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TR2/3/3A What's a little thing that made a huge difference in your vehicle?

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Re the lighting....i used the hella headlights and fog lights from moss, along with led bulbs for the taillights....got them from another vendor, but i see moss carries them now. I dont think the alternator is necessary, but i thought it was a good upgrade.
 
I'm replying to my own post, as I gave some incorrect info regarding the size of the bearings mentioned above. I actually used bearing one size larger. What I did use were McMaster part numbers 5912K16 & 5912K17. One is for a 1/2" shaft--the passenger's side, and the other is a for a 5/8" shaft to accommodate the coupler I made for the throttle shafts, which are 3/8".

I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused anyone. Snowkilts has been informed by private message.
 
Hands down HVDA. Having that 5th gear to lower the revs on the highways is worth all the $$ and more.
 
So you cut the shaft to make removal a lot easier.

I have just replaced the plastic bushes. Pity I did not see this idea a few weeks ago as I may well have used it on my car.

David

martx-5 said:
I'm replying to my own post, as I gave some incorrect info regarding the size of the bearings mentioned above. I actually used bearing one size larger. What I did use were McMaster part numbers 5912K16 & 5912K17. One is for a 1/2" shaft--the passenger's side, and the other is a for a 5/8" shaft to accommodate the coupler I made for the throttle shafts, which are 3/8".

I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused anyone. Snowkilts has been informed by private message.
Click to expand...
 
DavidApp said:
So you cut the shaft to make removal a lot easier.
Click to expand...

No, the earlier cars (up to TS28920) were already two piece with a connector. I didn't have to cut anything. I just made a different connector to fit the bearings I got. I did all this while the engine was out, with the idea I would never have to replace them again. As it turns out, it's now easier to change in situ than the original.
 
I am going to add a weird one. My first TR3 used to bottom out in the rear a lot so the second TR3 got adjustable tube shocks in the rear. They work great for the rear ride, but did bring in another problem to the car which I have not fixed yet. Around town, no problem, but when you get on a freeway the higher speeds make you notice a little wave in the rear end. So I need to tie the springs and differential to stop side to side movement and the issue will be fixed.

Jerry
 
martx-5 said:
I'm replying to my own post, as I gave some incorrect info regarding the size of the bearings mentioned above. I actually used bearing one size larger. What I did use were McMaster part numbers 5912K16 & 5912K17. One is for a 1/2" shaft--the passenger's side, and the other is a for a 5/8" shaft to accommodate the coupler I made for the throttle shafts, which are 3/8".

I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused anyone. Snowkilts has been informed by private message.
Click to expand...

I replied to your PM before looking at this. The factory setup for later cars like mine is a 1/2" bushing, so the 1/2" bearing I bought should work fine I think. I got the 5912K15, which is for a 1/2" shaft like the 5912K16 you used, just a little smaller overall. I can't imagine this being any kind of a heavy load situation so I would think either bearing would work just fine and be a vast improvement over that little plastic doodad that's in there now.
 
Snowkilts said:
...Anything (lighting) I can upgrade without the alternator?
Click to expand...

A great thing about LEDs is they draw much less current (e.g. my TR4 headlamps draw about the same current as stock brake lamps). So if you are retaining a generator (out of sentiment, purist attitude or laziness) the LEDs may be a good choice.
 
OK, on the theme of small things with the biggest impact I would have to say new motor mounts. Totally unexpected but the reduction in NVH was unbelievable. Like a new car.

I've done a lot to the car over 18 years (some of which had a bigger impact)but this takes the cake for return on investment.

Bob
 
NutmegCT said:
I'd think that just replacing hoses shouldn't cause brakes to firm up - unless there was something else going on (leak, air in lines, rubber degradation allow "swelling" of a line under pressure, caliper pin(s) sticking, etc.).
Click to expand...
The stock hose construction does swell slightly under pressure, even when new. Think about what happens to a tire with only 40 psi or so, then multiply that by a factor of 30 (very roughly of course). Not much, but it doesn't take much.

The "SS" lines (which are actually teflon inside the SS braid) actually do swell a bit as well, but lots less than the reinforced rubber.
 
Hard for me to pick just one, there have been so many "Aha!" moments over the decades. But I'd have to say that rebuilding the steering box in my previous TR3A (around 1990 IIRC) still stands out for sheer "Why the heck didn't I do this sooner!?"
 
OK...I thought of just one. Balancing the engine and flywheel. My TR3 was factory balanced and the key chain rattled...along with almost everything else on the car...at highway speed. I had to keep my hand on the shifter in the highway so I wouldn't go deaf from it rattling over the wind noise. The TR2 is fully balanced. No more rattles. You can barely feel a vibration when you touch the shifter on the highway. In theory an inline engine can never be fully balanced, so I was pensive about how much difference balancing it would make. It's like night and day.
 
CJD said:
OK...I thought of just one. Balancing the engine and flywheel. My TR3 was factory balanced and the key chain rattled...along with almost everything else on the car...at highway speed. I had to keep my hand on the shifter in the highway so I wouldn't go deaf from it rattling over the wind noise. The TR2 is fully balanced. No more rattles. You can barely feel a vibration when you touch the shifter on the highway. In theory an inline engine can never be fully balanced, so I was pensive about how much difference balancing it would make. It's like night and day.
Click to expand...

How exactly did this work? Did you just have the flywheel and crank balanced separately, or was there more to it? Thinking about an engine rebuild in the next couple years and I want to do it right. (Although honestly it's running better than it ever has right now.)
 
Another thing that made a big difference for me was the addition of luggage racks. TR3/4 owners are fortunate that there are removable no-drill luggage racks available for these cars.

Just an affectation on cars that never leave town but I do quite a few long tours and take enough parts and tools that a rack for a suitcase is very useful.

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After having completed a complete body off restoration I found that I was a little too tall for my TR3. A sun-visor would not stay on my head over 35mph. When I eventually installed the top, I had to slide down in the seat and tilt my head sharply to either side and still caused a bump in the soft top.


Luckily I had foam instead of springs for seat support. I removed the bottom seat cover, cut off about 4" of foam, and reinstalled the seat bottom. The top of my head is now below the top of the windshield and below the top when installed. Seated in the TR3, my wife and I see eye to eye, but I know who is taller. This was, by far, the most cost effective provision I made to the car.


-although the 5-speed, curved fender mirrors, aux cooling fan, 4-way flashers, cruise control, third brake light, stow-able side curtains, luggage rack, and toy spare tire are all nice too.
 
Snowkilts said:
How exactly did this work? Did you just have the flywheel and crank balanced separately, or was there more to it? Thinking about an engine rebuild in the next couple years and I want to do it right. (Although honestly it's running better than it ever has right now.)
Click to expand...

First, I bought a high school science scale for cheap. I could then balance each piston/ringset, rod small ends, rod large ends/bolts/bearing sets to within 1/10th of a gram. (Factory balance is closer to within an ounce). I also take the time to balance all flywheel, clutch, and front extension bolts to the same weight.

Next, I found a reputable speed shop which would take the time to spin the crank and balance it alone...then add the front pulley/fan extension and balance the assembly...then add the flywheel and balance that assembly...and then add the clutch and balance that assembly. All spinning parts are marked to retain their balanced orientation. That should not matter, as each part is, in theory, balanced with itself, but keeping them in the same orientation ensures everything is spot on.

A cheaper balance job would assemble all the parts and spin them one time to balance. The advantage of my process is that if I have to replace a clutch or flywheel between engine rebuilds, the new parts can be balanced individually and the engine will still stay in balance. If the parts were only spun once, as a matched set, then changing any part unbalances the whole engine.

Until you’ve driven a balanced engine you absolutely cannot believe how smooth it makes an engine run.
 
I'll second that a well balanced engine is a great thing to have. When I rebuilt my engine, in 2001, I asked the machine shop to balance the engine and lighten the flywheel at the same time.

It was not cheap but not too much as an extra charge for the complete engine machining.

The shop I used was recommended by a TR3 racer who also said that many Morgan racers used the same shop.

The shop is: Precision Automotive of Simsbury Connecticut, https://www.thechromehorn.com/graphics/precisionauto/

Roger
 
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