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TR2/3/3A glass and ring into new bee hive sockets

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sp53

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I am having trouble getting the glass and ring to fit into the new bee hive sockets I received from TRF. The sockets look and feel like a soft flexible rubber product, but seem too small. Has anyone figured out a way to install the glass and chrome ring?
 
On mine, I just bent the rubber and slowly slid the glass into the circular slot in the rubber.

Hope that helps.
Tom M.
 
I had difficulty with these as well. Getting the glass in was relatively easy, but not the chrome ring. Someone suggested using di-electric grease, which helped a lot. Since it's clear like the di-electric grease, I wondered about Vaseline, but I'm not sure how it would eventually react with the rubber. Also, what helped me was to use O-ring removal tools. See here:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GO2UWW4/ref=psdc_15709191_t3_B0002KO4S2

These allowed me to pull up the rubber edge as I worked my way around. You might want to put down a towel or blanket. One of the glass lenses fell out while I was attempting to seat the ring, and shattered on the concrete.
 
I spent hours trying to get mine on and then realized I was doing it wrong. Five minutes later I'm done.
The bee hive goes over the top of the seal and only the Crome ring goes under the outer lip. Hope that helps
 
I'm not sure that's right. The glass lens should fit under the inner lip and the chrome ring under the outer lip.
 
You're right Keith. I think I said it backwards. My memory is fading but but I clearly remember the hours of swearing and then feeling really stupid.
 
I know I muttered under my breath a lot getting it done the first time!
 
What works for me is a small (cheap) flat blade screwdriver with all the corners rounded. Slide one side of the glass under the inner ring and hold it there with light pressure with one hand, then use the screwdriver in the other hand to lift the inner ring around the glass. Repeat if necessary to get the lip fully over the edge of the glass.

Then repeat with the chrome ring and the outer lip.
 
I wonder if current repo body is smaller or less supple that the originals. I'm using 'hide from the virus' time to look through parts boxed up decades ago; this is from an NOS Lucas rubber body (PN 576105) measured as best I could:

ID of the rubber body inner ring: 2.25" OD of glass lens base: 2.335. So the rubber has to stretch about .085.
OD of the rubber body: 2.75"

I can't find a chrome ring to test-fit right now, but in the past I remember needing a small flat-blade screwdriver to seat the outer ring. In the third picture you can see there is a small ridge to help seal the lens (I think). How does it compare to the new ones you have? P1110346.jpg P1110339.jpgP1110341.jpgP1110345.jpg
 
We use Windex for projects like this. Makes the rubber very slick
and no adverse effects to the rubber afterwards.

Gil. NoCal
 
TRopic6 said:
I wonder if current repo body is smaller or less supple that the originals. I'm using 'hide from the virus' time to look through parts boxed up decades ago; this is from an NOS Lucas rubber body (PN 576105) measured as best I could:

ID of the rubber body inner ring: 2.25" OD of glass lens base: 2.335. So the rubber has to stretch about .085.
OD of the rubber body: 2.75"

I can't find a chrome ring to test-fit right now, but in the past I remember needing a small flat-blade screwdriver to seat the outer ring. In the third picture you can see there is a small ridge to help seal the lens (I think). How does it compare to the new ones you have?View attachment 62616 View attachment 62613View attachment 62614View attachment 62615
Click to expand...

While I don't have the car handy (it's at the body shop) to check, I remember it looks very similar to your photos. I know the first time around trying to fit the chrome ring, I split the rubber in several places. Once done, it didn't look bad, but I bought another rubber piece to replace. Compared to the original rubber, my guess is that it's not as pliable. Gil's suggestion of Windex is a good one to try.
 
I could not get these rubber boots to work. The original one is on the left. The problem is in the center ring of rubber is manufactured wrong. The rubber is about an 1/8+ smaller in diameter on the center piece of rubber and as a result moved closer into the center, so that when the glass piece goes in that pushes the inner rubber ring out too much and will not let the chrome ring into the grove. The tool I use is a small screw driver with rounded edges also. The Vaseline did not work too well because the rubber is too tight. The lubricant makes it possible to get the glass installed, but when I let go of the glass the pressure from the tight rubber shot the glass out to the floor. Luckily the glass did not break.

Fortunately, I had some old original ones that worked.

Heck I have been putting these in since 1972. Now I want to call Chuck at TRF and try to figure out how much they care plus someone is going to put a scratch in their paint trying. I think I paid 4 dollars each, so heck, and then there is shipping them back. I doubt if they will pay that. I would really just like to inform them and get a store credit.
 

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sp53 said:
Now I want to call Chuck at TRF and try to figure out how much they care plus someone is going to put a scratch in their paint trying. I think I paid 4 dollars each, so heck, and then there is shipping them back. I doubt if they will pay that. I would really just like to inform them and get a store credit.
Click to expand...
Definitely call and let them know. If they can confirm that the entire batch is bad, they may not ask for the defective ones back at all.
 
I had an issue with the clutch release shaft. They verified the problem with their stock and gave me a refund.

David
 
Yes, I remember creating sme new bad words while replacing the lenses and rings. I've used a small flat blade screwdriver and dish detergent to lubricate the rubber.
 
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