TR4/4A TR4 front suspension question

[SCguy]

I've been rebuilding my front suspension on my 62 TR4. I've noticed that the front end seems to have been put back together without what the Hayes manual calls, "lock plates" (part number 8). Moss calls this part a "tab washer" So is this alright? I don't have these pieces.

 

[Geo Hahn]

I think you already suspect the answer. They're there for a reason. I suppose someone could have assembled them using Loctite but I don't know how you'd know now. If you have it disassembled I would certainly use the locking tabs or at least Loctite if you're confident you can get everything clean enough for it to work properly.

 

[SCguy]

OK... I think I get it... the tab hold the head of the bolt preventing turning. The person who started my rebuild had used locking nuts on the other side. Safe??? Safer???

 

[Carlos]

If in doubt, drill the heads and use safety wire. You could also use safety wire washers, if you'd rather not drill.

 

[Banjo]

IMHO the lock tabs are cheap insurance, but I don't see why locking bolts or loc-tite woulden't work just as well

 

[Alan_Myers]

I used the locking tabs, Locktite and nylock nuts. I wouldn't want those coming loose. They hold the brake calipers. Locking tabs are widely available and cheap.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

 

[TR4nut]

Larry-

Don't know how accurate you are trying to be, but all four bolts do not have a nyloc nut on them. One bolt, I think #23 on that picture of yours, just screws in flush with no extra length for a nut - hence at least for that one the extra safety of the locktab. I'm putting the last side of my TR4 back together in the next couple of days, if you need bolt sizes/lengths etc just let me know.

Randy

 

[Simon TR4a]

They are too close to a major source of heat, the brakes, so using nyloc nuts is definitely out because the nylon melts and you lose the locking function.
If you use Loctite use the high temp stuff, but I would go back to the locking tabs.
The tabs are cheap, and can only be used once, so as a disposable item they are fairly readily available.
Simon.

 

[martx-5]

Every TR front end I've taken apart from TR3s to TR6s have had the locking plates AND the nyloc nuts. As a matter of fact, I just took off a set of caliper brackets from a parts car TR6 yesterday to use on my TR3 so I can fit the 4-piston Toyota calipers. They had the nylocs on there in addition to the locking plates. In the case of the TR3s, two nylocs, and the others three. I'm sure that they are OE, and I doubt they will ever get hot enough to melt the nylon. If they do you must be doing some serious racing. Most nylon melts at over 430 deg. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif