TRip Trip Anthony (162 posts) Registered: 08/18/2009 01:16AM Main British Car: 1980 TR7 performance 4 cyl |
TR7 to other axle swap?
Hello everyone,
Spring is here and I've been eager to get back to working on the 7. The rear brakes have to be done from drums to cylinders. I also wanted to add a nice set of rims. Thing is rims are very limited for the 3 3/4 bolt circle. I have researched axle swaps and gone through the archives here. There are a lot of MG, Spitfire etc swaps but haven't seen any 7's. Basically, I'm looking for a straight forward bolt in swap (if possible) with: 1. LSD 2. disc brakes 3. a more common bolt circle 4. bolts right up and fits under the car w/ no shortening. And I think the most important question - is it worth even considering? Or, should I just do the brakes on the present axle? Trip Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/16/2010 01:05PM by TRip. |
minorv8 Jukka Harkola (271 posts) Registered: 04/08/2009 06:50AM Main British Car: Morris Minor Rover V8 |
Re: TR7 to other axle swap?
I don´t think ´that you´ll find a replacement that bolts right up. Volvo 240 series might be one option, the axles are relatively narrow. I have a TR7 axle in my Morris and have fabricated simple brackets to mount rear brake calibers. I have done two sets, one to fit inside 14" rims and another for 15" wheels. I can provide you pics if you are interested.
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TRip Trip Anthony (162 posts) Registered: 08/18/2009 01:16AM Main British Car: 1980 TR7 performance 4 cyl |
Re: TR7 to other axle swap?
Hello Todd
I hadn't planned on such a huge project dollar or mod wise. Wow, that's far more than I expected! I was hoping to match the fronts as well but this looks like it would be a pretty daunting project. Amazing looking TR, by the way! Those wheels really make the car! Thanks for the info Todd, Trip |
Dan B Dan Blackwood South Charleston, WV (1008 posts) Registered: 11/06/2007 01:55PM Main British Car: 1966 TR4A, 1980 TR7 Multiport EFI MegaSquirt on the TR4A. Lexus V8 pl |
Re: TR7 to other axle swap?
Hey Todd,
How much of that $2500 was spent on the Wilwood brakes? Could Trip use the Ford brakes from the Exp. diff? Dan B |
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TRip Trip Anthony (162 posts) Registered: 08/18/2009 01:16AM Main British Car: 1980 TR7 performance 4 cyl |
Re: TR7 to other axle swap?
Hi Dan,
Ya, a straight forward stock Ford brake that comes with the axle is just fine. This isn't my dream car after all... I'm just wondering if a swap is simple enough and not to pricey to do on this particular car - compared to the $$$ for TR 8 drums, cyls, shoe kit etc. and front TR8 rotors calipers, pads. The TR7 brakes are real sucky as it is and need doing anyway! This car is my learning car, so hey why not consider it. PS. I haven't learned to weld yet. Trip |
Re: TR7 to other axle swap?
Willwood calipers run about $130 a piece. They won't bolt on directly to the TR or the Rover struts. You will need to make up intermediate brackets that bolt to the struts(3.25" bolt spacing) and also to the calipers(5.5" bolt spacing for Chevy spec and 3.5" for Ford spec) I went with stock rear solid Explorer rotors in the back and adapted Jeep Cherokee vented rotors on the front. The fact that I have brakes designed to stop 7500 pound SUVs on a 2300 pound TR8 hasn't escaped me. Yes it is overkill. The next time I do something like this, I will not use stock based rotors. I will use Willwood aluminum rotor hats and brake rotors instead. A little more expensive, but lighter and easier to reproduce. Instead of having to bolt the rotors to the hubs, the aluminum hats will sandwich between the wheels and the front hubs. You can do an axle swap for a reasonable price if you can do the fabrication. Mine took about 8 hours of cutting, grinding and welding, and another day to pull two rear ends out of trucks in the junk yard. I still have one rear housing, and posi gear cluster that hasn't been cut down, but I only have the two long axle shafts. I would either have to buy two new short shafts or send these out to be shortened and resplined. A cost of 200-300 dollars.
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bsa_m21 Martin Rothman Vancouver, Canada (216 posts) Registered: 01/06/2009 11:41AM Main British Car: 1980 TR7V8 Rover 3.9L |
Re: TR7 to other axle swap?
For a nifty rear end, a lot of people also go for a Jag IRS rear end. Check out www.forum.triumphtr7.com. There are quite a number of write ups.
However, the biggest bang for the buck is to just change the front brakes to vented rotors with 4 piston calipers. Replace the stock 5spd rear wheel cylinders with TR7 4 speed cylinders for more brake pressure (these are the same as were on TR8's), but leave the rest alone. Tons of braking power for minimum cost. You can buy a bolt on kit from Woody's for under $800 (http://www.thewedgeshop.com). M. |
TRip Trip Anthony (162 posts) Registered: 08/18/2009 01:16AM Main British Car: 1980 TR7 performance 4 cyl |
Re: TR7 to other axle swap?
Martin,
Yes the Jag IRS is nice and I had been considering it before but this present car isn't a clean base to start from so The IRS will be on the next project TR. |
Dan B Dan Blackwood South Charleston, WV (1008 posts) Registered: 11/06/2007 01:55PM Main British Car: 1966 TR4A, 1980 TR7 Multiport EFI MegaSquirt on the TR4A. Lexus V8 pl |
Re: TR7 to other axle swap?
I think there is a great deal of fabrication required to get a Jag IRS to fit, but it has been done. In fact, if you look on the TR7/8 forum, there is/was a company in Australia that specializes in the Jag IRS for TR7/8. You could also go back on here and look at Jim's posting on the Jag IRS, as he built two conversions for MGB, one in the Roadmaster project and the other in his roadster. (I wonder why MG convertibles are "roadsters" and TR7s are "DHCs.")
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v8ian ian stewart just north of London, United Kingdom, Planet Earth (54 posts) Registered: 12/24/2009 04:06PM Main British Car: 67 Ford Cortina 3.9ltr Rover |
Re: TR7 to other axle swap?
In my Ford. I run a Mid 70s Celica axle, Bigger internally than a 8" other than the ring gear, shafts etc are bigger, measures 56"1/4 face to face, I think its the same bolt pattern as the Triumph, Get the right axle and it come with a LSD, and the axle is UNBREAKABLE [so far] that includes 100s of Drag launches on some super sticky treads
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TRip Trip Anthony (162 posts) Registered: 08/18/2009 01:16AM Main British Car: 1980 TR7 performance 4 cyl |
Re: TR7 to other axle swap?
Hi Dan
You're right, Jag swap does require a great deal of fabrication and knowledge. Way above my abilities and more than I want to do on this car... |
TRip Trip Anthony (162 posts) Registered: 08/18/2009 01:16AM Main British Car: 1980 TR7 performance 4 cyl |
Re: TR7 to other axle swap?
Ian, it may be hard to find a mid 70's axle with LS especially up here in Canada. But it does sound like a nice option, though.
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