TR2/3/3A TR3 Front Suspension and Steering

[RonR]

After nearly 2 years of being a collection point for spider eggs, I have started working on the TR3 that my wife wanted us to buy. In the process of rebuilding the brake hydraulic system, I discovered that the front suspension is pretty much gone, and that the steering turns very tight with no weight on the suspension. I wonder if this is a sign of the steering box needing rebuilding. There also appears to be a leak at the front of the differential.

Any suggestions, hints, and advice on any of these issues will be greatly appreciated. My goal is to make it to Breckenridge in August for VTR 2011

Thanks,
Ron

 

[TexasKnucklehead]

My suggestion... start 2 years ago. -Just kidding. I've lost track of how many years ago I started. I'd suggest you set some goals. The steering box may need rebuilt, and the entire suspension and the diff... but decide what you can live with, and what *must* be done, and if you'd rather drive it than work on it.

I think the 'unweighted suspension' is not a good test for poor steering. Usually the complaints are too much play, and too hard to turn. You can also search the archives for a great deal of discussion on steering.

Someday I'll drive mine. I have rebuilt the steering box, suspension (front and rear), diff, engine, starter, generator, water pump, dash including gauges, frame, and... well you get the picture. I'm working on the body. I've never driven the car. If you start taking everything apart and rebuilding everything that needs it, you might end up like me.

 

[TR4nut]

Ron-

I'm with Tex, very good advice. Everything is fixable, but especially with the goal of getting to the next national I'd get in that car as soon as you can and road test it. If you can live with the issues, live with them for a while and start knocking off the todo's one at a time.

Its dirty work, but if the leak at the differential bothers you it is very fixable, especially on a later TR3A body where you have some room between the body and the front pinion. But if the leak isn't bad, I'd just top it up and drive it.

Randy

 

[CJD]

Mine was hard to steer when I got it. Once I took it all apart it turned out the vertical links were bent. The threads on the bottom of the link has to line up with the hole for the upper ball joint stud. Every time I turned the wheel it put the steering in a bind...and probably added to the destruction of all the rubber bushings.

Have you tried greasing everything? Sometimes a little grease works wonders...


John

 

[TR3driver]

FWIW, my first guess would be the idler arm.

The way to find out is to start disconnecting the joints, and see what moves easily by itself. IMO this type of tool
https://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/p-6985-tool-aid-61900.aspx
works better than the usual "pickle fork" tool.

As noted, changing the pinion seal in the car isn't too bad, but it's better to deal with the "show stopper" issues first.

 

[toysrrus]

Howdy Folks,

I`m rebuilding my Front Suspension right now. All parts are stripped, primed & painted etc. On My "Upper A-Arms", I have installed those large Rubber Bushings as shown in all the catalogs & everything is just fine.

My Question is for the "Lower Wishbones" Bushings. I know on the front of the Wishbones where the Trunions are mounted; They get "Steel" bushings in there. On the Chassis End, Where there is the perminent mounting for the bushings; All the catalogs show a "Nylon Bushing" with a "Steel Bushing" inside it.

Would it be advisable to use the same large "Rubber Bushings" on the Lower Wishbones without a Steel Bushing? Meaning, A direct mount to the perminent area on the Chassis as on the "Upper A-Arms"? I`ve done a dry run & those "Rubber Bushings" are a nice snug fit in there.

Thanx in advance for your opinions.

Russ

 

[TR3driver]

Would it be advisable to use the same large "Rubber Bushings" on the Lower Wishbones without a Steel Bushing?

The factory tried that, on very early cars, and found that it didn't work very well. The lower joints take a lot more force than the uppers do and it quickly tears up the rubber.

Even the uppers don't last very long, which is why mine have been replaced with nylon & steel like the lowers.

 

[Geo Hahn]

Yes, you can drive a long time & long ways with a leaky pinion seal so perhaps not urgent, but when you get to it - I found this tool was just the thing for yanking it out:

https://www.harborfreight.com/seal-puller-35556.html

Seems to me like steering boxes that need rebuilding exhibit 'slop' rather than tightness -- so, yeah, work out what's binding.

There is an adjustment screw on the top of the steering box that someone might have tightened down excessively in a misguided effort to improve things -- if it is still tight when things are disconnected you might investigate that.

Hope to see you in Breckenridge!

 

[TR3driver]

Yes, you can drive a long time & long ways with a leaky pinion seal so perhaps not urgent, but when you get to it - I found this tool was just the thing for yanking it out:

https://www.harborfreight.com/seal-puller-35556.html

Hah!
I'm glad to hear someone found it useful. The one I got broke on the very first yank, without even budging the seal. But my second choice of tool (one of those great big screwdrivers that gets used for everything but turning screws) popped it right out.

 

[toysrrus]

Howdy Folks,

Should there be anyone out there who has recently re-built (Restored) their Front Suspension Upper & Lower A-Arms; I sure would like to see some "Close-Up" pics especially showing those Bushings. You can email them to me if you wish at: toysrrus@att.net

Thanx in Advance,

Russ

 

[RonR]

Folks,

How does one get to the steering box adjustment screw without removing the front nose?

And how does one drain the oil form the steering box or add more oil? That thing is harder to get to than on a Healey

Ron

 

[TR3driver]

My opinion, the adjustment screw is best left alone unless you remove the box from the car. I am increasingly convinced that trying to adjust out the wear is what causes the awful steering that so many experience, because what wears is the relatively soft brass bushing that carries the rocker shaft, and when it does, it allows the rocker shaft to tip sideways. If the top adjustment is tight, the peg binds in the groove when the shaft tips.

It really can't be adjusted accurately anyway, unless you first eliminate all end play; and then you need to feel for very light (a couple of inch-pounds) binding as the play is all taken up at center. Or, if yours is as badly worn as the one on my TR3A was, off to either side of center.

You can drain most of the oil by just loosening the nut that clamps the stator tube. If you want to get more out, loosen the 4 bolts for the end plate. But that still won't drain everything; that requires disassembly.

There is a rubber plug on the steering column, which is the fill hole. The one on top of the box is for a different application.

 

[sp53]

I usually remove the driver side horn for better access to the steering box and I am betting too that most of the problem is in the idle arm. But again the whole thing probably needs rebuilding and it is really not that difficult. For now and if you just want to warm up to the vehicle, pull off the idle arm or perhaps pull off the grease fitting and see if you can get the arm to take some grease by cleaning things up. I remember when I bought my first tr3 back in 72 and it steered like a truck. This old boy did that for me and it made a lot of difference, but that was on a forty year old newer car. You can top up the fluid through the filler hole and see if it leaks or with the horn off you should be able to pull the top cover and take a look inside. I would fill it up and see what happens. If you do pull the top cover off, do not turn the wheel because that will lift the peg up and perhaps off the worm gear.
steve