I always used to ensure my trunnions were oiled regularly - it was very easy
since there was a trunnion-oiling stand at the Stafford show every year!
Since the disappearance of the trunnion-oiling stand a couple of years ago,
I haven't been quite as thorough as I should - and maybe I was paying the
price for that, or maybe it was unrelated, but last year, as I was doing a
U-turn, my vertical link snapped, leaving me stranded.
Initially, I was quite horrified at the thought of such a critical piece
failing. But I've since been told by everyone that these things only ever
snap when turning at very low speed, as happened to me, and it's slightly
less scary when you know that. In the end, the biggest inconvenience was
trying to get the car towed to the garage. It's obviously not going to move
anywhere with half the front suspension dragging on the floor... and believe
it or not, AA flat-bed trucks don't carry a trolly-jack as part of their
standard equipment!
Dean
---------------
-----Original Message-----
From: ZoboHerald@aol.com [mailto:ZoboHerald@aol.com]
Sent: 08 August 2003 04:28
To: davidt@opentext.com; triumphs@autox.team.net;
spitfires@autox.team.net; nass@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: Spitfire front trunnions
In a message dated 8/7/2003 10:38:26 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
davidt@opentext.com writes:
> ...if a front wheel took a real good jolt, like the one from a
> pothole there is a good chance that the trunnion would come apart causing
> the wheel to go off in a undisirable direction. The reason he gave was
the
> straight cut thread and the angled thread of the trunnion...
> Has anyone heard of such an issue? Something I (we), need to check on?
I suppose it's possible, but I can't say as I've ever experienced anything
quite like that. I once, on a very icy night, slid sideways into a curb with
the
RF wheel of my GT6. The impact was hard enough to send the "pseudo-Rostyel"
wheel cover flying (which I didn't know at the time...darn!) and also
significantly bend the lower A-arm. Oddly enough, the wheel and tire
suffered
no
damage at all; same with the trunnion.
The only time I've ever had a vertical link snap was in a Spitfire 1500, and
that was due to my own negligence in failing to properly lubricate the
trunnion. I'd also had one other earlier experience where I replaced a
vertical link
on a Mk3 Spitfire because of wear (again, due to negligence on my part; I
have
learned my lesson, though). But that's it. And in the last 34 years and
goodness knows how many miles in Triumphs, I've sure hit my share of rough
roads.
As always, YMMV....
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