Twizzle Posted March 24, 2021 Report Share Posted March 24, 2021 I’m after some help with refitting my windscreen surround. I have read through most of the related threads, mostly before I started the job but I think I may have a “new” problem. I took the surround off as it was beginning to look very tatty and the scuttle seal was beginning to crack, thinking that a lick of paint and a new seal would make it look as good as new - wrong! Once I’d stripped out and repaired the rotten bottom corner it came up lovely in satin black. The new seal arrived from an eBay seller as rimmers and moss have no stock until August and I set to fitting it, after spraying the inside with Lanoguard. The seal seemed to fit nicely on the bottom of the frame but it didn’t want to sit down onto the scuttle, so I tightened the tube bolts to draw it down, which did the trick, however it now sits about an inch in front of the old indentations on the crash pad and the three bolt brackets are nowhere near the pad as per the pictures. I thought that I must have lined something up wrong so tried to take it back out, however despite being loose enough to waggle about it will not come out for love nor money. I have tried “Persuading” it, wd40 on the rackets, even levering it up from the bottom corner (very gently) but it is stuck. Any hints and tips please? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tom Fremont Posted March 24, 2021 Report Share Posted March 24, 2021 These are an absolute pig to fit as the seal doesn't spread willingly to say the least, and the designers must have had a belly laugh contemplating the toils of our ilk in the attempt. From the photos it looks like it isn't home in the guides under the scuttle. The upper shot depicts the seal's front edge curled under the frame. As you know, it moves to the rear as it goes down and my money is on it lining up just fine when it's in all the way. I would extract it again ( pry open the brackets and make sure all (3) bolts are loose ) and lubricate the channels to within an inch of their life, then wrestle/drive it back in with a vengeance. Good luck, Tom Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ntc Posted March 24, 2021 Report Share Posted March 24, 2021 I find it easy if you fit the screen first Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Twizzle Posted March 24, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2021 That was the plan, until I broke it! National windscreens want the frame in the car, but I’m happy to do what they want as long as they get the screen in. My main concern is the frame seems to be sitting further forward than it was? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ntc Posted March 24, 2021 Report Share Posted March 24, 2021 Sounds like you have one of the infamous to short rubbers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tom Fremont Posted March 24, 2021 Report Share Posted March 24, 2021 The height of the windscreen glass should be 15-3/8". More than that ( I got several that were bigger before I got wise ) it won't fit. That is quite apart from anomalies in the seals from the usual suspects. TRF's have never disappointed; can't vouch for others. Tom Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Twizzle Posted March 25, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2021 Tried everything I can think of, stripped out the whole dash to get more access and even tried unbolting the brackets and driving them down, but still no movement. I’m at the point of thinking that I’m going to have to cut the screen frame off and get a new one! if anyone has any more ideas I’m nearly at my wits end and have an expensive garage ornament Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ntc Posted March 25, 2021 Report Share Posted March 25, 2021 4 minutes ago, Twizzle said: Tried everything I can think of, stripped out the whole dash to get more access and even tried unbolting the brackets and driving them down, but still no movement. I’m at the point of thinking that I’m going to have to cut the screen frame off and get a new one! if anyone has any more ideas I’m nearly at my wits end and have an expensive garage ornament Use a small angle grinder and slot the bracket Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BlueTR3A-5EKT Posted March 25, 2021 Report Share Posted March 25, 2021 My memory says Alan Wadley used to use a couple of rolling head pry bars to open out the clamp. Undo/ remove the nuts of the frame stalks. And a man then stood either side in the car and lifted. Seldom if ever did it come to heat or cutting the stalks. Yours is not rusted in, just stuck. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BlueTR3A-5EKT Posted March 25, 2021 Report Share Posted March 25, 2021 5 minutes ago, ntc said: Use a small angle grinder and slot the bracket That’ll do it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ntc Posted March 25, 2021 Report Share Posted March 25, 2021 10 minutes ago, BlueTR3A-5EKT said: My memory says Alan Wadley used to use a couple of rolling head pry bars to open out the clamp. Undo/ remove the nuts of the frame stalks. And a man then stood either side in the car and lifted. Seldom if ever did it come to heat or cutting the stalks. Yours is not rusted in, just stuck. They must have forgot the spot weld then Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mark69 Posted March 25, 2021 Report Share Posted March 25, 2021 Did you paint the whole frame including the two fixing rods and threads , I did the same and got mine stuck. If you put the bolts back in the brackets tight and run a couple of nuts on the frame stud threads to protect them ,then tap them with a hammer gently. Worked for me . Just keep a eye on top of the shuttle we’re the bracket sit underneath. Sand paint off before re fitting. Good luck. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Twizzle Posted March 26, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2021 Thank you all for the advice. I managed to sort it by undoing the brackets and driving them down off the frame. Once I took all the paint off the end of the frame and put a little grease on they slip in and out nicely. I tightened down the three nuts on the crash pad first, then the tube bolts and the frame is sitting nicely, the scuttle seal seems to fit quite well, do the ends that stick out get trimmed to the edge of the frame? All there is to do now is put the dash back together and finish refurbing the dials, then move onto something else! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tom Fremont Posted March 26, 2021 Report Share Posted March 26, 2021 31 minutes ago, Twizzle said: do the ends that stick out get trimmed to the edge of the frame? I did with mine, slicing off the bottom and pulling the front round the side and gluing with 3M weatherstrip cement. This covers the unsightly gap between the frame and scuttle, but it's not what TRIUMPH did ( only visible with the doors open ). Tom Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnC Posted April 2, 2021 Report Share Posted April 2, 2021 On 3/27/2021 at 2:48 AM, Twizzle said: undoing the brackets and driving them down off the frame How did you do that? I have tried a few times to remove my windscreen but the long bolts just will not move in the brackets. So far the only violence I've applied has been to put a nut on the end of the bolt and then belt it with a club hammer. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tim D. Posted April 2, 2021 Report Share Posted April 2, 2021 Just be careful. I managed to snap the frame stalks off the windscreen getting mine out. Luckily I already had a dry state replacement as the original was quite rusty. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Twizzle Posted April 2, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2021 11 hours ago, JohnC said: How did you do that? I have tried a few times to remove my windscreen but the long bolts just will not move in the brackets. So far the only violence I've applied has been to put a nut on the end of the bolt and then belt it with a club hammer. I undid the six bracket bolts, then used a cold chisel and hammer to drive them off of the frame, hitting it on the top of the lower bracket. They came off quite nicely with only a minimal bit of damage to the surface but the frame had already been out so I was pretty sure that they weren’t rusted in solid and in danger of snapping. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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