Lower A Arms, are they sided?

[doughairfield]

Are the lower A arms sided on a 64 TR 4?

I've got the front suspension back together and the passenger side spindle catches on the rear lower A arm when I turn the spindle to the left. I'm wondering if I have the passenger rear lower A arm switched with the driver side front lower A arm before I take everything apart and swap them. If they are sided is there a way to know which one goes where?

 

[doughairfield]

Here's a pic to show what I'm talking about.


Untitled by doug_hairfield, on Flickr

 

[TR4nut]

I've never compared them that carefully, but yes I believe they are sided - at least they have different part numbers from the factory. If you still have the short studs in place you can't go wrong though - and they are interchangeable, LH front is RH rear, RH front is LH rear.

 

[doughairfield]

Yeah, I was just digging through the parts cataloge and noticed the F Right and R Left are interchangeable. So much for that idea.

Any idea why that shoulder on the spindle is catching on the Rear Right A Arm?

 

[TR4nut]

Do you have the car on the ground with the rebound buffer in place yet? If not I think you are just seeing temporary interference with the car on the jack.

 

[doughairfield]

It is off the ground but I've got the spring compressor still in with the coil compressed to simulate the bumper being there. I've also compared the distance from the bottom of the spring plate to the ground on the driver side where everything clears fine and the passenger side where i'm catching the A-Arm to make sure it's the same distance.

 

[PeterK]

This on my 58 3A. The lowers are handed and I replicated the yellow and green marks I found on them originaly. I decided that the color codes were to prevent mis-assembly.

The uppers on the TR4A-6 are also handed.

Here's a shot of the 3A:
https://home.myfairpoint.net/~kentech0822/triumph/suspension3.jpg

 

[doughairfield]

Peter,
Correct me if I'm wrong here, and I'm hoping I am. On the 64 TR4, the right hand front and left hand rear are interchangeable, as well as the left hand front and right hand rearm are interchangeable.

Are you saying they are not interchangeable on the TR4? That the Left Hand Rear, for instance can only go in that spot, not in the front right hand even though it will fit, or you'll have problems?

 

[TR4nut]

Doug-

I'm guessing you have the later style trunnions right? Did you also use the later style seal between the trunnion and the upright? I think the later one is a bit thicker than the earlier version, that could potentially be a cause - the link is tipped towards the back so it would catch first in the back instead of the front.

Randy

 

[PeterK]

Peter,
Correct me if I'm wrong here, and I'm hoping I am. On the 64 TR4, the right hand front and left hand rear are interchangeable, as well as the left hand front and right hand rearm are interchangeable.

Are you saying they are not interchangeable on the TR4? That the Left Hand Rear, for instance can only go in that spot, not in the front right hand even though it will fit, or you'll have problems?

The ones on the 3A are handed but not sided if that makes more sense. So a pair can be put on either side.

TR4 might be different.

 

[TR3driver]

TR4 might be different.

Nope, TR4 uses the same arms as the TR2-3B.

My opinion, Doug, you've got the link screwed into the trunnion one turn too far. Back it out one turn, and all will be well.

 

[doughairfield]

Yep, you were right, the link was in too far. Oddly enough, the link didn't catch on that little stop arm on the trunnion when I screwed it in the first time and the gasket looked to be in the right place. I guess the threading of the trunnion might be a little offset from the first one I did which made it appear to be in the right position.

 

[Willie_P]

Yeah, you guys got me panicked. Went out to the partially assembled suspension (upper arms, lower wishbones, trunnions all assembled, but no springs or pan yet, just the suspension sitting free/loose on jack stands).

and yes, the shoulders at the base of my vertical link "hit" the lower wishbones before they can engage the trunnion stop.

at this point, i am HOPEFULLY assuming that the wishbones are NOT sided and once the spring is inserted/compressed AND the engine/body weight placed on the suspension will level-out and there will be no clearance issues.

 

[Willie_P]

Part nos:

307209 (LH Front/RH Back)
307210 (RH Front/LH Back)

So, now all I need to do is go back out to the garage later today and either cry that I've fully assembled all but the springs (and now need to disassemble/reassemble)..or shout for joy that I got it right by accident.

As stated earlier; when the full assembly is about where the lower arm is about 1/2 inch from hitting the frame - the vertical link shoulders interfere with the wishbone arms thereby not allowing the vertical link to engage the trunnion stop.

 

[TR3driver]

So, now all I need to do is go back out to the garage later today and either cry that I've fully assembled all but the springs (and now need to disassemble/reassemble)

Fortunately it's not all that hard. Just remove the caliper, hub and dust shield (if they are installed), then break the joints at the tie rod end & upper ball joint. That should let you swing the vertical link out enough to rotate it in the trunnion, without having to disturb the lower arms, etc.

 

[Willie_P]

So, now all I need to do is go back out to the garage later today and either cry that I've fully assembled all but the springs (and now need to disassemble/reassemble)

Fortunately it's not all that hard. Just remove the caliper, hub and dust shield (if they are installed), then break the joints at the tie rod end & upper ball joint. That should let you swing the vertical link out enough to rotate it in the trunnion, without having to disturb the lower arms, etc.

not for me, I have the 3 degree (handed) trunnions, so they need to stay on the side of the car they are presently on.

 

[TR3driver]

not for me, I have the 3 degree (handed) trunnions, so they need to stay on the side of the car they are presently on.

Huh? My point was that you don't have to remove the trunnions at all, so they do stay on the side of the car they are presently on.

 

[Willie_P]

blonde moment, i get it.

 

[Willie_P]

Well, (I am presently doing web research on Part #'s) - I went out to the garage and looked at the part nos. on my lower wishbone arms.

they are as follows:

Left(drivers) Front: 1L0 5112
Left Rear: 1L0 5113

Right Front: 1L0 5113
Right Rear: 1LO 5112

Can anyone tell me either:

do I have my wishbones installed on the proper sides, or
why do my part numbers not match the part numbers I am finding elsewhere for lower wishbones (I am more commonly seeing #'s 307209, 307210 as above)

Again, I have a 62 Tr4.

 

[doughairfield]

Hey Willie,
I asked myself the same question 2 nights ago when I was getting my front suspension back together.

I think you're on the right track and here's why. It would be really hard to put the A Arms in the wrong spot. The front left and rear right are interchangeable. And vice versa for the other pair. I don't think you can put the arms in, in the wrong spot b/c of the threaded rod protruding fromt he bottom rear holes on each arm. Additionally, if you took those threaded rods out and put the arms in upside down and on the wrong side, you'd definitely notice, that the front ends of the arms the part the trunnion slides into would be curving up, instead of down.

I was pulling my hair out thinking I had put everything together wrong, but once I put the shock backing plate in and put the bump stops on the frame, the spindle would turn to the stops, it was all good.

Throw a pic up on this post if you're still unsure. At this point I feel like I'm an expert on front suspension assembly after doing mine.