Radiator Shims?

[Andy Lowe]

Hi Everyone.

                        My 1962 TR4 radiator has some shimming fitted beneath the radiator lower fixing lugs, See picture below. They raise the radiator up so that the top radiator hose fitting aligns with the water pump fitting. Are these shims a standard part? I'm not sure because I suspect my radiator and the lower side of the bonnet interfere as there are two slight witness marks on both the rad and the bonnet. I'm thinking of re-shimming using thinner shims, any ideas on all this??

 

Cheers in advance.

Andy Lowe.

                       

[RogerH]

Hi Andy,

 

the shims are useful in raising the rad but obviously not too high.

I have them on my 4A   They are not shown in the Moss WebCat so I would think they are HomeBrew

 

Roger

[John Morrison]

Not standard and you need to be careful with bonnet to rad cap. Clearance 

John

[Andy Lowe]

Thanks John and Roger.

                                             They did look a bit too agricultural to be standard parts. I've halved their height, looks better now. was changing the hosed for silicone ones so a good time to sort this out.

Thanks everyone.

 

[BlueTR3A-5EKT]

55 minutes ago, Andy Lowe said:

Thanks John and Roger.

                                             They did look a bit too agricultural to be standard parts. I've halved their height, looks better now. was changing the hosed for silicone ones so a good time to sort this out.

Thanks everyone.

 

Just check the internal diameter of the hoses you choose to fit.   The set I bought were ‘metric’ or as close to what the imperial size actually is.   That caused them to continually weep unless I fitted double hose clamps.
  POS.  

They are replaced now with correctly specified and fitting reinforced rubber hoses.   The fancy ones in blue looked great but just would not seal, plus the top hose had only one rib which to my mind is an insufficient concertina part to allow for the engine flex without stressing the radiator tube.

[Michel Higuet]

11 hours ago, BlueTR3A-5EKT said:

Just check the internal diameter of the hoses you choose to fit.   The set I bought were ‘metric’ or as close to what the imperial size actually is.   That caused them to continually weep unless I fitted double hose clamps.
  POS.  

They are replaced now with correctly specified and fitting reinforced rubber hoses.   The fancy ones in blue looked great but just would not seal, plus the top hose had only one rib which to my mind is an insufficient concertina part to allow for the engine flex without stressing the radiator tube.

+1

I like this experience, the difference between "the look" and efficiency. 

[Andy Lowe]

Thanks Michel.

                            I've got standard black hoses from MOSS, the bottom hose seeped a little but one extra turn on the hose clip sorted that out.

[Paul Lovell]

Hi Andy,

The TR4 workshop manual notes that 'Composition' (whatever that is) 'packings are fitted between the lower radiator attachment points and the chassis brackets', but it doesn't give any dimensions or include any pictures, although the packing in the photo' above does not look standard. The Parts Book for the TR4A states that the packing pieces are 'as required', so there's no 'normal' number, but the Part No (Stanpart, 48101) is shown as being the same as for the TR 2-4.

A friend of mine in the Lea Valley Group told me many years ago that his '4A overheated until he raised the radiator by adding packing pieces. However, it sounds like yours could definitely do with a reduced thickness if it's fouling the bonnet.

I hope this helps, or at least is of interest.

Paul

[BlueTR3A-5EKT]

On 11/18/2023 at 3:40 PM, Andy Lowe said:

Hi Everyone.

                        My 1962 TR4 radiator has some shimming fitted beneath the radiator lower fixing lugs, See picture below. They raise the radiator up so that the top radiator hose fitting aligns with the water pump fitting. Are these shims a standard part? I'm not sure because I suspect my radiator and the lower side of the bonnet interfere as there are two slight witness marks on both the rad and the bonnet. I'm thinking of re-shimming using thinner shims, any ideas on all this??

 

Cheers in advance.

Andy Lowe.

                       

I wrote that page of Moss TR2-3-4 parts catalogue and used part number 601994 as an alternative to 48101.    601994 is a rubber and canvas composite washer about 1/8” thick.     The factory advise is As Required.   
 

https://www.moss-europe.co.uk/shop-by-model/triumph/tr2-4a/cooling-system/radiators-hoses-fittings/radiator-tr2-4a-1953-67.html

 

 

Edited November 22, 2023 by BlueTR3A-5EKT

[keith1948]

The last top hose I fitted came from a Massey Ferguson supplier in Montelimar in France. Caused some interest from the staff there I have to say. They could not believe a tractor part would fit a car. I got a similar reaction from an agricultural mowing dealer somewhere not far from Le Mans when I got a wide fan belt for the TR that also was the right size for one of their mowers.

C'est la vie as they say in France.

Keith

p.s. check clearance between rad and underside of bonnet using a lump of putty wrapped in cling film placed on high spots.

Edited November 23, 2023 by keith1948

[john.r.davies]

C'est la vie, mais plus c'est la même chose!   With apologies to Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr (1849)

[Harbottle]

Eau de Cologne, As Del would say.

[Lebro]

Mange too mange too

[ianc]

For the test of clearance to underside of bonnet, I prefer to use Blu-Tack rather than putty - no need to wrap it in a nappy, and very easily moulded into a turret shape.

Ian Cornish