[TR] Need tips/suggestions on adjusting the two stop screws on theshift lever on my TR4A.

[Dave Connitt]

Hi Randall,
Regarding the shift lever adjustment, the more I think about it, using
Loc-Tite would not really do much for the reason you state below. It was
just a thought I guess. I couldn't believe what a profound difference  could
be achieved in the shifting by adjusting  those two bolts! The action went
from no second gear to butter smooth in all 4 gears! Well, shifting the top
cover held in my bench vise anyway.

On the o-ring replacement, I am struggling to safely removing the tapered
bolts holding the shift forks to the shift rods. Using a 6-point 3/8" socket
on a short extension,  I broke the first pin I tried to remove. It sheared
off right at the transition from thread to pin although after examining the
break, there was a partial shear on the bolt from a previous removal.  I
have another top cover coming my way from Team Triumph tomorrow but would
like to hear about any suggestions on removing the broken pin on the cover I
have now although it looks like the bolt is NLA anyway.  Does anyone know of
a source for these bolts?  I am not sure if I should just forget about
addressing the possible oil leak on the cover coming from Team Triumph and
make a habit of checking the transmission fluid level more frequently?
It's not encouraging to hear that the o-rings being sold as replacements
don't seal very well. I would hate to go through all this only to still have
a leak. I read in the Buckeye Triumph transmission rebuild section on the
top cover renovation that the author recommended a Buna-N #112 which had a
1/2" ID, 11/16" OD and a 3/32 cross section so I ordered a box of 100 from
McMaster Carr. I'll let you guys know how they fit if I get that far. That
is if I decide to try and remove the shift forks!
Thanks for the suggestions Randall,
Dave Connitt

-----Original Message-----
From: Randall <tr3driver at ca.rr.com> 
Sent: Sunday, August 19, 2018 10:45 AM
To: 'Dave Connitt' <dconnitt at fuse.net>; 'Triumphs' <triumphs at autox.team.net>
Subject: RE: [TR] Need tips/suggestions on adjusting the two stop screws on
theshift lever on my TR4A.

The book (TR6 workshop manual) says to put the shift lever in each gate,
tighten the pin on that side until it just starts to move the lever, then
back off a half turn and tighten the locknut.  Seemed to work fine on my
Stags (which have a similar lever).
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2H2NJt34OffZTJaeXJhWllGWnc

Sounds like you might need to add the locknuts, or snug them up a bit
tighter.  Not sure I'd want to use Loctite with only those screw slots to
take them loose.

AFAIK, all vendors sell ordinary O-rings for the shift rails, which don't
fit very well as the cavities are deeper than the rings.  Herman van den
Akker told me (long ago) that he machined brass washers to fill the space.
But I found some "O-ring Backup Rings" at MMC that fill the space nicely and
make the standard O-rings seal very well.  I bought the Teflon version, but
I assume the Buna-N ones would work just as well.  Sorry I don't recall the
size offhand, but I'm sure you can work it out.
https://www.mcmaster.com/#o-rings/=1e82oxx
(about 2/3 down)

I had to buy a bag of 50; I'd be happy to share except I won't be back there
for a couple months yet (and I'm not absolutely sure where that bag is).

On the taper pins, it seemed to help to get an 8-point socket to fit, then
use a T-handle wrench with both hands so there's no side force on the pin.
But I still broke several, and had to salvage them from another gearbox (an
earlier one without those stupid nylon inserts in the pins).

-- Randall