When did you last check your steering coupling?

tdskip · Jul 9, 2009

If it looks like this time to suck it up and change it....

poolboy · Jul 9, 2009

You've read up on the tricks to installing a new one ?
I hadn't and swore for an hour or so that I was sent the wrong part.

Stinger · Jul 9, 2009

I just replaced both on my TR4A. They almost fell apart when I removed them! The lower one went on easy and the upper one had to be compressed a bit due to the steering angle. Dont forget the safety wire.

tdskip · Jul 9, 2009

poolboy said:
You've read up on the tricks to installing a new one ?
I hadn't and swore for an hour or so that I was sent the wrong part.

Hi Ken, I did actually and rebushed the column while I was at it. Pretty straight forward but the final step of compressing the darn thing, even with Bob's excellent write up, was still a pain in the neck.

Haven't actually driver her yet but as soon as the distributor arrives back from Jeff she'll get a work out (I hope).

DNK · Jul 9, 2009

Can anyone explain to me WHY it has to be a pain in the ... to put on?

tdskip · Jul 9, 2009

Basically becuase it needs to be compressed for the bolt holes to line up...

poolboy · Jul 9, 2009

DNK said:
Can anyone explain to me WHY it has to be a pain in the ... to put on?

I'm sure that I've done this in the distant past on another car, but I don't have any recollection of it being the struggle that it was on the TR6
Same goes for the fan belt, and the whole oil cannister ordeal.

TR3driver · Jul 10, 2009

DNK said:
Can anyone explain to me WHY it has to be a pain in the ... to put on?

Just a WAG, but I think they wanted it compressed to be stronger. The bonded rubber isn't nearly as strong under tension as compression, so compressing it as you install it makes it less likely to pull apart in the future.

angelfj1 · Jul 10, 2009

"Bob's excellent write up"

where might I find this?

thanks

BobbyD · Jul 10, 2009

angelfj said:
"Bob's excellent write up" where might I find this? thanks

LOL.......Welcome to Bob's! Here's the write up and the trick to getting a new coupler on. As was noted, the coupler needs to be compressed to get all the holes to line up. Different guys have done it different ways but this is the way I went based on a friend's suggestion. BTW...if you've never replaced this coupler, chances are it's cracked and impacting steering response. Unfortunately the only way you'll ever find out is to remove it.

And don't forget the little ground strap that goes between the upper & lower shaft.

tdskip · Jul 10, 2009

poolboy said:
DNK said:

Can anyone explain to me WHY it has to be a pain in the ... to put on?

Click to expand...

I'm sure that I've done this in the distant past on another car, but I don't have any recollection of it being the struggle that it was on the TR6
Same goes for the fan belt, and the whole oil cannister ordeal.

With the engine in the right place the fan belt is a breeze, when the engine is too far, well that is a different story in my experience....

poolboy · Jul 10, 2009

Tom, I agree that moving the engine & tranny back might solve the problem, BUT, in the Haynes Manual in Chapter 2 / Cooling System, Section 13/ Fan Belt-removal and replacement, it instructs to remove the cross tube. Makes me think that it is in the right place. I think that by moving the engine and tranny back, you might be reducing some of the forward and aft potential movement of the drive shaft splines.
I guess you pays your money and takes your chances. What you think ?

tdskip · Jul 10, 2009

I removed the crossbar the first time around and found that it was a major paint in the butt, might have just been my car (this was on the 1971 that was/is a mess).

Pushing the engine back slightly made it a piece of cake.

swift6 · Jul 10, 2009

poolboy said:
I think that by moving the engine and tranny back, you might be reducing some of the forward and aft potential movement of the drive shaft splines.
I guess you pays your money and takes your chances. What you think ?

And why once it is in place, would the driveshaft need much of any foreward and aft movement? The engine and trans should not be sliding fore and aft and since the diff is mounted solid it shouldn't need to move much either.

poolboy · Jul 10, 2009

I guess that there's some flexibility in the engine, tranny and differential due to torque, rough roads, I don't know; why have the splined joint at all if everything is so rigidly in place ?.... Or 2 Universal joints for that matter.

TR3driver · Jul 10, 2009

poolboy said:
I don't know; why have the splined joint at all if everything is so rigidly in place ?....

Some Triumphs don't. It's my suspicion that they kept the sliding joint mostly so they didn't have to redesign the driveshaft (which I believe is common with the earlier TRs). But since the whole car does flex somewhat, especially with spirited driving, it's probably best to have the spline to relieve the force instead of having the possibility of side-loading the ball bearings in the gearbox/overdrive.

poolboy · Jul 10, 2009

I'm not a tranny or differential specialist either, but seems to me that w/o a splined joint, the pinion and tranny shaft could transmit a lot of force once their end play float was used up.

DNK · Jul 10, 2009

I had a 73 Capri V6 that when I removed the rubber coupler and replaced it with a solid coupler the steering response was amazing. That and the good bushings made it steer like a different car. Why not for our car"?

Note: Tom, I wasn't questioning why it was hard to put on but why it was designed like that.

BobbyD · Jul 10, 2009

Don..... I think TRF sells, or sold, a solid coupling to replace the rubber one. Nice to see this thread get back "on topic"..... sort of.... :yesnod:

poolboy · Jul 10, 2009

BobbyD said:
Don..... I think TRF sells, or sold, a solid coupling to replace the rubber one. Nice to see this thread get back "on topic"..... sort of....

Yeah, I hate it when people change the subject,,,,,oh yeah that was me ! pb:hammer:

Thread starter	Title	Forum	Replies	Date
	Hyundai Stellar - when last did you see one?	Other Cars	6	Apr 3, 2016
	When did you last see one?	Spotted	57	Feb 7, 2013
K	TR2/3/3A New head gasket is installed.....did a compression check motor cold.	Triumph	4	Apr 18, 2024
Y	MGB How did become such a mess up????	MG	2	Oct 17, 2023
	Did Big Healey Drivers Go Soft?	Austin Healey	8	Jan 24, 2023
V	MGB Mystery fastener from '66. Did I miss something?	MG	6	Dec 26, 2022
	Heres one i did.	Other Cars	9	Nov 22, 2022
	How did people in the 1950's manage to fit in the Prefect????	Other British Cars	16	May 9, 2022
	Did BN2s have adjustable steering wheels?	Austin Healey	5	Feb 14, 2022
	MGB Don't post like I did 10 years ago.	MG	7	Oct 31, 2021
	MGB What Did You Do on Your MGB Today?	MG	6	Jun 19, 2021
	Honey, did you hear that clunk?	Other British Cars	0	Jan 24, 2021
B	TR4/4A What did I do wrong?	Triumph	19	Jul 31, 2020
	Finally did another onboard video!	Racing	4	Nov 7, 2018
	When did Mini’s get so expensive	Spridgets	20	Jan 24, 2018
J	TR4/4A Did my own carpet	Triumph	16	Dec 28, 2017
	So what did I do wrong here with Bugsy.	Spridgets	2	Jul 12, 2017
	Did my clutch just bleed itself?	Spridgets	11	Jul 8, 2017
	Where did the smell go?	Austin Healey	11	Apr 24, 2017
	Did I find another need for a Whitworth Wrench Set/ Did I screw up intake manifold	Spridgets	5	Jan 16, 2017
	MGB Things I remember that I did to my MGB...	MG	4	Sep 20, 2016
	TR2/3/3A Did sombody just get lucky?	Triumph	4	Aug 12, 2016
	Morgan fans - how did I miss this?	Other British Cars	2	Aug 9, 2016
	When did you buy your first LBC, and what was it?	Spridgets	46	Mar 27, 2016
H	1925 Rolls Phantom I "round door Rolls" in Petersen collection: what did it sell for?	Other British Cars	5	Mar 26, 2016
H	Joan Baez flat floor '61 roadster, what did the Feds sell it for at auction?	Jaguar	0	Mar 19, 2016
	Did you know.......	Austin Healey	15	Mar 18, 2016
K	General Tech Why did MGB's come with oil coolers but Triumph's didn't?	Triumph	17	Dec 28, 2015
R	Where did it go? A who-done-it mystery!	Austin Healey	18	Oct 21, 2015
	TR4/4A I did it again...	Triumph	27	Sep 17, 2015
	didn't spot a 911 or a Javelin but did see a station wagon	Spotted	1	Jul 14, 2015
T	TR4/4A Access to a professional sandblasting set up - why the heck did I wait so long...	Triumph	4	Jun 4, 2015
	FYI re "What Did You Do On Your Austin Healey Today?"	Austin Healey	0	May 27, 2015
	What Did You Do On Your Austin Healey Today?	Austin Healey	98	May 18, 2015
	TR2/3/3A just removed the pistons/sleeves... can't believe she ran as well as she did!	Triumph	6	Mar 27, 2015
H	Joan Baez flat floor series I e-type roadster: what did the authorities dump it for?	Jaguar	0	Dec 27, 2014
H	Michelotti one off body on an E-type? What year chassis and what shop did the work?	Jaguar	0	Dec 3, 2014
C	The "Lightweight" Jaguar E-Type.....why did they only make six??	Jaguar	2	Nov 28, 2014
D	Challenger 2.5 did 419 one way at the flats today.	Racing	2	Sep 8, 2014
	TR6 Did one of you guys lose this?	Triumph	10	Aug 28, 2014
P	General TR What vehicle did this windscreen come from?	Triumph	2	Jul 11, 2014
	TR5/TR250 Did I screw up?	Triumph	4	Jun 23, 2014
	General TR What Did You Do to Your Triumph Today?	Triumph	119	Mar 22, 2014
	TR2/3/3A PeterK, or others -- How did you mount your BMW fan on the TRactor motor?	Triumph	3	Feb 14, 2014
	Off Topic What did you expect?	Triumph	6	Dec 15, 2013
	General MG What wheels did I buy?	MG	8	Sep 22, 2013
R	How long did it take to restore your car?	Austin Healey	18	Sep 9, 2013
	How did you come to own a Bugeye?	Spridgets	17	May 6, 2013
	New trailer - Did I miss the mark?	Spridgets	8	Apr 10, 2013
	Overheating problem solved, or ... did you disconnect your vacuum advance?	Spridgets	4	Mar 31, 2013

When did you last check your steering coupling?

Share this page

Yoda

Yoda

Jedi Hopeful

Yoda

Great Pumpkin

Yoda

Yoda

Great Pumpkin - R.I.P

Yoda

Jedi Knight

Yoda

Yoda

Yoda

Yoda

Yoda

Great Pumpkin - R.I.P

Yoda

Great Pumpkin

Jedi Knight

Yoda

Similar threads