Thom,
I know you said you rebuilt the front suspension, but what about the idler
arm? Is it rebushed? I suppose that also brings into play the question about
how tight did you hold the clearances on the bushings in the wishbones, etc?
Its been a long time since I've owned a TR3, but I seem to remember them
having bronze bushings throughout. Then there's always the steering box. The
cam and sector does wear, but it is usually felt as just that, looseness
that lets the car wander down the road. Like any other steering mechanism,
it wears in its straight ahead position most, and then the components must
be replaced. You might take the top off the box and have a look. The pin in
the sector, I suppose, cam follower, was pressed or staked into the arm and
mine had worked loose. That could be welded back if care was taken to keep
heat from ruining the hardness. You could also turn the wheels so that you
could view the center area off the cam and look for fretting. Upgrading
these components has to make a difference if they are old and tired, but
again, I don't think they would have anything to do with shimmy. I'd check
the idler first and the cross link joints in the tie rods. The rest of us
are running out of ideas too!
Roger
>From: thom kuby <thomkuby@iwvisp.com>
>Reply-To: thom kuby <thomkuby@iwvisp.com>
>To: triumphs@autox.team.net
>CC: ednelson@ridgenet.net, british-cars@autox.team.net,
>vintage-race@autox.team.net
>Subject: Still shimmies- I'm running outa ideas.
>Date: Sat, 1 Jul 2000 12:01:06 +0100
>
>Guys,
>OK...since the last time we spoke, I've had the damn tires re-balanced,
>wheels checked for runout etc. Two of the el-cheapo tires turned out to be
>"hoppers". The steel wheels themselves checked out fine. The two hoppers
>are now on the back.
>
>Made absolutely no difference; thing still shimmies, the exact same way...
>Strange thing is, running the car UP through the gears isn't bad...shimmy
>is real mild. it's especially bad when slowing DOWN from 65-70mph to about
>50mph-right in there it gets real unacceptable. Scary actually...
>
>
>Here's where we are:
>1. front end is completely rebuilt - except steering box.
>2. I have worked the adjustment screw on top of steering box: that helped a
>little...otherwise have not touched the steering box.
>3. frame appears to be straight, although I'm going to measure it up
>again-for both racking and height.
>
>Questions:
>- Any other tests, or diagnosis for the frame?
>- Steering box? Would that sleeve bushing be suspect? How difficult is
>that to replace?
>- Would it be easier/cheaper to simply replace the whole steering box?
>- Would two "hopping" tires on the BACK of the car still cause this? (I
>kinda doubt this, as the owner said this problem existed BEFORE this set of
>tires...)
>- Could someone tell me what numbers they're using for front-end toe? I'm
>thinking maybe the Toe isn't set right - I set it EXACTLY according to the
>factory manual, any tricks here?
>- And what was this about the driveshaft? does it really require
>balancing? or is that so much "snake oil"? (and, if it does get balanced;
>How?)
>
>please help...we're getting closer to getting this thing resolved and this
>list has been a huge help. However, my level of frustration with this car
>is fast approaching critical mass...it's not very often I spend so much
>time on any project and not get anywhere with it. That's what this TR3A is
>doing to me...and it's spooky as hell. I really don't want to simply give
>up and return the car to the owner, with the same ___king problem he
>originally wanted me to fix...knowhutImeen?
>
>Any comments?
> Please remember-we have STEEL wheels on it, not wires.
>
>Again, the car's owner and I thank you in advance...
>
>Cheers
>Thom Kuby
>Porsche freak, with a TR3 in his garage...still
>
>
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