Hello - This is my first post.

[lbcs_r_fun]

My husband and I are helping our son to rebuild a Triumph sports car. He inherited the car, a TR3A, from his late grandfather a man who was a very enthusiastic TR guy. The car in question does run, but our first challenge is to make it safe. We plan to replace the tires and brakes first. We can do the routine work because we are both in the auto maintenance business. We know that the rear wheel cylinders are shot and maybe the calipers - they all leak. The brake and clutch master cylinders both leak a little also, but if you pump the brake a bit it firms up.

So, to get started, does anyone have a recommendation for wheel and master cylinders? We want to convert to silicone fluid when we replace these.

Thanks,

Tiny

 

[hondo402000]

welcome to the Family, I have a TR6 so maybe not much help on a TR3A but ones with 3A will chim in, but there are several parts suppliers that support the forum and you can order parts on line, and converting to silicone brake fluid will get lots of differnt reply, I stick with Castrol brake fluid and have had no trouble with rubber parts degrading.

have fun

Hondo

 

[Mickey Richaud]

Welcome, Tiny - this is the place for all you need to know about TR's, as well as just good camaraderie and discussion about all things British.

We have several TR3/4-philes who will jump in here with recommendations momentarily.


Mickey

 

[Mickey Richaud]

Oh, and just to stir up the pot a bit more, I'm with Hondo on sticking with Castrol. :wink:

Mickey

 

[Twosheds]

I bet Mickey likes to hit a bee's nest with a stick and run away!

 

[Mickey Richaud]

I bet Mickey likes to hit a bee's nest with a stick and run away!

:thumbsup:

 

[Darrell_Walker]

Welcome!

Well, I'll stick up for the silicone fluid.

Replacement cylinders are available, but the originals are probably rebuildable. Even if the bores on the masters are trashed, they can be sleeved.

-Darrell

 

[hondo402000]

yep and throw firecrackers down yellow jacket holes!!!!

Hondo

 

[TR3driver]

Even if the bores on the masters are trashed, they can be sleeved.

However, replacement cylinders are probably cheaper (for a 3A).

Hopefully I won't get in trouble with Mickey and/or Basil for saying this : my favorite vendor is The Roadster Factory, in large part because the owner Charles Runyan owns and drives a TR3A (in addition to several other Triumphs in his personal stable). In fact he drove it from PA to CA and back (some 6000 miles roudn trip) to attend Triumphest/VTR 2008. Charles is also something of a stickler for originality, he seems to go the extra mile to find the best reproductions while others sometimes sell less accurate (but cheaper) parts.

However, ordering from TRF can be frustrating, as they do not publish a full catalog of all the parts they carry for the sidescreen TRs. Instead, you'll need to get a copy of the factory Spare Parts Catalogue , learn to read it, and use the factory numbers to order from TRF. Moss & VB do make ordering much easier.

I'm also a big fan of DOT 5 silicone brake fluid. Been running it for many years in my TR3A, and now in the TR3. It's not perfect, but it does seem to make things last much longer (including the fluid itself which does not need to be changed every few years), and it will never, ever do this:

 

[TR3driver]

PS, welcome to the asylum!

 

[Mickey Richaud]

No trouble here, Randall - when I restored the TR3 I had a while back, The Roadster Factory was my primary source. Good guys all, and their passion clearly has been the early TR's.

 

[TexasKnucklehead]

Welcome to the party.
If you want to start by making it safe, perhaps you should start another car? -Seriously, get those leaks fixed. You do realize the TR3 has a single fluid reservoir for brake and clutch -and the brakes do not have separate rear and front circuits.

I love the responsiveness of TRF, not to mention their almost complete parts availability.

I'm switching to silicon in the TR3 and have already done so in my TR6. But, be careful, all seals are not DOT 5 compatible. You might want to consider changing all the brake lines, after 50 years, it may be time.

Where's the pictures?

 

[TR3driver]

You do realize the TR3 has a single fluid reservoir for brake and clutch

That's true, but it is internally divided, so that losing clutch fluid does not disable the brakes.

 

[SkinnedKnuckles]

Yep - welcome, Tiny. I have a 6, so won't be much help. But, I'd not bother rebuilding wheel cylinders unless you like doing it every year or so, and I back silicone fluid. And follow Randall's advice - he's somewhat the sage of wisdom here.

 

[Geo Hahn]

Welcome. Your son is very fortunate to have a TR3A -- moreso that it has such a great family history and still moreso that he has parents who take an active part in the project.

Lots of good advice here from them that know. Hopefully the calipers are rebuildable (very likely), you'll know when you get them off & the pistons out.

I agree that the rear cylinders are cheap enough to make rebuilding impractical. If you do rebuild them note what diameter they are before ordering the kit as it was common thru the years to replace originals with a different size due to parts availability. Okay so long as you get the same size on both rear wheels.

While refreshing the brakes consider the steel braided brake hoses. I wasn't really thinking that way the last time I replaced the hoses but The Roadster Factory was out of rubber hoses and offered me a set of the braided at the (sale) price of rubber. That's the kind of outfit they are. Albert asked me if that substition would be okay -- well yeah I suppose so! Anyway, I think I do get a firmer pedal with the braided hose.

I have used silicone fluid for more than a decade and would not consider anything else (my $.02).

While you're doing the things to make it safe & road worthy this might be the time to replace that short bit of fuel line that goes from the gas tank to the hard line. Easy to do if the tank is drained but can be a real pain if you have to do it urgently with a full tank and leaky line. Use the extra good fuel injection rated hose there and you will be good for a long time to come.

Best of luck. Post pictures when & if you can as we all enjoy seeing another TR.

 

[booley]

Welcome!

 

[justin_mercier]

Welcome aboard, this place has been great! I've got a TR6 in 100000 pieces, and a TR7. I'm doing a complete frame up restoration on the TR6.

 

[SkinnedKnuckles]

And follow Randall's advice - he's somewhat the sage of wisdom here.

I'll stand behind that statement, BUT I in no way want to discount others. I thought about that after the post... There is a wealth of info here from alot that will benefit you, which is what a forum is about -eh?

 

[lbcs_r_fun]

Thanks for all of the great suggestions. This is going to be fun!
T

 

[Member 10617]

Welcome to the Forum. You will get a lot of good help and advice here. There are some fellows on this Forum who know just about everything that can be known about TRs. And, as they say in Maine, If they don't have it, you don't need it."


I, too, have a TR3A, and when I bought it I set out -- like you -- immediately to make it safe (as safe as these cars can be) and reliable (as reliable as these cars can be).

Actually, I think they are safer and more reliable than their reputation would lead you to think.

Any way, I turned the car over to a shop and they put it in basic, safe, reliable working order for me. I am not a mechanic.

Since then, I have done a lot of work on the car and have depended on the Forum, the Roadster Factory, Moss, and Mark Macy's Garage for advice and guidance, to name a few. The technical people at TRF and Moss will answer many of your questions for you, as well as sell you parts. Mark Macy is very generous with his time and knowledge, and he can fabricate rare parts for the TR3s.

Have fun with that car.