TR2/3/3A Steering Column Felt Bush, Additional Bush, Rubber Washers, etc.

[Tropical TR]

Hello All,

In preparing for my eventual steering column rebuild, I have looked at the various current parts catalogs, the factory manual and the factory parts catalog. I conclude and/or question the following:

- The felt bush at the upper end is apparently common to all TR2-3a, however Moss and British Victoria list a rubber/nylon version for the TR3B. There is a "Bush, bearing" # 606630 listed in the factory catalog, together with the felt bush under the same diagram number; but with no indication as to whether it is a required or an alternative part. In searching the TRF parts database for 606630, they stock a substitute part # 209423. Further tracking that, it is really listed in their TR4/4A catalog as "Bush, inner steering column, rubber and steel with nylon insert." It is also listed in their TR250/TR6 section as "Bush, inner column, original rubber bush with Delrin insert." In both sections, the part is coded as applying to TR2/3 as well. TRF also lists 209423/U, "Bush, urethane with nylon insert" for TR4-6 only.

Is this additional bush, original # 606630 (or substitutes listed by the vendors) a better option for the earlier models as well or was it always there? Is it used in conjunction with or as a replacement for the felt bush?

- According to the Moss catalog, the two rubber rings spaced one above the other in the middle column area were for the one piece column and deleted with introduction of the split column. However, other sources show them for all models through 1962. The factory catalog shows 2 required with no model changes and no special annotations concerning one piece or split columns.

Any information which can be provided to de-mystify the above would be much appreciated.

Regards,

Walter

 

[TR3driver]

Is this additional bush, original # 606630 (or substitutes listed by the vendors) a better option for the earlier models as well or was it always there? Is it used in conjunction with or as a replacement for the felt bush?

My opinion is that 606630 is the bushings that were added when the steering column was "split". There are actually two of them (the other one is listed on page 43 of the SPC), one in the top of the lower part of the column and the other at the bottom of the upper part of the column. They are not a substitute for the felt, all TR2-3B used the felt.

The original bushings were a composite construction, with rubber on the outside, nylon next to the shaft, and a steel reinforcement between the rubber and nylon.

- According to the Moss catalog, the two rubber rings spaced one above the other in the middle column area were for the one piece column and deleted with introduction of the split column.

I believe that is correct. (In fact, I might be the one who pointed that out to Moss.)

However, other sources show them for all models through 1962. The factory catalog shows 2 required with no model changes and no special annotations concerning one piece or split columns.

Not the first time the factory documentation is unclear or flat-out wrong.

Of course, you can add the rubber rings if you want. I'm not convinced they were actually required (or even used) even with the original 1-piece column, but they won't hurt anything. The idea was to keep the steering shaft from rattling against the outer housing, which would require a fairly large deflection. I don't see any way they could deflect that far; and if they did, it seems to me that a rattle would be the least of your worries!

 

[Tropical TR]

Randall,

Thanks for this information and I had not caught the additional 606630 entry on SPC page 43. So if the two rubber/steel/nylon bushings appeared with the split column, the distinction some of the vendors make for that part a the TR3B point is wrong and should include a lot of TR3As.

Of course I am preaching to the choir but although the factory manual and SPC are great resources, they were updated after a fashion and never had the diagrams revised from the original TR2 drawings. That be as it may, unfortunately current vendors use the same original diagrams often without inserting new or more detailed artwork; resulting in some listings where parts are not adequately described and not pictured at all....thank goodness for forums like this!

My reprint copy of the factory manual has revisions for changes up to TR3, but not TR3A. Are there additional supplements out there?

I would suspect that the original bushings would be pretty worn out by now. Have you replaced yours in the past, along with the felt bushing?

Regards,

Walter

 

[TR3driver]

There were amendments (and different editions) issued for the SPC; but never to the drawings. The drawings are intended only as general indications, not an authoritative reference. The most up-to-date version that I have can be found at
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2...YmE2LWFiN2UtZWYzMjNjNGFiYzY4/edit?usp=sharing
but I am still missing some of the amendments that I know exist. I also try to update it with more information from time to time. (For example, I added a drawing of the generator mount.) It does have information for both early and late (post-60k) 3A, but it is not always complete or accurate (and as I said, never illustrated).

If you (or anyone) would care to supply updated drawings or additional information, I would be happy to incorporate them. I'm afraid my drawing skills leave something to be desired ... probably my motivation as well

Those bushings (at the split) carry almost no load at all. On my (late) 3A, the majority of wear appeared to be from rubbing rust off of the shaft I did replace them anyway, on general principles (plus the rubber got somewhat damaged during removal), but they probably would have been fine as-is. The felt did show some wear, but again I would have probably replaced it anyway.

More recently, the felt I got from TRF (for my current TR) was too big and did not fit well. I thought it would bed down quickly, so I stuffed it in anyway, but it seemed to still be adding to steering resistance after a few years, so I machined a Delrin bushing to put in its place. I can't really say if that made any difference though, as it turned out that the real problem was inside the box. (The peg had come loose in the arm, probably poor installation on my part.)

I think you may be misinterpreting the VB catalog. Where it shows "A" and "B" next to those bushings, the letters refer to the footnotes, which say "A" refers to solid column and "B" refers to split column. It is still wrong, of course, the felt item 7 is used in all TR2-3B steering columns, not just solid columns; but at least they aren't saying that the rubber/steel/nylon bushings are only used on TR3B. As far as I know (never having owned one), the steering on a 3B is identical to a late 3A.

 

[Tropical TR]

This is great. Thank you very much for the file. And looking in the amendment at the bushings in question, it specifies adding the very part number next to 606630 which TRF supplies as the substitute: 209423. Wonderful when the system works. I will certainly provide any information I come upon in the future. Don't suppose there are amendments to the Service Instruction Manual?

Regards,

Walter

 

[TR3driver]

Don't suppose there are amendments to the Service Instruction Manual?

Just the TR3 supplement in the back of the later editions. But there is a lot of information in the various editions of "Practical Hints", and some of the procedures are documented in the TR4 workshop manual.

And of course there were a lot of "Technical Service Bulletins" issued over the years. Here are some of them :
https://www.tr3a.info/Service_sheets.htm

 

[Tropical TR]

Randall,

Thanks again for your help.

Regards,

Walter

 

[TR3driver]

Oops, forgot something
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2...YWExLWIyNjctOTYzNmI3OTg2ODM0/edit?usp=sharing

Probably best to download the whole thing to your hard drive.

 

[Tropical TR]

Much appreciated, Randall. Thanks.

Walter