The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Going to put the alloys back on once I've sorted them out so didn't see the point spending lots of time making the steels look like new when they arnt going to be on the that long.

Recently I have just been doing little bits to car and also getting it ready for its mot next month. I have got a few pics that I will upload at some point. So the bits I've been fiddling with are taking apart and cleaning the door locks and they were getting stiff and while the door cards were off I lubricated the window winders. I had a smell of petrol in the car so I removed the in tank fuel pump and re sealed it. Fitted a new number plate light as the insides were too rusty to save. Fitted new brake discs and ebc green pads. It stops alot quicker now and I adjusted the rear brakes.

Finally got round to uploading pics.

As the mot is coming up I thought I'd sort out the saggy rear end! Treated dolly to some new shocks and lowered springs. When I got the old units off I was able to spin and move the springs on the shocks! That would explain the rattling noise then! Didn't even need to use spring compressors to remove the top mounting plate. It sits at a better hight now and doesn't ground out also the handling has improved by miles and I've lost a vibration I had at over 50mph. It's a nice smooth drive now. Sorry about the quality of the pics was doing it outside. The ride hight has dropped a tiny bit now it's done a few miles and settled in.

Today dolly had its mot. It passed with only a couple of advisories. Super and lower front ball joints have slight play. If they were greaseable then they wouldn't have any play in them. Might be fitting grease nipples to some new ones if they don't come with any.

If you can find any, some original upper balljoints came with grease nipples. these are the much prized repairable ones which I believe the club (or possibly Alun) has rebuild kits for. So they are effectively "everlasting".
As far as I am aware, NO lower balljoints came greaseable, however I have been tempted lately to experiment with installing a grease point in one of the several used ones I have in stock - how hard can it be? If this works then I have a number of NOS lower balljoints that could benefit from the same treatment before I market them.

Steve

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'73 2 door Toledo with Vauxhall Carlton 2.0 8v engine (The Carledo)
'78 Sprint Auto with Vauxhall Omega 2.2 16v engine (The Dolomega)
'72 Triumph 1500FWD in Slate Grey

Maverick Triumph, Servicing, Repairs, Electrical, Recomissioning, MOT prep, Trackerjack brake fitting service.
Apprentice served Triumph Specialist for 50 years. PM for more info or quotes.

I thought some of the early stuff (1300, TC etc) had greasable lowers? I might be wrong. I think I have a spare (in need of a rebuild) top laying around somewhere if anyone wants it.

Steve

So the old girl did well this weekend. Made it to Wales and back! The only thing that went wrong was the knob fell off my window winder handle! Went to get some bits off Richard who's doing a fantastic job on his restoration. A bit of woe and a lot of happiness.

You don't want your knob falling off! They do appear to wear out a bit with age though.

It's never good when they fall off.lol. the e clip wore through the stub and fell off. Just going to swap it with a rear one for now.

Nothing worse than your knob falling off and leaving you with just a stub.

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Karl-less

1500 MG Midget
Absence of a Dolly or Tolly at the moment.

Latest update is I've repaired both rear wings. They still need finishing off properly but they are both solid with no holes and roughly the colour of the car. I've also ordered a set of 4 ball joints for the front suspension as they car is wondering a little now! I apologise if the pics come out in the wrong order coz there are a few!

Some more pics

Some more

Got a little more done to the dolomite over the weekend. My new ball joints arrived so I fitted them. Then I realised the front wheels aren't facing the same direction. As I couldn't get the car on the ramp I roughly adjusted the tracking with a tape measure and it already handles better. As soon as I can get it on the ramp I will do the tracking properly.