Triumph Sports Cars

engine swaps and other performance upgrades, plus "factory" V8s (Stag and TR8)

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Ronp
Ron Pulliam
Tacoma Wa
(15 posts)

Registered:
04/19/2014 12:09AM

Main British Car:
1972 TR6 1963 Buick 215

TR6 steering rebuild- Need advice!
Posted by: Ronp
Date: April 21, 2014 04:28PM

I am finally getting into the TR6/215 Olds conversion I picked up as a totaled vehicle. The steering setup that was done is more than a little iffy. No pics available as yet, so here goes:
5/8" rods (tubes?) were used with 3 u-joints to clear the 315 exh. manifold, supported only by the steering column and R&P, plus one sleeve bushing on the wheel well. At least 2 of the u-joints are worn out, And 2 are rods are wobbly at the Spline end of the joint! No more "shakedown" rides on the back road until this is remedied.
This is what I want to know: Am I better off trying to improve on the same routing (under the manifold), or might I get a better steering rod geometry if I replaced the cast iron exh. manifold with a set of headers that would -hopefully- allow me to find a more direct route to the R&P.? I've got the wife halfway convinced that I could improve the safety of the car by getting the headers. I've been looking at using stock Rover tubular exhaust manifolds, but don't know if that would loosen up the route to the R&P, or make it worse.

Anyone have direct experience with this challenge, or lacking that, anyone have any sound advice? FYI, my skills are modest compared to the level of engineering and fabrication I've seen on this site. sorry the pics I have don't show the steering.

Car history. It was converted by someone I never met, so all the internal specs are a mystery. I Suspect it has a non-stock cam and lightened flywheel.
The heads seem to be about 60 thou thinner that original spec, based on the thickness of the lip at the top of the combustion chamber. It has a 4-bbl carb and an Offy intake manifold, maybe stock. Someone told me this is a Carter 400. I've got some checking to do.
Previous owner ran it under the bask of a semi (I think the missing nut on the master cylinder might have had something to do with it) after having the body sectioned halfway through the wheel wells, it got welded and painted, and now it looks pretty darn good on the outside. I added an aluminum crossflow radiator and elec puller fan, and eliminated the belt fan. Time to replace all the wiring. I Hate working with brittle wire! That will take of some problems behind the dash.
Interior is pretty good, nothing some hardboard and a couple cans of spray glue won't fix. More photos later.

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epeppy
Ed Peppard
Woodlawn, TN
(61 posts)

Registered:
08/04/2008 08:35PM

Main British Car:
1975 TR6 Ford 302

authors avatar
Re: TR6 steering rebuild- Need advice!
Posted by: epeppy
Date: April 22, 2014 12:24AM

Ron, most of the steering modifications that I have seen (and also did) have two hiem joints and 3 universal joints. The hiem joint closest to the rack is mounted to the upper A arm support and the other hiem joint is mounted at the rear of the inner fenderwell. There are some great photos in the HIWD section. Look for Calvin Grannis' write up. Components are from Woodward and the tubing is 3/4" DOM.

Pretty sure you want at least one of the hiem joints on a frame member. Having only one and it being on sheet metal does seem cause for concern.

Ed


88v8
Ivor Duarte
Gloucestershire UK
(1041 posts)

Registered:
02/11/2010 04:29AM

Main British Car:
1974 Land Rover Lightweight V8

Re: TR6 steering rebuild- Need advice!
Posted by: 88v8
Date: April 22, 2014 03:31AM

Few points...

Nice looking car. Me, I'd put the bumpers back on, but that's just my taste. Also makes me feel more secure when I leave the car parked in the street.

Headers give off more heat, so that would raise the underbonnet temperature.
There are various Rover V8 iron headers, if you look on eBay you may find a selection, the SD1 with the twin outlets, single outlet versions, one of those might be a better bet. They don't to be the same both sides.

If you change the headers, you'll have to get the exhaust remade. That can cause problems with resonance, as I'm currently experiencing on my V8 Landy with its fancy new exhaust, it has a horrible boom around 1200rpm which it didn't before.

I suppose what I'm thinking, perhaps start by improving what you have. Fit new joints, after all it's not a crime for something to be worn out, it shows the PO used the car. Perhaps go up a tube size. Stiffen the mounting by making a reinforcement behind the sheet metal.
If after all that the steering is not satisfactory, consider more radical options.

The Carter 400 is a nice carb and well sized for the engine.

Ivor

PS - in that (old?) pic, no battery clamp.


Ronp
Ron Pulliam
Tacoma Wa
(15 posts)

Registered:
04/19/2014 12:09AM

Main British Car:
1972 TR6 1963 Buick 215

Re: TR6 steering rebuild- Need advice!
Posted by: Ronp
Date: April 23, 2014 02:02AM

If you saw the free play in the current u-joints, you be more than concerned. I'm pulling the steering out tomorrow, and will start looking for a better setup. Your recommendations make sense, there are not enough support points the way it sits now. I have plenty of cleaning up in the engine compartment while I wait for parts.

I can't believe what a huge resource British V8 is! I've spent only a few hours researching the message board and HIWD, and have found so much I want to do to my car. Your forum has really got me excited.

And thanks for the advice.

Ron


Ronp
Ron Pulliam
Tacoma Wa
(15 posts)

Registered:
04/19/2014 12:09AM

Main British Car:
1972 TR6 1963 Buick 215

Re: TR6 steering rebuild- Need advice!
Posted by: Ronp
Date: April 26, 2014 03:15PM

Update: I cleaned, refitted and retightened the U-joints, and only had to replace one. Once I build a Heim joint into the shaft down near the rack, I'll be in pretty good shape. Except for the shaft inside the steering column, it's badly bent. So I have that and new column bushings. Not a big deal. Then I can get running again. Still lots of straighten-up stuff to do under the hood, but that's more fun.

Thanks everyone for your input!


epeppy
Ed Peppard
Woodlawn, TN
(61 posts)

Registered:
08/04/2008 08:35PM

Main British Car:
1975 TR6 Ford 302

authors avatar
Re: TR6 steering rebuild- Need advice!
Posted by: epeppy
Date: April 26, 2014 06:17PM

Ron, Art Lipp makes some delrin bushings that can be installed without having to remove the existing bushings. I used these and they made a huge difference. My bushing were completly worn out and these were an easy fix. Check out this link. [tr6.danielsonfamily.org]

Ed


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