[TR] TR6 suspension adjustment question

[Mark Hooper]

OK, last question for a bit, I promise...

I took my TR6 to inspection yesterday, where it passed first time. Phew!

However, the inspector did note that the right front wheel was able to move
about 1/8" relative to the car due to slop in the lower A-arm/trunnion joint.
I can't say I was shocked since, when driving down the highway, I felt the car
to be driving like a fish swims compared to my memory of what should be.
Wiggling the steering wheel, I actually thought I had forgotten to tighten the
wheel nuts.

The inspector thought things might just be too loose. I wasn't so sure, but
not about to disqualify my car by opening my big mouth and disagreeing.
However, on disassembly, I found the castellated nut on the big cross bolt was
not even finger tight.

I had thought it was the nylon top hat bushings, but having bought some new
ones, they look about the same as the parts I put in 20 years ago when
starting the re-build (so long it's been!) I do see there is some wear in the
trunnion bore and A-arm ends, but not too dreadful, so I will conserve my
little stock of pennies and just clean, lube and tighten up properly until the
end of the season.

I think part of the problem is that I recall following the procedure which
left things quite loose. Now that I look at the setup, it seems clear that the
bolt should be quite tight to hold the trunnion, spacers and arms rigid at 90
degrees relative to each other while still permitting the arm ends to turn the
nylon top hats on the spacers. But, that tightness is at variance with some of
the documentation.

As noted in the forum link below, this is not a new issue:

http://www.britishcarforum.com/bcf/showthread.php?79394-TR6-Trunnion-Lower-A-
Arm-Bolt-Torque-or-End-Float

I too possess a Haynes manual (complete with various errors) so now suspect my
problems come from worshipping at the wrong alter of mechanical purity.
(Perhaps next I must buy new Baal joints...)

So, how tight should I be setting the cross bolt on the suspension?

Mark Hooper
1972 TR6