TR2/3/3A 1958 TR3 rear tube shock conversion?

Hello, I am a new member here,and quite happy I found a place for LBC lovers.My question : I have heard about a rear suspension coversion you can do to the triumphs.What does this involve,what years is it applicable to,and what companys make parts to do it? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/computer.gif

Welcome to this fine forum, doubly so for a Triumph person. Can't help you with the specifics on the TR3 suspension, but am confident you will soon get the straight skinny from many of the informed posters here. Many members who know the TR3 are in the UK and snug in their beds at this hour. Again welcome and post often.

I can't help you either, unfortunately, but you are only 1 of 3 people I've ever met with the name Blaine. My brother is one of them.

People generally don't do the tube shock conversion on TR2-TR4. Most of the supply houses (VB, TRF, Moss) sell kits for 250s and 6s. My TR-250 had the tube shock conversion, and quite honestly, it made little difference.

The only reason to switch to tube shocks is if you are driving a lever-arm car many thousands of miles per year (tubes simply last longer than levers.) Or if you're racing, you can use adjustable dampers, but many governing bodies (like SOVREN here in the Northwest) will prohibit any changes to the original configuration of the suspension.

If you want to improve the suspension of a TR3, I strongly recommend the stiffer competition front coil springs and heavy duty rear springs. You can also go to a thicker oil in your rear shocks to make them stiffer. All of this will go miles in making the car a bit tighter -- oh yeah, and get better tires and fill to a higher than recommended psi.

I think that the levers work quite well for most street use,with a little help from a motorcycle shop in the form of some 10 or 20wt fork oil(with seal improver!!) Under no circumstances get this confussed with gear lube, 90 wt will damage your kidneys!!
MD(mad dog)

The other thing to make sure of is that your shock links are still good. When I first got my '59 TR3, my rear got launched after hitting an expansion joint at 60MPH.

I put in gear oil to make these really old levers have resistance...

...but it turned out the links were so worn, the lever arms basically weren't even connected.

[ QUOTE ]
I can't help you either, unfortunately, but you are only 1 of 3 people I've ever met with the name Blaine. My brother is one of them.

[/ QUOTE ]

"Blaine? Blaine? That's not a name, it's a major appliance"

Webb, I'm sure you're too young for that movie line, but hopefully someone 30-40 will get it.

Thanks everyone.I think I will stay with the stock rear suspension,since this one isnt a daily driver or racer.
Thank you for the tips on improving the performance of this setup.I look foward to learning more from this forum through the course of the restoration.