31st March 2017, Subframe spacers

I have had a few folks comment on the small bump that has appeared in the bonnet. Its caused by the oil filler cap hitting the underside sometimes as the engine rocks on its mountings.  I am using some good old mounts which are much softer than the modern replacements you buy these days because the new ones transmit too much vibration.  It provides a much smoother drive but the penalty is the amount of movement the old mounts allow.

I did happen to have a kit of some standard TR8 spacers that lower the subframe so thought that might be worth a try. These are about 15mm thick so will lower the engine by that amount relative to the car body and come with longer bolts to suit and since I had only replaced the subframe less than 2 years ago everything was free to undo.

Fitting was pretty easy, just a question of supporting the subframe on a jack with the car on stands. Then simple to undo the bolts through the chassis, lower the subframe just enough the add the spacer and replace the bolts with the new longer ones.  I used a picture that Odd Hedberg had posted some time back which shows the order that the various bolts/washers/spacers go so checked I had it all in the right place.

Odd Hedberg Picture

New TR8 Spacer Fitted

 I have not noticed any change in the handling after the job but I thought it was worth getting the front alignment checked just to make sure everything was OK and this is the result the fancy computerised rig produced.

 

Only thing is the left side caster is a little off but not enough to worry about so I am happy with that.

March 2015, Indicator Warning Buzzer

Now most of the car is working OK I thought it was time to start on changing the instrument cluster to the one with an oil pressure gauge from the old car. This one also has LED bulbs so you can actually read the instruments in the dark.  At the same time it was a good chance to add the indicator warning buzzers because I find I do not hear the indicator "clicking" with the top down sometimes.
The clever types manage with one buzzer by using some kind of diode arrangement but I find it easier by just using two buzzers - one wired into each indicator circuit. The cost is next to nothing and I can understand how to do it.

Indicator warning buzzer wiring adapter, one red tail to feed each buzzer.

To join the buzzers into the car wiring I used an idea I copied from Odd Hedberg. Its a very obvious and neat adapter which just plugs into the car loom where the column stalk joins. You don't have to use Scotch locks or cut the wiring and it can also be removed leaving the original loom intact as well.

I also called on my long suffering mate Chris Riley to give me a hand adjusting the roll hoop mountings so that the soft top could be folded down past it. Mission accomplished as you can see. 

The hood folds down over the roll hoop now.

The TR7/8 Forum

Just realised I should mention the TR7/8 forum at this point.

I discovered the forum whilst looking for information about the TR7 on the net. Its very well worth becoming a member (its free to join) as the help and advice available from like minded folks all over the world is priceless. Whatever your problem someone is sure to have experienced it before and will be willing to help you solve it.
You will also discover that you can similarly help someone else which is a great.

Have a look at:-   http://www.forum.triumphtr7.com/

They call it the "The best TR7/8 Forum on the net"  and I would agree with the description.

A couple of the guys who are noteable members - there are lots of others - with superb cars are

Clay Thompson:    http://www.jclay.me/jclay/Welcome.html
U S A                   http://www.triumphtechnical.me/triumphtechnical/Notes.html
                             some very good "idiots guides" with lots of step-by-step pictures

Odd Hedberg:      http://s278.beta.photobucket.com/user/OddHedberg/library/
Sweden                lovely pictures of Odd's projects and his TR8

Beans:                http://tr7beans.blogspot.com/
Holland              car build blog with super pictures of Beans Triton green TR7

  

2009, New Suspension

In 2009, after 36 years,  BT offered me money to leave and not wishing to be rude I accepted their kind offer.  I decided pretty quickly in case they changed their mind!

Now being officially retired meant I had more time to spend working on the TR7, but the better half also had plans for the house so I couldn't spend all my time in the garage just yet.

Driving the car more also meant the poor condition of the suspension became more obvious.  The ride was generally not very good so I decided that new springs and dampers were called for.  Not surprisng really, as they appeared to be the original ones fitted in 1980. This is a pretty simple job on the TR7, the biggest problem was battling with the spring clamps on the front struts. This is a bit scary as there is a lot of potential energy stored when you have a road spring fully compressed, but I managed it without losing any fingers. I also fitted a set of roller bearings in the strut top mountings to improve the steering.

With the ride now improved, other things started to suggest themselves to me. I decided a set of polybushes for the suspension would be a good idea and I would also like to upgrade the front brakes at some time.

Polybushes must be one of the best things to do on an old car.  They are much easier to fit than replacement rubber ones and they are said to last for ever.  You can get a variety of different grades to suit all driving styles from soft road to hard race settings. Mine are somewhere in between.  I also replaced the front subframe mountings with polybushes at the same time. Interestingly the old subframe mountings I took out were standard rubber but seemed almost  new so I kept them "just in case".

The front subframe job is another slightly scary one. The engine has to be supported separately whilst the subframe with all the suspension and steering attached is lowered.  There are four long bolts holding the subframe to the chassis rails and all mine came out nicely.  I have heard these can be a problem sometimes as they seize and have to be sawn off.  Not a nice thought.  Bit of a fiddle lining it all back up but it went together  pretty well.  The manuals do not show the layout of these bushes very well but luckily one of the guys on the TR7/8 Forum (Odd Hedberg from Sweden)  has produced photos showing the proper sequence which makes it all very simple.

Odd Hedberg's Excellent Pictures

Better handling and steering were obvious as soon as I drove the car so what to do next?
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Rear Axle Bump Stops.  Working on the rear suspension I happened to touch one of the axle bump stops and it just fell off.  Turns out it was some kind of original foam material and it just fell apart - perhaps not too surprising after 30 years.  I spoke to Robsport about new ones and decided that the cheaper rubber ones would be fine, no need for the much more expensive poly ones. The way I figure it 10-15 years with the rubber ones will see me out anyway.

Fittting them was interesting. No way could I get them to push into the chassis mounting hole so I devised a special tool method as shown in the pictures.
Just needs a piece of wood cut to length and a Jubilee clip (hose clip).
Apply plenty of lubrication and fit the Jubilee clip (not too tight) round the mounting lug.  
Then with the piece of wood in place as shown you can jack up the axle which pushes the bump stop into its mounting hole, taking the Jubilee clip off once the mounting lug has engaged.   EASY.

Wood block and Jubilee clip in place

Jacking pressure applied,  now remove Jubilee clip