TR2/3/3A Headlight trim ring TR3

[NutmegCT]

I wanted to align the headlamps, so I opened my old service instruction manual and read: "Slacken the captive securing screw at the bottom of the front rim ..."

There is no screw - just an empty hole.

Same on the other headlamp. The trim rings have been held on by a hefty dose of luck. There are two "lock points" inside the ring (top and bottom), but that's all.

But now I'm wondering - how does a securing screw actually hold the trim ring on? The screw goes upward from the bottom of the ring, into *something*.

But the apparent *something* looks like a large u-shaped forked bracket pointing straight forward - much larger inside than the size of a screw that would fit through the empty holes.

Note the two pictures: one showing the bottom of the headlamp unit, with the u-shaped bracket. The other showing the size and location of the screw hole.

I can't imagine how a screw would hold into that large forked bracket.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.
Tom

 

[TR3driver]

Tom, your car is a TR3A, it has different headlights than a TR3. Take a look in the owner's manual for your car.

PS, that hole is a drain hole for rain water. It doesn't take a screw. The screw holes on a TR3 are much larger and counter-sunk for an oval-head screw.

 

[martx-5]

Apparently, early TR3A's had the screw type (split) headlamp ring, as my TS23677L had them.

Edit: Moss shows they went to TS32584.

 

[NutmegCT]

Thanks Randall.

I did look in the Practical Hints manual, and it shows that same picture you posted. I was puzzled, as when I snapped off the rings (by hand), I couldn't see how they'd fit back in.

It turns out the rings were mounted upside down; the single point "tab" should be at the bottom, while the dual point tab is at the top, and evidently fits over the top adjusting screw. The drain hole was actually at the top; I stupidly thought it was missing a rivet or something.

Does anyone know where I can get the "removal tool" shown in the picture?

Thanks.
Tom

 

[TR3driver]

Does anyone know where I can get the "removal tool" shown in the picture?

TRF sells them, Moss probably does too. I used one for a long time that was made from an old hacksaw blade with the teeth ground off.

Newer ones may work better, but on my TR3A I always had to turn the tool around and use it to push on the single tab to snap them back together. Otherwise the tab would just bend instead of going into the clips.

 

[TR3driver]

Apparently, early TR3A's had the screw type (split) headlamp ring, as my TS23677L had them.

Right, but on them the screw ran cross wise between halves of the trim ring. It didn't go into the bucket at all, instead the ring clamped onto tabs on the bucket.

 

[TR3driver]

I got curious, so I just looked through my collection of Practical Hints. Apparently they never documented the split rims, as the 2nd edition just says "after removing the securing screw".

Does anyone have a 1st edition of P/N 501528 (which I believe was titled "Triumph Sports Car Instruction Book" rather than "Practical Hints for the ...") ?