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TR2/3/3A Looking for the improved TR3 steering box cover
- Thread starter prb51
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Don Elliott
Obi Wan
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Geo Hahn
Yoda
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I got mine from Herman Van den Akker but do not know if he still does them (I don't think they were ever shown on his website):
https://www.hvdaconversions.com/
Revington also has them...
https://www.revingtontr.com/shop/mainfram...uctID=RTR3075LK
https://www.hvdaconversions.com/
Revington also has them...
https://www.revingtontr.com/shop/mainfram...uctID=RTR3075LK
martx-5
Yoda
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Ken at British Frame and Engine also has them.
OP
prb51
Luke Skywalker
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The 'improved' top looks the same as the original from the top but the bolt that puts pressure on the steering arm head is spring loaded.
As the peg/worm wears it shows some slop in the center/straight position and the spring loaded unit keeps the peg in contact properly.
I've never used one but guys here attest to its effectiveness.
As the peg/worm wears it shows some slop in the center/straight position and the spring loaded unit keeps the peg in contact properly.
I've never used one but guys here attest to its effectiveness.
TR3driver
Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
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Well ... not everyone. IMO the concept is flawed, and one of my local friends 'fixed' his steering by removing the spring-loaded top cover & replacing it with a (properly adjusted) original one.prb51 said:
At the very least it increases steering effort.
Of course, that's just my opinion, and I'm likely in the minority (as usual) /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
jdubois
Jedi Warrior
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Re: Looking for the improved TR3 steering box cove
I also had bad luck with mine. I used it on a recently rebuilt box, and the spring provided too much pressure. Even with the screw adjusted all the way out, the steering wheel was extremely (unusably) hard to turn with the 'improved' cover on. I fiddled with it for a few days trying to make it work, but in the end I decided it wasn't really designed for use on a box without much wear in it, and so I gave up and went back to the original cover.
I also had bad luck with mine. I used it on a recently rebuilt box, and the spring provided too much pressure. Even with the screw adjusted all the way out, the steering wheel was extremely (unusably) hard to turn with the 'improved' cover on. I fiddled with it for a few days trying to make it work, but in the end I decided it wasn't really designed for use on a box without much wear in it, and so I gave up and went back to the original cover.
Tinkerman
Darth Vader
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In the "for what it's worth" department I bought mine from British Frame and Engine. It came with two springs and Ken told me to use the shorter, or weaker spring. Having said all that I have to tell you that I haven't installed it yet :-( Considering what I paid for it, it had better work!
Cheers, Tinkerman
Cheers, Tinkerman
Geo Hahn
Yoda
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Sounds like a YMMV situation.
I am very satisfied with mine. Not a cure for a box that really needs rebuilding but did help me. Perhaps it actually works better on a slightly worn cam.
My situation was that a correct adjustment at straight-ahead gave me what I thought was too tight an adjustment at full locks. Now I can adjust it so it feels good lock-to-lock... steering effort is just fine and the car doesn't want to wander.
I can't parallel park using just my little finger but it is not that grab-an-armload-of-wheel and tug either.
I am very satisfied with mine. Not a cure for a box that really needs rebuilding but did help me. Perhaps it actually works better on a slightly worn cam.
My situation was that a correct adjustment at straight-ahead gave me what I thought was too tight an adjustment at full locks. Now I can adjust it so it feels good lock-to-lock... steering effort is just fine and the car doesn't want to wander.
I can't parallel park using just my little finger but it is not that grab-an-armload-of-wheel and tug either.
OP
prb51
Luke Skywalker
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My real problem is the only TR3 I've driven is the one I own so I have no comparative anaylisis. Mine feels fine at speed, doesn't wander etc but is a hand full parking etc...kind of like pain, on a scale of 1 to 10...Some of this is the radials stronger adhesion but I don't know if mine is good, bad, indif as compared to the original.
I thought the box cover might assist in the slow speed moves.
I thought the box cover might assist in the slow speed moves.
TR3driver
Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
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Nope. Since the box normally runs with no pre-load on the peg, and the spring adds pre-load, then the spring has to add steering effort (high school physics, friction is proportional to normal force). It may not add very much (depending on how stiff the spring is and how far it's compressed), but it cannot ever make steering easier.
In theory, it can remove on-center play with a significantly worn worm. That's probably worthwhile, if your worm is worn enough to make on-center play a problem. But I've driven an old, worn-out box for so long that a bit of play at center just seems normal to me, and it's never been a problem otherwise as none of my TRs have tended to wander as long as the road surface was reasonable. (Once drove over 20 miles on the Beeline highway without touching the steering wheel.)
And since new worms are now available, I would think that would be a better alternative.
I probably couldn't parallel park with just my little finger (never tried that), but I could with one hand, even with wide, sticky, steel radials.
Of course, as Geo says, YMMV. NFI as well.
In theory, it can remove on-center play with a significantly worn worm. That's probably worthwhile, if your worm is worn enough to make on-center play a problem. But I've driven an old, worn-out box for so long that a bit of play at center just seems normal to me, and it's never been a problem otherwise as none of my TRs have tended to wander as long as the road surface was reasonable. (Once drove over 20 miles on the Beeline highway without touching the steering wheel.)
And since new worms are now available, I would think that would be a better alternative.
I probably couldn't parallel park with just my little finger (never tried that), but I could with one hand, even with wide, sticky, steel radials.
Of course, as Geo says, YMMV. NFI as well.
Don Elliott
Obi Wan
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Ken may have found another supplier but for a while he was marketing the ones made by Herman.
I bought one directly from Protek in UK back in 1992, but he now has a distributor in Roanoke, Va. He might want to talk you into buying their rack and pinion conversion. Mine looks lie this. When I got it, I measured it all and my neighbour who has a lathe made one for a friend from my sketches.
Don:- 58tr3a AT videotron DOT ca
I bought one directly from Protek in UK back in 1992, but he now has a distributor in Roanoke, Va. He might want to talk you into buying their rack and pinion conversion. Mine looks lie this. When I got it, I measured it all and my neighbour who has a lathe made one for a friend from my sketches.
Don:- 58tr3a AT videotron DOT ca
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Don Elliott
Obi Wan
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