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TR2/3/3A TR3 Headlamp Rings

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DPStL

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I am sure the TR3 Headlamp Ring fittings made sense to some engineer at one point but I am completely dumbfounded and frustrated. There are several posts here in the forum but nothing really shows how they are supposed to connect. I bought the Moss complete headlamp kit that came with the new lamp, both gaskets and the beauty rings. I have done everything I have read in the previous posts but I still can't seem to make the connections fit. Any pics or video on installing those rings would be super helpful.

Frustrated in the Lou,
David
 
Been there done that. OK first some questions. Did you get the ones with the screw hole on the bottom? If no hole you have latter year rings that fit all BMC's. So to start there should be a bump that marks top and center for ring. At the bottom of the can there is a offset clip that a screw goes into. If you do not have that then the ring relies on the on the lips around the can. With lights adjusted and new gasket it is a tight fit to pull the ring down to the bottom lip. If you do have the screw the hole is offset and screw will line up. My first time with this problem I had a TR 250 and replaced lamp ( no screw hole ) thinking I had it I drove out of the garage and heard a noise and than drove over my ring. ( **^* ) When I built my TR 6 ( 1973 ) I bought the early rings with screw hole. No problems since 1993 remove and replace a few times. I recommend early rings for just that reason. Moss may not carry both you should use early. Madflyer
 
Hey Mad, Thanks for the info. I got the later year with the clip at the bottom. I removed the clip that was at the bottom and replaced it with the one that came in the kit. It's riveted in and solid. I have the tools to finesse the bottom tab into the clip. What I am trying to understand is what does the top tab set into? Someone in another thread said it locks behind the tension screw at the top, but if I do that it's too loose. It also looks like at the top of the can, there is a lip that almost looks like it's intended for the top tab but I cant get it to seat there because of the main pot to body gasket. I have a pretty serious Triumph group here and there may be someone that can get me through this but it is absolutely the stupidest thing I have ever seen. Who in the **** thought this was a good idea.

Still frustrated in the Lou...
David
 
David I understand your frustration I purchased the Moss headlight bucket kit which came with the lower clip for the outer ring. The problem I had was with the new buckets I couldn't get the ring to fit at the top it wasn't until I went back to the original buckets with the new lower clip fitted that it came together, still a fiddle but at least they fit
P1010236.jpg
 
I went thru this too with parts that came in the heap when I bought the car. There are 3 kinds of trim rings and 2 different buckets and all the parts need to match. I finally riveted a screw tab to the bucket and used a stainless hex screw at the bottom of the rim.
Bob
 
Not sure about aftermarket stuff and the original stuff has to be just right. Perhaps if you loosen the whole body of the assembly at the gasket that will give you enough wiggle room to seat into the tab. I often put some house hold wax on stuff like that to help the pieces slid together. The top goes on first and the catches behind those tabs and pops in at the bottom with a stud into the U at the bottom. The ring will pop into place and you will know when it does. Some pictures would help, but it sounds like you see where the rim goes, but the body is too tight to the car. If your gaskets are too small in overall diameter, Moss is the only one that offers 2 types of gaskets. They changed around 1959.

steve
 
I had to do a bit of work to get the clip at the bottom of the rim to lock into the bucket clip. Careful filing made it possible to get them to engage. Checking it with no rubber gasket till it would engage.

David
 
I gave up & found a set of the split rims that were fitted to early 3As.
Set them on, tighten the set screw & Bob's your Uncle!! (The Brits say that; I have no idea
what it's supposed to mean)
F
 
Bob's your Uncle and Aunty's your Dawn!! It means everything is OK and Tickity Boo i'm semi British and have no idea where it comes from .

Graham
 
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