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TR2/3/3A TR3A Handbrake Help Needed

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Tinkerman

Tinkerman

Darth Vader
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I'm trying to get my handbrake back together. Got the parts needed through the kindness of Don Elliot, but I am having conceptual lock down. It is shown on plate S page 163 of the Stanparts catalog. My basic question is, item 13 bolts to which hole on item 14 and does item 14 bolt to the pivot bolt, item 19 through the large bolt hole on the upper left leg of item 14 as pictured on the plate?
Actually if any one has a clear picture of the assembled unit, it would probably clear the conceptual log jam I seem to be having.

Any how thanks for any light you can shed on this.

Tinkerman
 
It's been awhile since I was in there (long before I had a camera), but ISTR the ratchet (item 13) bolts to the rearmost hole of the bracket (item 14), and that the pivot bolt does go through the top hole. Then the two remaining holes get short bolts and a single lock plate, to fasten the bracket to the rest of the car.

The bolt that holds the ratchet to the bracket must be left slightly loose, as the ratchet has to pivot as the handle moves. The nyloc nut is what keeps it from coming undone. However, the pivot bolt for the handle has a spacer, so it should be pulled down tight.
 
Hopefully someone will be along with a photo. If not, I may be able to take one tomorrow. If it doesn't rain too hard, I'm going to put the TR3 up on stands and look for the clunk from the right rear when I apply the handbrake.
 
Will this help, if not I have more pictures
 

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Thanks Randall and Keith. I was able to print off the photo so guess what I will be doing today! The picture clears it up. It has been so long since I took all of this stuff apart I just couldn't remember and I was in a conceptual lock down. Randall, I will be curious as to what you find out about the clunking noise your going to check into this weekend.

Thanks to both of you, Tinkerman
 
Tinkerman said:
Randall, I will be curious as to what you find out about the clunking noise your going to check into this weekend.
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The vent tube from the fuel tank was out of place, and the RH brake cable was hitting it. The brake cable is also too long, and already adjusted as tight as it will go, so I'll order a new one from TRF. 'Stretching' is usually the first sign that they are failing.

Lubed all the zerks (except the handbrake compensator, which is missing one zerk and the other wouldn't take any grease), dosed the springs with PBB and changed the oil in the diff. Should be good to go, until that cable shows up. I'll deal with the compensator then. Oh yeah, the spring that holds the cable up is missing too, so I'll order one of those. I could rob the parts from the 3A, but they are original AFAIK and likely due to be replaced as well.
 
Thanks, all good things to be aware of. Your using PBB on the springs I assume you are talking about the rear springs? Shop I worked at many years ago used to use oil from the oil changes and we just brushed it on. Kind of messy but no one complained. Course back then LBC's were not the only leakers, so it was sorta expected.

Thanks for the info, glad it was nothing major.

Tinkerman
 
Used motor oil is the factory recommended lube for the rear springs. I'm only using PBB temporarily, because they have been totally dry for who knows how many decades; and I'm not willing to do the job right now. When the leaves get rusty and bind together, it makes the rear suspension even stiffer and gives that bone-jarring ride. On the 3A I disassembled and cleaned the springs, which definitely helped both ride and handling.

If I do get around to doing the spring R&R; I plan to try inserting teflon sheets between the leaves. Not sure if it will work, but it might.
 
Years ago, when teflon was much younger (and so were we), I talked some teflon engineers I met at a technical exhibition into sending me enough teflon in a roll (about 2" wide) to do just this. But I never got around to doing it. My original springs broke (they were worn very very thin) in 2000 and I hadn't oiled them in over 10 years. Then I replaced them with new springs in 2000, and just yesterday, I squirted a bit of teflon areosol lubricant into the leaves and wiped off the excess including the rusty powder that had resulted during the last 8 summers.

Randall - What steps would you take to insert the teflon ?
 
Don Elliott said:
Randall - What steps would you take to insert the teflon ?
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I was just going to disassemble the springs (remove the center bolt and bend back the tabs) and lay some sheets of hard Teflon in there. I found a roll of it at the local aerospace surplus house a few years back that looks like it might do. About 2" wide and maybe .050" thick. Much harder than the plumbing stuff, but I don't know if it's hard enough for what I intend to do with it. I wasn't going to take any special steps to hold it in place, hopefully friction will do.
 
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