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TR2 - Upgrading from 4,5J to 5,5J steel discs - Your thoughts?


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Hello everybody, I am asking for your thoughts about my plans to uprade my TR2 to 5,5J steel discs.

Currently, I am running my TR2 on the original 4,5J steel discs, with 165 tires (Vredestein Sprint Classic) - see attached picture.

Now, I have the option to buy a set of the same steel discs in 5,5J (I assume from a TR5 (?)). In my opinion, this would optically fill the wheel-archs way better, by expanding the track width by 2 inch. I would paint them body color (apple green) and fit the exisiting 165 tires on them. I expect it to look like here: https://www.paledog.de/Automobile/post-war/1954-triumph-tr-2-roadster_rear.jpg.html

What are your thoughts on that? (Originality? Changes in driving characteristics? Look?)

 

 

B5D5322D-76A5-4487-97A1-3CEF506772FD.jpeg

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Iain is correct, Original for all Tr's up to and inc TR4 was 4 inch.

My own veiw is that it spoils the look of the car, and won't really help anywhere,

don't suppose you throw it around corners? But it is your car.

John.

 

 

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Yes.  If you want to go wider the use of TR6 (1969 model only) steel rims is the way we have always gone.  We have run this larger wheel with 165 tyres on many sidescreen cars since the mid 1970's.

If you obtain an original set of rims, the 'studs' the hub cap fits to must be removed, turned down on the lathe to a reduced length and refitted - fairly simple task.  This is because the '69 wheel has 'studs' much longer than those used with original hub caps as they were designed to fit the 'Rostyle' wheel trim (dustbin lid)   The spacing is the same.

Another benefit is that the rim is designed for tubeless tyre fitment.  The only negative you willl encounter is carrying an identical sized spare wheel as the TR6 rim will not fit in the spare wheel hole.  Also the inside edge of the tyre may touch some of the aftermarket front anti roll bars.  A simple lock stop adjustment fixes that.

Cheers

Peter W

Edited by BlueTR3A-5EKT
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Yep, 4" up to 4A I believe, then 4½" for TR5,  then 5.5"  for TR6.

I'm running 4½" steel with 165 tyres on my '3,   I must agree that wider wheels, or greater offset would fill the arches better.

I notice that 4½" wires seem to be further out that steels, & look better.

Bob.

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You may also find rubbing on the rear wing arch lip inside, most people who want to run this size roll the inner lip the same as the front wing to negate this problem, UVC166 on here (Paul Hodgkinsons car) is a good example of this.

Stuart.

 

UVC 166 009.jpg

Edited by stuart
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The TR5/early TR6 wheels were the weaker of the options. Later TR6 wheels without the hub cap studs are much stronger. Although they lack the flat spot for the stud I have seen them fitted wit hub caps.

IMHO they will look great on your car. 

Edited by Drewmotty
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1 hour ago, tr2_applegreen said:

Thank you very much for your thoughts.

These would be the rims. I don't think that these are from a TR6, since the TR6 rims had 15 holes instead of 12 (3x4).

WhatsApp Image 2019-10-29 at 09.34.25.jpeg

The hub cap pips look too short for early TR6 rims with the rostyle covers, but maybe they have been shortened or replaced for the 3/3A/4/4A hubcaps, otherwise it looks like an early TR6 rim to me, they only had 12 holes, and slots around the inner rim. Look on the inside and it should be stamped Sankey......51/2JX15H
Ian

Edited by cvtrian
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Yes that looks like a 1969 model ONLY TR6 wheel rim that has had the hub cap studs reduced in length.

Colour's wrong for your car though.

To brighten it up further you could fit Jaguar chrome rim embellishers...I know I did. https://www.ebay.com/itm/JAGUAR-DAIMLER-15-WHEEL-RIM-EMBELLISHER-MK2-S-TYPE-420-XJ6-XJ12-DS420-C21983-x1-/162598831148

Cheers

Peter W

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Just a word of caution - there's a lot of balancing lead on that first wheel, which probably means it isn't very straight.  I had one like that which I kept as a spare-spare, as even on the back of a beam-axle car it was noticeable at speed. 

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1 hour ago, BlueTR3A-5EKT said:

Yes that looks like a 1969 model ONLY TR6 wheel rim that has had the hub cap studs reduced in length.

Colour's wrong for your car though.

To brighten it up further you could fit Jaguar chrome rim embellishers...I know I did. https://www.ebay.com/itm/JAGUAR-DAIMLER-15-WHEEL-RIM-EMBELLISHER-MK2-S-TYPE-420-XJ6-XJ12-DS420-C21983-x1-/162598831148

Cheers

Peter W

Thank you for the link. I didn't know these embellishers. However, for my eyes that is a little bit too much *blingbling* on the car.

 

The other option I considered was to fit silver painted 60-spoke wire wheels (don't know which width) to the car. However, in that case I would remove the front bumper & overriders. (Dont like the silver paint look in combination with the chrome.)

 

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42 minutes ago, RobH said:

Just a word of caution - there's a lot of balancing lead on that first wheel, which probably means it isn't very straight.  I had one like that which I kept as a spare-spare, as even on the back of a beam-axle car it was noticeable at speed. 

Could also be from a bad tyre. What I do find curious is that the wheel was painted with the weights on. Normally, the weights would have been removed prior to the tyre dismount or failing that certainly before the wheel was prepped for paint.

Easy enough to check to see if the wheels are true.

Tom

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19 minutes ago, TomMull said:

Could also be from a bad tyre. What I do find curious is that the wheel was painted with the weights on. Normally, the weights would have been removed prior to the tyre dismount or failing that certainly before the wheel was prepped for paint.

Easy enough to check to see if the wheels are true.

Tom

Agree. I would remove the weights before painting. Weights on a pure rim without tire doesnt make sense to me.

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Not the best pics but late TR6 wheels with chrome discs from Moss. The 3A hubcaps would leave the outer rim holes part covered but I was willing to sacrifice that to cover the hub and lug nuts. To fit the caps I had planned to drill holes and thread in the studs pictured, made by a friend (free) but still haven’t got around to it. I went to wider rims and tyres because I thought they’d improve grip and also a friend following me was less than complimentary about the appearance of the skinny originals. The car was rust and body putty and junk when I bought it so originality was never a worry.C9738F36-C327-4707-80C7-8DD43BC20A39.thumb.jpeg.daa89223b9d92b377ea3dd62214b49ac.jpeg44A42B19-5318-4FC7-AC2A-84B767FE0825.thumb.jpeg.1a1a4c96877f618acfda7569ec3a852c.jpeg

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Personally, I like the narrow tyre look on TR2s. It gives a more classic appearance.

My daily driver TR2 has 4 1/2"60 spoke chrome wires with 165/15 tyres.

My just restored long door TR2 has original steel wheels with 165/15 tyres. I also have 4 silver painted 60 spoke wires with Dunlop Roadspeed tyres using 6mm spacers. These are for show only (the tyres are near new tread and in very good condition appearance wise, but are maybe 50 years old) . A few photos below.

 

Jul 19 right side.JPG

IMG_3263 (6).JPG

IMG_2711.JPG

Edited by John McCormack
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Hello tr2_applegreen, Wonderful to see SXW136 in excellent fettle.

I bought this very car in July 1967 for the princely sum of £30. I was on holiday as a teenager on the Norfolk Broads and came across the car, seemingly abandoned on a pub car park. It had a couple of flat tyres and a cracked windscreen. It was red with a black interior in those days. I made enquiries in the pub and soon found the owner in the village. He had lost interest and readily agreed on £30 as long as I removed it as soon as possible. I paid and received the Log Book (1955 from memory).

Unfortunately for me, it took about four weeks before I could have it picked up on a trailer to bring back to Manchester, 200 miles away - when we arrived, it had gone! It seems that the pub landlord had become fed up of it being in his car park and had it removed! I had to put that one down to experience . . .

Very glad to see that it survived and thrived!

 

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6 hours ago, Rupert Bayer said:

Hello tr2_applegreen, Wonderful to see SXW136 in excellent fettle.

I bought this very car in July 1967 for the princely sum of £30. I was on holiday as a teenager on the Norfolk Broads and came across the car, seemingly abandoned on a pub car park. It had a couple of flat tyres and a cracked windscreen. It was red with a black interior in those days. I made enquiries in the pub and soon found the owner in the village. He had lost interest and readily agreed on £30 as long as I removed it as soon as possible. I paid and received the Log Book (1955 from memory).

Unfortunately for me, it took about four weeks before I could have it picked up on a trailer to bring back to Manchester, 200 miles away - when we arrived, it had gone! It seems that the pub landlord had become fed up of it being in his car park and had it removed! I had to put that one down to experience . . .

Very glad to see that it survived and thrived!

 

Hi Rupert, wow, I am so thrilled to read your post! :)

I did lots of research about the history of my car, but I was unable to find any information before 1968. The car has been reregistered in Bradwell Yammouth in Sept 1968.

Could you maybe tell me some about my car? I‘ll send you a pn.

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