The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

The Number One Club for owners of Triumph's range of small saloons from the 1960s and 1970s.
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 9:48 pm

All times are UTC




Post new topic  Reply to topic  [ 240 posts ]  Go to page Previous 112 13 14 15 16 Next
Author Message
PostPosted: Sat Aug 07, 2021 9:20 pm 
Offline
Future Club member hopefully!
Future Club member hopefully!

Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 7:55 pm
Posts: 436
Location: Maidstone
Socket arrived enabling me to remove the crank pulley and then the timing cover. Didn’t know quite what to expect but what I found didn’t look too bad. The slipper of the tensioner was out a fair bit and the straight run of chain was deffinately slack suggesting that it had stretched, but it wasn’t a disaster.

Image

Guides and slipper were a bit grooved.

Image

Image

I have been reliably informed that the tensioner / slipper and guides could be used again. I couldn’t make my mind up on that so for piece of mind I replaced everything for new. It’s debatable whether the quality of some new parts are as good as they could be but time will tell. Guides and gaskets came from Robsport. Quality jaguar tensioner from Alun, Payen crank pulley oil seal from eBay ....

Image

Image

Theres good advice on the forum ( as usual - thank you) and the manual has clear ( ish ) instruction so it all went together well. Took the opportunity to do a proper coolant flush, fresh oil and filter , and a session with the timing light and colourtune. I’m really happy with the results.

Image

The engine bay is so much quieter! Just a light clack from the tappets, the mechanical metallic noise has gone! Plus I now have piece of mind with the new chain and tensioner. :thumbsup:

I was so pleased I even did a bit of rustproofing on the front panel and cleaned the engine bay up a little :roll:

Image


Top
   
PostPosted: Sun Aug 08, 2021 10:50 am 
Offline
TDC Cheshire Area Organiser

Joined: Wed May 17, 2017 6:28 pm
Posts: 1405
Location: NANTWICH.
Looking good as usual Bish, don't forget that red bit of plastic :lol: :lol: (sorry) Everything looks nice and clean now :thumbsup:

Tony.

_________________
NOW A CLUB MEMBER 2017057 :bluewave:


Top
   
PostPosted: Sun Aug 08, 2021 5:57 pm 
Offline
TDC Oxfordshire Area Organiser

Joined: Sun Oct 08, 2006 4:32 pm
Posts: 470
Great result Bish. I had overlooked the crank pulley seal so that is worth replacing when I get round to replacing my chain etc. I'm glad the engine bay is quieter now.

MC

_________________
Matt Cotton

TDC Oxfordshire Area Organiser.
TDC/TSSC group meeting - 3rd Tuesday of the month
The Duke at Clifton - OX15 0PE

1980 1500HL - OPD
1976 Sprint - SWU


Top
   
PostPosted: Sun Aug 08, 2021 9:43 pm 
Offline
Future Club member hopefully!
Future Club member hopefully!

Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 7:55 pm
Posts: 436
Location: Maidstone
Thank you both. Just had an evening spin out in the sticks of Kent. Very nice too. Beautiful evening light, with the sun just dipping down. The car is in rude health. I am chuffed. 8)


Top
   
PostPosted: Sat Sep 11, 2021 10:11 pm 
Offline
Future Club member hopefully!
Future Club member hopefully!

Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 7:55 pm
Posts: 436
Location: Maidstone
I sold the Momo Prototipo because as lovely as it was, I didn’t think it suited the car. I found a second hand Mountney on eBay in nice condition for a tenth of the price of the Momo. Yes, I am tight! :D
But I also reckon the Mountney suits the car so much better. Proper period, and feels great.

Image

I’ve also reluctantly decided to raise the cars suspension a little more. I’m still catching the subframe far too often for my liking. This time around though I’ll attempt to get the camber and tracking right. At the moment I have negative camber and toe out which makes for heavy steering. I’m sure it could be much better anyway.


Top
   
PostPosted: Tue Sep 14, 2021 7:41 pm 
Offline
Future Club member hopefully!
Future Club member hopefully!

Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 7:55 pm
Posts: 436
Location: Maidstone
Ok, so it’s a bit crude but it proves the point that there’s too much negative camber. 3 degrees too much according to my cheapo gauge. I’ll add a couple of shims at the top of the subframe this weekend when I take the suspension apart to raise the car - again. :roll:

Image


Top
   
PostPosted: Tue Sep 14, 2021 7:58 pm 
Offline
TDC Member

Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2016 9:53 pm
Posts: 1699
Location: Harrow Middlesex
Hi Bish

How and where are you going to get the shims ?

Dave


Top
   
PostPosted: Tue Sep 14, 2021 11:07 pm 
Offline
TDC Shropshire Area Organiser

Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2011 5:12 pm
Posts: 7014
Location: Highley, Shropshire
I have some of the big shims, but none of the small ones for the front stiffener bracket on the upper wishbone bolt. you need both or the L bracket will be stressed and eventually snap. Not too hard to make out of 1.5 or 2mm steel though.

I'd try 1 each side extra to start, I know it's a faff to do but a little shim makes a big difference at the wheel.

Steve

_________________
'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, Now with RWD and Carledo powertrain!

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.


Top
   
PostPosted: Wed Sep 15, 2021 6:15 pm 
Offline
Future Club member hopefully!
Future Club member hopefully!

Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 7:55 pm
Posts: 436
Location: Maidstone
Quote:
Hi Bish

How and where are you going to get the shims ?

Dave
I’ve got some of the large ones in stock Dave. They came with a job lot of bits I bought. I’ve spares, if you need a couple?


Top
   
PostPosted: Wed Sep 15, 2021 6:18 pm 
Offline
Future Club member hopefully!
Future Club member hopefully!

Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 7:55 pm
Posts: 436
Location: Maidstone
Quote:
I have some of the big shims, but none of the small ones for the front stiffener bracket on the upper wishbone bolt. you need both or the L bracket will be stressed and eventually snap. Not too hard to make out of 1.5 or 2mm steel though.

I'd try 1 each side extra to start, I know it's a faff to do but a little shim makes a big difference at the wheel.

Steve
Thanks Steve. I have the large ones and will make something up for the upper wishbone bolt. Thanks for the tip, I will try the one shim to start. I guess raising the car will help a bit too, so may not need two shims.

I’ll have a go and report back.


Top
   
PostPosted: Sun Oct 03, 2021 9:14 pm 
Offline
Future Club member hopefully!
Future Club member hopefully!

Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 7:55 pm
Posts: 436
Location: Maidstone
Operation uplift started today amidst a bit of a hangover, so not much got done, but I did get the rear trailing arms off.

Image

Image

They’re a bit crusty, but in good nick. No cracks that I can easily see, not misshapen, will go again with a lick of paint and new bushes.

Looks like the top spring platform thingy was mounted wrongly though? They were sloping into the centre of the car, and should be sloping to the front of the car? I’m sure I’ll work it out, but as usual past work that has been done looks to be pretty poor. I’ll strip the springs off the shocks and remount everything the right way.

The bushes appear to be past their best...

Image

The bushes came out easily using the drill them out with a wood bit method.

The idea is to lift the suspension an inch, or 25 mm, dependant on your vintage / location. Whilst I’m at it I will sort the camber and tracking on the front end resulting in a better driving car I’m sure. I’ve been a bit reluctant to do this because I’ve always had lowered cars, sometimes ridiculously lowered cars, and it’s always been a case of form over function, looks are everything. But that’s changed, this is about getting the best driving car I can. Plus, lowering for lowering sake doesn’t look good to my eyes anymore. Times have changed... :D


Top
   
PostPosted: Sun Oct 24, 2021 9:06 pm 
Offline
Future Club member hopefully!
Future Club member hopefully!

Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 7:55 pm
Posts: 436
Location: Maidstone
I’ve been faffing with the suspension parts for a while now.

I gave the trailing arms etc a clean up n a lick of paint. Then fitted some lovely NOS bushes courtesy of the magnificent Tony Mig Welder - thank you Sir :thumbsup:

Getting the bushes in was a bit of a ball ache. I made a puller up out of old bits n bobs, and the trusty vice came in handy as usual. I did have to soak the bushes in hot water for half an hour or so to get them soft enough to actually want to budge into the holes.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

So I then attacked the front end which went without much fuss. Dropped the car down off the axle stands and shock horror!!




Image

Whoops. Not quite the ride height and gap between front tyre and wheel arch that I had in mind! ](*,)

Took the car for a spin to see if it would settle a bit. It drove like an inflatable shopping trolley :lol: no need to worry about negative camber anymore as it had turned to positive ! :shock:

It seems I had forgotten that a 25mm adjustment of the shocks doesn’t equate to 25mm of ride height adjustment! It’s more like x 1.2 on the rears and x 2 on the fronts. Whoops.

Back to the drawing board today. Better results to come……..


Top
   
PostPosted: Mon Oct 25, 2021 3:40 pm 
Offline
Future Club member hopefully!
Future Club member hopefully!

Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 7:55 pm
Posts: 436
Location: Maidstone
Better, but maybe too much rake? The photo makes it look worse than it is tbh with the sunlight reflecting under the rear end on the wet drive.

Image

Image

Image

Image

I’ll run it for a while and let it settle a bit. Camber is now at 1.5 degrees negative so still needs a shim.


Top
   
PostPosted: Sat Oct 30, 2021 5:26 pm 
Offline
Future Club member hopefully!
Future Club member hopefully!

Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 7:55 pm
Posts: 436
Location: Maidstone
A final tweak has finally cracked it. I’ve raised the front another 10mm.

Image

Image

The car drives so much better, it’s actually surprisingly good! I’ve got the fronts adjusted about 20 clicks+, halfwayish in terms of adjustment, and the rears 15 clicks +. The car still handles well, but is more comfortable by far. I now have the tracking spot on, and camber at 1 degree negative so can live with that. The steering feels lighter and more direct too.

Happy days indeed.


Top
   
PostPosted: Sun Oct 31, 2021 11:12 am 
Offline
TDC Cheshire Area Organiser

Joined: Wed May 17, 2017 6:28 pm
Posts: 1405
Location: NANTWICH.
Well done Bish, it's been up and down like a brides nighty :lol: :lol:

Tony.

_________________
NOW A CLUB MEMBER 2017057 :bluewave:


Top
   
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic  Reply to topic  [ 240 posts ]  Go to page Previous 112 13 14 15 16 Next

All times are UTC


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 37 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Limited