1500 thrust washer

[bobreynolds]

Anyone have any words of wisdom ? I'm about to install a thrust washer in my 1500 midget. I found the old one in the pan. It appeared to have no wear on it.Thickness was .093. I bought .005 over It was all I could find. Badbobby

 

[Morris]

Is the engine in the car? How long you reckon you drove it before discovering the washer in the pan?

I would check everything over very thoroughly before buttoning her back up.

If the .005 is too tight, you can combine it with a standard size set. One half .005 one half standard.

 

[bobreynolds]

driven it maybee 700 easy miles. no shavings in the pan. one spotless half moon in the pan, one bent washer clinging to the end cap. it fell out when iremoved the pan for cleaning.no outward signs of damage.

 

[sparkydave]

Don't forget that the thrust bearing takes the force from the clutch springs whenever you depress the clutch. Just because the miles were "easy" doesn't mean the crank and journal weren't grinding each other whenever you shifted. I'd pull the rear bearing cap and get a good look at both it and the crankshaft to make sure they didn't damage each other.

Edit: It occurred to me that the one that usually falls out first is the front one. If the rear one was still there then it was still taking the clutch load, so things might not be so bad. Once the front one falls out though, the crank can float back and let the rear fall out too. Still not a good scenario.

 

[jlaird]

Gota have some help here but seems I read of a "trick" to installing them to prevent that. No 1500 so did not pay a lot of attention.

 

[sparkydave]

Here's a site about thrust washers too. The Triumph TR-6 motor uses the exactly the same thrust washers as the 1500, and has the same troubles. This guy actually makes a superior bearing that's solid instead of just plated steel.
https://www.britishcarweek.org/tr6_3.html

Yet another note though; if the front bearing did fall out, it also means the rear was wearing thin. You'll want the thicker one in the rear since it does get the most abuse from the clutch.

 

[BugEyeBear]

The Triumph TR-6 motor uses the exactly the same thrust washers as the 1500, and has the same troubles.

Does anyone know if the Triumph GT-6 has the same issue?

(I believe the motor is the same as the TR-6...)

(I KNOW! I KNOW!! "Ask the guys in the Triumph forum.....")

"Cheers!"
-Bear-

 

[blkcorvair]

I did use those solid bronze washers once, no great advantage. You can pin em as well. Truth is the stock ones are okay so long as the crank is not all mushed up in the back. You can "pin" them but that takes a machine shop. Get yourself a magnetic dial indicator gauge and you will need to adjust the end float. The front bearing should remain stock size and change the rear to make up the slack. You can go .005, .010, or .015 over. Basically I recommend buying all three and fitting the largest that will squeeze in. I actually forced a .010 over bearing in mine by shaving the back (Steel) Side down on a bench with some sand paper. The .005 was just too loose to my liking. When installed I had .002 Clearance which is about as tight as you want to get. The books say .002-.007 is acceptable. But mind you as soon as it seats against the crank it will open that gap so I like to set em to .002 every time.

 

[bobreynolds]

just saying thanks I found out my 1500 was really a1297 spit mk III from 1969. I measured then had a local machine shop make me a set to fit.I kept it to .002 clearance and even im proved clutch performance.I'll try to get a photo up on my sign in(log on) thing.

 

[Hap Waldrop]

The main thing you have to worry about with a thrust washer falling out in a Triumph engine is damage to the thrust area of the crankshaft. The big thing to rember with this set up, is don't sit at rted ligts and stop signs with your foot on the clutch, I even do this with a MG engines and they never wear out thrust bearings, it's just a good policy to save everything clutch related.

 

[vagt6]

The Triumph TR-6 motor uses the exactly the same thrust washers as the 1500, and has the same troubles.

Does anyone know if the Triumph GT-6 has the same issue?

(I believe the motor is the same as the TR-6...)

(I KNOW! I KNOW!! "Ask the guys in the Triumph forum.....")

"Cheers!"
-Bear-

Yes Sir, they sure do. Been there, done that!