Most trouble had in a LBC

[mctriumph]

A recent thread on fuel issues put me to mind of my WORST experience in all my years of driving.
My 1960 Tr3a had always had fuel issues. These were finally tracked down to a restriction at the tank done
by the last owner. However within a few months I began having intermittent starvation episodes. These would
happen with no rime or reason, and with no warning , the car would cut out and come to a stop. It would then
happily fire up and run as though you had only dreamt the event.
For the next several years I installed different pumps, hoses, filters all to no avail. Finally I just got used to the
problem and the odd stoppages continued for more years.
One night in a driving rain, I was giving a friend a ride home when it happened. He was horrified and thought
we were stranded."Dont worry" I said " she will fire right up after we stop" He was amazed when it did and said
" well there is something in the tank".
Back at his place, he fetched up a set of magic fingers and , in a flash , reached in and extracted a big old leaf
from a tree.
The leaf was very supple and was clearly from a tree some neighbors owned 15 years prior. darn their 4 year old.
Mad dog

 

[bobhustead]

Driving my first TR3 in 1969 or so. Bearings on LF wheel burned out and inner races seized on the spindle. Got the hub off (don't recall how) and got the outer races out. Happened a block from Howard Ayres Triumph dealership in Miami. Walked over and bought a new spindle and bearings and was good to go. Worst, though, was shearing the tabs holding the lower control arm mount right off the frame. Cleaned the scraps off the mount and frame and made some new stuff out of angle and plate. Got it back pretty close with a tape measure and welded it back in. Worked pretty well, except when the suspension moved up and down at speed there was a slight feeling of lateral circular motion of the chassis. clearly a radius discrepancy between left and right lower control arms. Not a big problem and I drove it for a couple years.
Bob

 

[mctriumph]

Bob, I too had a rough one in the summer of 69. Not the fault of my Tr3a, all mine. I had installed a "good used"
differential and neglected, in my haste, to top it off.
Heading south for a weekend of fun with two girls I knew, the car was going great. At around 85 MPH the pinion bearings
seized and melted off the crown wheel. We were stranded big time.
The rest is a nightmare, 100deg heat ,dragging a broken tr3 the last 30 miles when the wheel of the "tow truck" fell off.
This "road" had sunflowers growing in the cracks. The truck had no jack the lug nuts were gone. Nobody happened
along for close to an hour. Giving us plenty of time to track down the lost wheel that had rolled out into a wheat field.
Little did I suspect, things would get worse!!!
Mad dog

 

[mikephillips]

Sometimes the universe is just saying you shoulda stayed in bed....

 

[bobhustead]

I too burned out an upper pinion bearing on a Toyota mini-truck going across the glades to Flamingo. Was able to drive it for a while, but on trailing throttle the ring gear pulled the pinion backwards, engaging the opening in the carrier, thus locking the rear wheels. Finally had to get a U-Haul front wheel dolly and tow it back with another truck.
Bob

 

[mctriumph]

There is little doubt that if I had stayed in bed that morning., my day would have been a lot better.
As I said things got worse and worse yet, as the weekend devolved into crap.
Yes the crown gear failed when I down shifted onto a ramp. By that time smoke was pouring out
of what was left of the diff. The stench was terrible .Good thing I had TWO girls to push it !!
Mad dog

 

[jfarris]

My TR6 had some loose sealant or lining that would occasionally block the output.
It was frustrating for months until someone said pull the tank and get it boiled and sealed. Problem gone.