increase your turning circle - and then, as Bob says, you also lose your self-cancelling indicators (at best, with the Bastuck slip-ring). So l wouldn't for a moment consider r&p.

Tim, at Willow Triumph (nr. Darlington) did my work, and l can recommend him - purely as a satisfied customer.

Tim Wilson.

 

 

Edited by hpremote
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Not all r and p conversions increase steering circle. Choose with care.

I prefer the original......if I wanted an MX5 i’d buy one. Whoops did I say that :-)

Iain

 

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On 1/4/2019 at 7:25 PM, I used to have one of those! said:

Hi Stuart - long time no speak!

Hope all is well.

I only asked because the column diameter on my 3B is the same top and bottom - about 20mm.

This would suggest that the box and internals themselves might be a different part number for an adjustable column? 

3B's are truly a one off, and the more you dig, the more differences there are.

Some are only tiny things, but still enough to make them different.

Lebro/Iain

Thanks for that, may well leave it as original, as surely that is the whole point of having an early car?

Many thanks, ~Simon 

 

Simon check the size of the lower column top splines as if there is a difference it maybe the adaptor/joiner thats specific.

Stuart.

 

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Iain, it’s too late for me but which r&p system doesn’t increase the turning radius? Thanks, Paul

On 1/4/2019 at 9:31 PM, iain said:

Not all r and p conversions increase steering circle. Choose with care.

Iain

 

 

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The upper adjustable column on my TR3 was replaced directly by a standard non adjustable upper column. 

Revingtons R&P kit doesn’t compromise the turning circle but is a bit more difficult to fit as it requires the brackets to be welded to the chassis. 

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3 hours ago, Drewmotty said:

The upper adjustable column on my TR3 was replaced directly by a standard non adjustable upper column. 

Revingtons R&P kit doesn’t compromise the turning circle but is a bit more difficult to fit as it requires the brackets to be welded to the chassis. 

+1

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