TR2/3/3A Rear Axle & Leaf Spring Installation Questions

[DornTRoriginal]

First query is; I am putting the rear axle onto the frame and I'm wondering how, or if, there is a way to make sure the axle is set parallel on the frame? Do I assume that since the u-bolts are on the spring w/ bolt in the center, spring on the front attachment etc. everything is fine?

Second question, the bolt on the center of the right side spring is short, might have been broken off at some point in time (attached is a picture before I took it off the frame) so there’s no way to attach a nyloc nut to it? Is this something I should try to correct by installing a new, longer bolt, or is it safe to assume the four nuts on the u-bolts sufficient to hold everything together? Thanks for the help!

 

[tinman58]

Dorn
The center bolt is a locating stud. It will not get a nut. If you put the axel back as it came off the frame it should be centered.
By the way I will be at Morgan,s Machine shop's car show in Walnut Creek on the 15th. Call me for more info. They took off 7 lbs from the flywheel.

 

[TR3driver]

First query is; I am putting the rear axle onto the frame and I'm wondering how, or if, there is a way to make sure the axle is set parallel on the frame? Do I assume that since the u-bolts are on the spring w/ bolt in the center, spring on the front attachment etc. everything is fine?

That's a reasonable assumption. The round head of that bolt through the spring should engage with a hole in the axle, providing positive location within 1/16" or so. It will also make it difficult to make any changes to the alignment. If you really want to check, my suggestion would be to assemble the car and then take it to an alignment shop for a "4 wheel" alignment.

Second question, the bolt on the center of the right side spring is short, might have been broken off at some point in time (attached is a picture before I took it off the frame) so there’s no way to attach a nyloc nut to it? Is this something I should try to correct by installing a new, longer bolt, or is it safe to assume the four nuts on the u-bolts sufficient to hold everything together?

The only nut on the center bolt is the small plain nut that fits inside the bottom plate (and appears to be in place in your photo). If it is broken off too short for the small plain nut, then it's probably worth replacing. It's not so important during operation, but it will make spring R&R much easier since it holds the spring leaves together while the U-bolts are loose.

On many cars, the center bolt looks shorter on the passenger side, because the spring is thicker. The factory added some spacer plates to the top of the spring, to make the car sit lower on the passenger side (and hence more nearly level with only a driver in the car) but did not increase the length of the center bolt. That started at TS26904 according to the SPC; and ISTR was discontinued later (maybe only for TR3B).

 

[DornTRoriginal]

Great help everyone! I got it back together yesterday and it looks like everything is lined up correctly. I found that the best way to install the spring was to assemble the u-bolts with the front side of the spring on the frame, onto the pin that is attached to the frame which I smeared anti seez goop onto, install the rubber bushings on the real "shackle pins" and bracket then I sliped on the "shackle plate" with pins onto the frame bracket. I had the body off the frame so access was fairly easy. Anyway a good day in that I got it back together and I feel like it is going in the right direction again! Yea!