Wedge TR8 repair mostly final tally

[PATR8]

I have been fighting the vibration in the front of my 8 since I found it on the way to the TRF show last month.

Here is a tally of what I did and what I mostly remember it costing

First repair... Woody's and the forum's suggestion... Wheel bearings ($32) Definately an improvement but not the total fix. Much easier to do than I thought. 1st side took me 4 hours, the second took me 30 minutes

Second repair... lower control arms. Woody's suggestion.. Cost nothing since I took them off the subframe of the 7 I had sitting around. Time was 4 hours figuring out the sway bar. I should have replaced the bushings but I was tired. I will do that in the very near future

Third repair was the power steering rack. One of the last thing remaining. Cost nothing since I replaced it with the manual rack off the 7 too. Time. Taking the power rack off means dropping just the sub frame which involved hanging the engine off my hoist. Taking the rack off was a bear.. putting the manual rack on was easy. I had to order new boots for the rack (Too make it worth while I went ahead and got a new radiator fan from Woody) and tie rod ends (Had them sitting around from a PO of the TR7 FHC). Time was 2 days (8 hours more or less). total cost minus the fas was probably in the $70 range. I still have to get it aligned so there will be an additional cost. The manual rack I really like so far, I will know for sure with my next long trip.

I have not had a chance to take it for a real shake down, I am doing a second check on the nuts and bolts to make sure every thing is tighten down well. Maybe tomorrow.

As for Woody's fan he is selling, not overly impressed so far. The stock twin fans with my aluminum radiator would run 1/4. The new fan runs 1/2 but allot more quiet. Hopefully the amps I save will help save the battery.

I will do a degreasing of the engine tonight, get all the PS fluid off everything since the PS pump blew last month and has been leaking for years.

I appreciate all the help and ideas and suggestions from everyone on here

 

[tr8todd]

Woody's electric fan will push more CFMs than the stock fans. The original fans are two stage. One turns on at around 180 and the other at around 195. One of the fan switches is in the intake and the other is in the radiator. Not sure which one switches at the lower temp. They both kick in at the same time if you engage the AC. Which ever switch you are using to activate the fans, might be the higher of the two. Just a thought that would explain the higher temp readings. I always use one of the adjustable switches that use a sensor mounted to the radiator, along with an in line fuse. You can set the fans to kick on at whatever temp you want just by twisting the screw. I've always had good luck with this set up.

 

[PATR8]

I had the local speed shop set mine two fan set up so they came on at low speed as soon as the car started and then both fired up at 180. The problem is even though I had upgraded my alternator to a GM, it struggled to keep up when the fans were running hard, but with the stock radiator, the temp guage never went above 1/2, even in D.C. in the summer stuck in traffic ( I did avoided that as much as possible since I have no A/C so I did most freeway driving after rush hour). With the alum radiator the twin fans it never went above 1/4. It seems with the new fan the car runs at 1/4 while driving and around 1/2 sitting. But what a HUGE difference with the alternator. It no long struggles to charge when the fan clicks on.

The manual rack is a huge pleasant suprise. I never realized how quick the manual rack was and who worn my old power steering rack was. I will start looking around and see who might be able to rebuild it and consider it this fall once I take the 8 off the road for the winter and start the winter projects on it.

 

[tr8todd]

I was never a fan of the power steering. That is why I have three of them on the shelf in the basement and the one core that Woody has also belongs to me. Which ratio rack did you use? One is around 3.9 and the other is around 4.7 turns lock to lock.

 

[PATR8]

The one I put in was a 3.9. But as quick as ratio is it still turns lightly.

 

[vagt6]

I know this suggestion is simple/stupid, but I've seen out of balance wheels/tires cause pretty bad vibrations.

Have you had your tires and wheels professionally spin balanced? If not, it's cheap and easy to take them down to the local tire store.

Had the vibration problem once on a Spitfire, could not figure it out. Turns out it was a front tire that was defective. After about $1000 worth of suspension work!

Simple/stupid = good sometimes.

 

[PATR8]

Actually that was the very first thing I did. The thing I should have noted was that the tires were out of balance (well three of them) and that improved the vibration a little, the wheel bearings were past their prime so that helped a little, the control arms appear fine but was the next logical step, the power steering rack was shot. My front suspension needed some serious attention and I am glad nothing just broke and left me hanging some where between PGH and D.C.

 

[PATR8]

Well I did a 30 mile shake down and almost broke down (well maybe I did have as minor break down but I was able to make it home so I call it almost).

I was within 3 miles of home when I heard a vicious rattle so I pulled over and the top mounting bolt of the alternator (Threads thru the mount) sheared off the nut and the bolt slide out of the front part of the mount. How or why I have no idea? I did not even touch it. The vibration then must have been bad enough that the wire vibrated out of the loop mounting it. I tapped the bolt back in and it sat just to the edge of the bracket and stayed there until I got home.

No leaking of the radiator... good

The new fan keeps it at 3/8, very low ac draw.. very good

Vibration was not detected..... excellent.

I am getting the car aligned on Saturday.

I love the feel of the manual steering.

Oh, last issue, my steering wheel is now 180 degrees off? Any ideas how to fix this?

 

[Brosky]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]Oh, last issue, my steering wheel is now 180 degrees off? Any ideas how to fix this?[/QUOTE]

Tell the alignment guy before he starts. It may be off more when he's done, then you can straighten it to the suspension.

 

[PATR8]

I am going to pull my Triumph manual out, it has to be a relatively easy fix.... I hope.. I want to drive this week end

 

[DNK]

Has to do with the tye rod ends. As Paul says, the alignment guy will fix it

 

[DougF]

Koeppen will fix it even if you forget to tell him. As you know, he's pretty good.

 

[DNK]

So, Maj. Scott, I have been contemplating my power steering rebuild and now you have me thinking the course you took. I have heard from others that the 7 rack is almost the same effort as the power assisted 8.Do the big 2 sell rebuilt racks. Are they plentiful on e-Bay and then of course I will have to rebuild it.
Actual time to redo?

 

[PATR8]

I am very very pleased with the manual rack i put on mine. It is a 3.9 version (which is a little quicker than the other one offered). It is easy to drive at slow and high speeds, eliminated the biggest drip I had coming from my car, and was very easy to install.

I would have dones it years ago instead of trying to fight my leaky rack.. Even parellel parking is not a chore. The hardest part was getting the power rack out.

I would bet the racks are easy to find if you were to look at the TR salavage dealers.

Actual time to complete it would have been under 5 hours if I had 5 hours continous to work on it. completely serious that getting the old rack out took 2 hours (I am kind of dense that way). I could scan and send you the tech manual pages covering it if you like

 

[DNK]

Would appreciate it.

 

[philman]

don, you can have the manual rack I pulled out of my '76 if you like (free). It needs rebuilding. maybe only the inner ball joints, maybe the pinion gear; not sure. not sure the ratio either, whatever came stock in a '76 model year. it's just sitting in my parts pile. not sure what shipping would be to the puget sound, but I probably won't be heading your way until october or so.

 

[DNK]

You going to the Portland show?

 

[DNK]

According to my TR7 book the only ratio was 3.875

My book must be wrong

 

[philman]

I don't think so. I usually end up working on holiday weekends. I think that I paid $30-40 to ship a steering rack from the midwest to oregon. but its always cheaper and easier if a club member is going up the I-5 corridor.

 

[PATR8]

I will scan the pages an evening this week and send them to you. Possible tonight after I get the kids to bed but more likely tomorrow