TR2/3/3A TR3A control head question

[jharmon]

Hello,

I am new to this forum, this is my first post.

My question is regarding the control head on a TR3A and how it fits with respect to the steering wheel. I purchased a replacement control head from TRF, and installed it, but it stops short of where I think it should when I push it on. I have a gap of more than 1/4" between the back surface of the control head and the mating surface of the steering wheel and it bottoms out. Everything fit fine and works great but it doesn't seem right with this big space.

I know there should be a space there but was wondering what this gap measures on other TR3s - should it be as much as 1/4"?

Thanks a lot.
Jim

 

[TR3driver]

1/4" is too much, IMO. However, someone else wrote very recently on another forum about exactly the same problem, so it may be that the control head from TRF just isn't quite the same as the original.

Of course I assume you have checked that the "grub" screws are backed off, and that the plate is seating into the recess in the steering wheel.

Probably the best thing to do is return it to TRF and ask for one that is made right (or a refund). I have occasionally gotten defective items from them, but they have always replaced them promptly.

The other route is the same suggestion I made before : Can you disassemble both old and new heads, and make one good head with the new mechanism and plastic, but the old mounting plate? It's not trivial, but Dave wrote back that it worked for him.

PS, Welcome to the asylum!

 

[jharmon]

Thanks for the reply TR3driver.

I think I figured out the feature that determines this space. There is a sheet metal flange on the control head that mates up against some shoulder features molded on the inside of the steering wheel.

Given that, I can fire up the Bridgeport and mill those shoulders down to bring this in line. I don't have any TR3s or pictures to refer to for what this gap should be.

I see you have a TR3 - what is the space there? Is it really close? 1/8"?

Thanks again
Jim

 

[TR3driver]

It's less than 1/8", about 3/32.

Milling down the shoulders may not be a good idea, though. The grub screws have to pinch that plate/flange against the shoulders, to make the canceling mechanism work. If you move the surface of the shoulders, I suspect you'll also have to move the grub screws.

Here's a shot of mine at the moment. Obviously I need to install an interior ... RealSoonNow :laugh:

 

[jharmon]

Thanks a lot for the pic Randall.

Just to follow up - it turns out the control head I got from TRF was almost perfect dimensionally aside from one small deviation. The hang up was that the control head flange that rests against the shoulders inside the steering wheel hub was about 0.030" diameter too large. The original was 2.999" and the replica was 3.030" - or thereabouts. Just enough to prevent it from sitting all the way down.

A little patient filing and she sits down correctly. No big deal. Looks great now!

Jim