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  • Offer of help,non motorcycles.

    Hi,
    Thinking of things non motorcycling if I can be of help on any of the following subjects please do not hesitate in contacting me:- as a time served motor engineer I can offer expertise on the following classic cars, my specialisms being Morris Minors,Triumph TR 3,3A,4,4A and 6 and a specialist knowledge of DAF cars.
    The DAF I realise, is nowadays a bit obscure, but they are still around and often appear on e-bay[if anyone knows of a van in whatever condition,please let me know]. starider

  • #2
    What a nice offer! Let me be the first to take you up on it!

    I have a 1967 TR4A. It was fully restored with California bodywork about twenty-five years ago. Since then it has done less than 1K miles each year and has been quietly gathering patina.

    I had one back in 1969/70. Loved it, which is why I bought this one last year. I know it's easy to view the past though rise-tinted specs, but the latest one doesn't seem to handle like the first one - which of course was only a couple of years old when I bought it.

    So I'm about to replace all the suspension bushes with polyurethane items and fit uprated (Spax) telescopic shock absorbers all round.

    Any thoughts about the best technique for removing and replacing the bushes?
    Colin Sparrow

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    • #3
      Tr4a

      Hi Colin, blimey! caused a bit of memory retrieval,the 4A I had back in 1976 didn't require too much work, mainly new front wings and re-spray. It suffered from weak rear coil springs on the IRS and being fairly newly married couldn't afford new ones, so my Dad made me a couple of aluminium spacers to put under the springs which cured the problem.
      Now renewing the metalistic bushes is easier done with the swing arm off the car using a vice with a suitably sized socket[i.e. same as the outer diameter of the bush] and push into a piece of tube[the other side of the swing arm] which is fractionally larger than the O/D of the bush. Tightenig the vice should push the socket and old bush out of the swing arm. Haven't tried it on the car, but if the coil spring and shocker arm are removed and drive shaft and swing arm supported ,it may be possible to use a "G" cramp instead of a vice.If you are removing try not to remove the fulcrum brackets as they are shimmed.If you remove these make sure when re-assembling these,the brackets and shims go back in exactly the same place.
      I'm not sure on this though as I've only done this with swing arm removed.
      If you cann't do the "G" cramp method on the car, a length of threaded bar with a large washer on each end with nuts, which when tightened will draw the socket and old bush out of the swing arm and into the piece of tube. Of course you may have access to a press.
      I understand the type of new bushes you are fitting do a good job in providing better handling.Front bushes are easier to do/get at.
      I have never fitted this type but would assume fitting is the reversal of removal.
      I had my 4A for 3 years and once I had sorted the carbs getting the mixture and throttle balance right, I enjoyed it, even more than my later Californian re-import TR6 with twin SU's instead of fuel injection.
      The 4A was always a tiny bit loose on the rear suspension.
      My TR6 had been fitted with adjustable shocks which unbeknown to me had been wound right down and initally it was like driving on a plank,but sensible adjustment improved it somewhat.
      I hope this is of help but as I have said my advancing years and the 40years since my 4A!!! PS handling on old cars always seems worse than you remember, that's thanks to driving modern cars with good handling!!! If you want a chat send me a PM and I'll let you have my phone number. starider
      Last edited by starider; 15/02/2016, 09:09 PM.

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      • #4
        I don't have a press, and the methods you suggest are much what I had in mind. I take your point about removing the swing arm. I need to take one of them off anyway, because the shock absorber mounting hole has gone oval and I want to do a bit of welding and drilling to sort that out.

        I don't quite know when I will be starting the work (although the parts are due to arrive today). I have a work-in-progress 24TFS nearly ready for powder coating and I need to get on with that.

        I'm bound to be in touch once I get going on the TR.

        I do take your point about forgetting just how primitive cars were forty-five years ago. The TR feels like a tractor compared with my Nissan 350Z...
        Colin Sparrow

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        • #5
          Offer

          Hi Colin,
          Let me know if I can help once you start.I assume you have a workshop manual. I have a TR5/6 manual if it is of use to you as I sold my TR6 a couple of years ago. The TR5 as I'm sure you know is basically a TR4A with a 6 cylinder lump.
          Drop me a PM with your address if it's of use to you and I'll happily stick it in the post. starider.

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          • #6
            At your time of life Colin do you really want to be crawling around under a TR4. This company TRGB of Somersham Cambs https://www.trgb.co.uk/ look to be experts & charge by today's rates a reasonable £54 plus VAT per hour.
            Last edited by John Wakefield; 16/02/2016, 02:55 PM.

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            • #7
              Starider - PM sent, thanks.

              John - you may very well be right! Maybe I'll do the front first and see how I get on. Thanks for the recommendation.
              Colin Sparrow

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              • #8
                I know nothing about the TR range, but have done a few poly bush jobs and they are invariably easy to get in place.....provided you can get the old ones out......

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