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If you have the car up 3 feet, you should be able to put some heat to it and get it hot and soak it with your favorite penetrating oil then drive the pin in and out. But like 2 long suggested, be careful these cars are older and it sounds like the car has lived in a tropical climate and sometimes the rust is bonded too good to remove without doing damage. That being said, up here in Washington, I used just a small torch bottle and I used the map gas on the last ones I pulled out. I let them soak for few days and the put a new nut on the end so not to damage the castle nut and smacked them out with a 6 pound hammer. once they are out enough past the key you can turn them to help also.
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TR2/3/3A Replacing rear springs
- Thread starter Redoakboo
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CJD
Yoda
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There are several ways to lift the body. If you have an engine lift, that will work, with a strap around the rear, behind the frame. If you don’t have an engine lift, then set the frame on jack stands and use a jack under the rear apron to tilt it up. The rear of the body only weighs about 100lbs, plus whatever gas is in it...so if you have the stands up high (like 3 feet), you could even use the jack with a 2X4 board to extend the jack up to the rear body. It may be easier to lift under each sill, one at a time, and tilting the body to the side instead of forward.
Just something to mention...like Dan I have also attempted hammering the bolt out, but learned that if it is really stuck, hammering caused the bolt to mushroom. Once that happened I had to cut the end off at the frame and use a punch to finish hammering it. Pulling is definitely preferred, if at all possible.
Just something to mention...like Dan I have also attempted hammering the bolt out, but learned that if it is really stuck, hammering caused the bolt to mushroom. Once that happened I had to cut the end off at the frame and use a punch to finish hammering it. Pulling is definitely preferred, if at all possible.
TR3driver
Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
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You can also use a hybrid approach : Put some force on it with a puller, then hammer for a bit, preferably while still trying to turn the puller. The combination of shock and force will often work when either method alone won't.
With the body off or raised, you have another option, which is to just leave the pin stuck in the frame and R&R the spring. With everything else disconnected, the spring should just slide off the pin. Of course, it doesn't always work that way, you may have to cut it off. But you were going to replace the spring anyway, so it doesn't matter if you remove it in pieces. Heat the front eye with a torch until the rubber melts (and starts to burn), then remove the spring leaving the inner bushing (and the remains of the rubber) stuck on the pin. Then use an angle grinder or similar to grind through one side of the bushing, just short of touching the pin (ideally leaving a thin layer of bushing), and break it off with a hammer & cold chisel.
To answer an earlier question, the pin is not pressed (or threaded) into the frame at all. There is a tube welded to the frame, and the pin should just slide into (or out of) the tube. But it tends to rust into place, making it very hard to remove. Once you have it out, just clean the rust out of the tube and off the pin, give it a good coat of anti-seize (I prefer the copper-based variety) and push it back into place with your fingers. I went through that process perhaps 10 years before my previous 3A got wrecked, and after the wreck both pins just slid right out. I had actually planned to take some photos of the puller in action, but the pin slid out before I even got the nut snugged up.
If all else fails, it may become necessary to cut the entire tube out of the frame and weld in a new one. But thats a very advanced repair, tough to get just right, so be sure to try the easier methods first.
As John mentioned, soaking in your favorite penetrant may help too. I soaked mine for several weeks in PB Blaster (my favorite), reapplying every few days along with hammering to help it penetrate.
With the body off or raised, you have another option, which is to just leave the pin stuck in the frame and R&R the spring. With everything else disconnected, the spring should just slide off the pin. Of course, it doesn't always work that way, you may have to cut it off. But you were going to replace the spring anyway, so it doesn't matter if you remove it in pieces. Heat the front eye with a torch until the rubber melts (and starts to burn), then remove the spring leaving the inner bushing (and the remains of the rubber) stuck on the pin. Then use an angle grinder or similar to grind through one side of the bushing, just short of touching the pin (ideally leaving a thin layer of bushing), and break it off with a hammer & cold chisel.
To answer an earlier question, the pin is not pressed (or threaded) into the frame at all. There is a tube welded to the frame, and the pin should just slide into (or out of) the tube. But it tends to rust into place, making it very hard to remove. Once you have it out, just clean the rust out of the tube and off the pin, give it a good coat of anti-seize (I prefer the copper-based variety) and push it back into place with your fingers. I went through that process perhaps 10 years before my previous 3A got wrecked, and after the wreck both pins just slid right out. I had actually planned to take some photos of the puller in action, but the pin slid out before I even got the nut snugged up.
If all else fails, it may become necessary to cut the entire tube out of the frame and weld in a new one. But thats a very advanced repair, tough to get just right, so be sure to try the easier methods first.
As John mentioned, soaking in your favorite penetrant may help too. I soaked mine for several weeks in PB Blaster (my favorite), reapplying every few days along with hammering to help it penetrate.
CJD
Yoda
Offline
Yes, there are 20 bolts to remove, 4 hoses, 1 cable, and 2 wires. The steering will also have to be loosened.
Is there a schematic in the TR-Mtc Manual that shows which bolts. I can skip the hoses, cable, wires and the steering have been removed. When I tried to lift the body, the whole chassis and all came up. The floors have all been cut out, including the eight bolts into the frame. When I try the left side, I will go the threaded rod route so maybe I won't have to lift that side?
Dick
Dick
You have the 4 rear bumpers bolts because they tie the tub to the frame and there are 2 body bolts on each side in the back by the spare tire under the rear fender the 8 on each side of the out riggers. 4 in through the tub going into the frame 2 in front and 2 in back and then 2 on each side of the engine and 2 in the very front by the radiator. Perhaps try the other side with the spacers and 5/16 all thread to get an education after you soak for a week-- plus heat is always good if the gas tank is out. Like said you can leave them once you get the spring off.
Yes, planning the lift is important, as you need to know which bolts, hoses cables and wires are involved (John knows them all!). I wasn't even aware of the steering loosening issue. You also don't want to lift the rear of the body with anything in the front body binding, or you may affect the door gaps or mess up something in the middle section of the body. And with the body lifted, it is a chance to get the body mounting shims right, which is also a fiddly job as you have to match to what your car needs to sit flat and solid.
Dan
Dan
Hello Dick
Are the sills the only thing that holds the front and back together? You said the floor has been removed. Have you braced the body to retain the door gaps? The PO of my TR had managed to mess up the door gaps. It took a lot of work to them correct.
I lifted my body using a rig that bolted to the body at the bonnet hinge point, braced to a cross piece between the "B" posts.
David
Are the sills the only thing that holds the front and back together? You said the floor has been removed. Have you braced the body to retain the door gaps? The PO of my TR had managed to mess up the door gaps. It took a lot of work to them correct.
I lifted my body using a rig that bolted to the body at the bonnet hinge point, braced to a cross piece between the "B" posts.
David
CJD
Yoda
Offline
The bolts are not hard to find, as you say. You must be careful to check the rubber packings to ensure they go back where they belong. Also, the 4 bolts on the front suspension 45 degree braces have aluminum shims which will fall out as you lift the body. I would recommend removing the shims and rubber packs prior to lifting the body, so as to keep track of them for reinstallation.
After the bolts, the other gotcha’s are:
Brake line to the front check valve
Clutch hose to slave cylinder
Starter cable
Brake switch/alternator wires
Fuel hose at the left rear
Heater hoses to engine
Radiator braces to the body
It sounds like you have most of the other items removed already. The handbrake lever will slide, but you may want to cover it with tape to prevent scratching. If you are only lifting high enough to reach the spring bolts, that should cover it. If you need to lift higher for any reason, then these items will need attention:
Spring from the body to the handbrake cable
Distributor wire
Temperature gage capillary tube
Choke cable at front carb
Throttle linkage at the belcrank
Speedo cable
Tach cable
Like Dan says, lifting takes a good bit of planning, as you can cause yourself much grief if you forget a capillary tube or such and damage other parts.
John,
Everything you list, with the exception of the bolts, I have removed from the car. I tried to put an attachment on this reply, but don't see a listing for an attachment? I hope I only have to lift the right side?
If you will send me your email address, I'll send you some pic's.
Dick
Everything you list, with the exception of the bolts, I have removed from the car. I tried to put an attachment on this reply, but don't see a listing for an attachment? I hope I only have to lift the right side?
If you will send me your email address, I'll send you some pic's.
Dick
I am kinda shooting in the dark here because I do not know if you have a trunk floor or not or the other floors, but always be careful that the spare tire holder does not separate from the trunk floor when you lift things; put something under it. Plus I was incorrect about there being 8 bolts on each side on the outrigger there are 4. Anyways check out the old posts on this subject. If I remember correctly, Don E. only loosened the rear bolts and picked the tub up enough to just slide off the spring and left the pins in. Have you undone the U bolts and last shackle bolt first?
steve
steve
It will probably not be an issue, but I have had the spare tire holder start to come apart from the trunk when the trunk was rusting out when I lifted the tub up and moved it around. I basically put some/ like 4 short pan head machine screws with nuts and all was good; it was just too old cruddy to be welded by me.
steve
steve
Removed two bolts today and the body lifted right up, removed the leaf !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Think, in view of the fact I will only have to remove those same two bolts to remove the other leaf, on the other side, I won't even try to remove the Fulcrum bolt.
Thanks for all the help.
Dick
Thanks for all the help.
Dick