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lower inner fulcrum bracket


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Evening lads and lassies, got a bit of a problem, when dismantling the passenger side of my TR4A for a suspension rebuild one of the bolts would not come out on the lower inner fulcrum bracket, took it to brothers workshop today as he has acetylene bottles to apply heat, was rusted so bad I bent the fulcrum bracket, because it's an important part of the suspension I don't want to try and straighten it so thought I would just get a new one but the only one they supply now is the uprated TR6 one which has 2 bolt fixings instead of one but the holes are on the wrong plain (see photos), has anyone had this problem? solution?

Cheers

John

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Oh-oh,

the one bolt on this bracket is a well know problem and guess why the later TR6 bracket has two bolts.

Sadly no one told me about so I had the realize this the first day on a holiday tour. My lovely wife was not amused AT ALL!

You better buy 4 new TR6 brackets, drill the missing holes  in the frame and kick all TR4A brackets in the scrap.

Ciao, Marco

Edited by Z320
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Initially, I would check the other brackets....If they are OK, I would cut the 2 threads off the TR6 bracket.... Drill 2 new ones to match existing and weld in 2 new bolts/threads .

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The reason you see two horizontal holes is so that the mounts were interchangeable (side to side) when they originally built the chasis (as I understand it) - but you have to drill new holes for your second stud below the front holes. I've just done mine.

I've been told that most TR4's should have had this done by now as it was something dealers were supposed to do when servicing them - it wasn't quite a recall in those days.

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I guess there are still hundreds of TR4As out there with this dangerous "one bolt"-construction.

Last year a new member on our TR-Stammtisch also still had this disease on his newly bought TR4A.

 

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Many thanks for all the input, I was not sure about drilling another hole to fit the TR6 2 hole bracket, will order 4 twin stud brackets tomorrow and get busy with the drill, unfortunately I will need to strip down the drivers side which has just been rebuilt to replace these brackets. Pete VW I have a new gaiter and track rod end waiting to be fitted (well spotted).

Cheers guys

John

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Hi John, 

a good decision! You will see the  threads are probably longer on the new brackets.

Use this to put a piece of 3-4 mm flat steel from behind between frame and standard washers, 

like a "squared washer" with two drillings.

If you make the "squared washer" first with a tight fit you can use it as a template to make the drilling in the frame.

Simply bolt the "squared washer" from outside with one bolt on the frame and drill the second hole throught it.

And sorry me, please be prepared to dismantle much more!

I see paint on your hub where the wheel will be bolted on. This has to be removed.

Also from behind and from the brake disc, if you may have paint there?

What about paint on the vertical link where caliper adapter ist bolted on?

The adapter itself and the steering leaver?

There must be no paint there, only bare metal on bare metal.

Ciao, Marco

Edited by Z320
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The paint cannot stand the forces and will move,

so all you bolted tight together will be slack sooner or later.

Btw: you will (should) see the new brackets have a black oxide surface and are (please) not painted

Edited by Z320
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John, and when you do your rear suspension put the 'squared washer' mentioned by Marco behind the nuts and washers at the  back of the rear suspension mountings, I had one pull through on a fairly new, 15 year old, chassis, cheers, Andrew 

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Hi Guys, Many thanks for everyone's input to my problem, the TR4A now has 4 x double bolt lower inner fulcrum brackets with 3mm rear reinforcing plates fitted.

Pete V W steerng rack gaiter and track rod end also fitted;)

Marco all paint was removed from all facing plates of the parts before being rebuilt:)

Happy motoring when it finally arrives back.

John

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I had done the very same mod during my first resto in 2009 on a very tatty chassis. When I dismantled the car to replace the chassis 10 years later I noticed that the square area where the plates are fitted started fracturing at the folds, which leads me to believe that big fat washers would probably to a better job in spreading the load than square plates.

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