The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Determined that my Sprint will sit on rubber this weekend after nearly 3 months on axle stands, I pressed ahead with putting the engine back in ignoring all the new things I annoyingly keep spotting that need attention, because otherwise it will never happen. All went well until two, well three actually, things tried their best to thwart me, quite successfully!

Though I was careful to wire up the switches on the gearbox, the power to the reversing light has come adrift (must have knocked it putting the engine in), and I can't quite get my hand in there to get it back on, and I've tried for best part of 40 minutes and my arm looks like I've smeared it in tuna and gone cat hunting, might be able to get room if I drop the crossmember, is that a goer as an idea?

I was really careful to keep the ball bearing and spring from my old gearstick, and now I've lost them, done the mini rampage through the house but to no avail, any ideas for a replacement?

Stupid stupid stupid, forgot to put the oil in the gearbox before putting it in the car, what a place to put the fill hole, on the busiest side of the box.

Can't get the bloody exhaust on, 2+ hours of pushing, swearing, cups of rooibus and a large rubber mallet have got me nowhere other than an ache in my shoulder and a sore back. And don't get me even started on the rubber hangers, whoever designed them must be in Broadmoor if they are still around, because those hangers have to be the most insane invention ever.

My post has dissolved into random outpourings, it's been a long day.

Take a break, have a KitKat and approach the job tomorrow
Rubber hangers - you're not using new items from standard suppliers? If so, they're far too hard and need to go in the bin. There was a post some time ago about somewhere that does the proper squishiness, but I can't remember who/when/where.

Sympathy....been there and done that on most counts...in fact the exhaust I did only recently. The trick is to get the hangers on each box when they are not actually connected across the car and free to "wiggle". I got the n/s one on first as that connects to the front pipe. Be sure the joints all slide on nice and easy first. Then bend the hooks on all the tabs straight and with a bit of red rubber grease it is possible to push the "cotton reels" on with a pair of those large water pump pliers. Then join the boxes to the front pipe and each other. There SHOULD be enough give in the cotton reels to allow a successful join up.

The other way is to unbolt the hooks from the car, fit the cotton reels to the hooks and then the exhaust, then lift the exhaust up and refit the hooks to the car. This works IF you can get your hooks to unbolt and then its a bit of a faff the bolt them back up with the exhaust in the way and levering them in the wrong direction. Nevertheless I have managed it both ways...

Then its a good old fight wiggling the twin rear pipe over up and around the rear axle. It helps if the car is on a hoist. I doubt you will do it on axle stands without taking the rear suspension apart. Think I took the top tie bar right off on mine...

Of course BEFORE you do any of this sort the box reverse light switch wires ( and overdrive ones too) out. You can do this and fill the box a lot easier if you take the cross member off and lower the box which is a lot easier to do with the exhaust off and out of the way.

Jonners

Oh yes, it was definitely take a break time, and as I had been out there since 9:30 with nothing but an orange and an apple all day I'd had enough by 7pm and needed a beer shaped kitkat. Still, determination is good up to a point, even when I noticed that my prop centre carrier rubber is split!

The hangers I bought from the Stag specialist LD Parts as they specifically said they are the proper softer rubbers, and they do have some give and quite a bit of stretch. I'm wondering if it has more to do with the Rimmers exhaust parts being a D section rather than like the hooks on the car that exactly match the rubber cutout? I tried a few things, like soaking them in hot water, washing up liquid, but swearing seemed to have the best effect! I'm actually thinking of using a chisel to chop the inner tongue of the cutout bit out so that it matches the exhaust, I cannot think of any reason why not. Old school exhausts have always been the bane of my life, and something I avoid, best thing about a modern exhaust are the lovely flanges and flexible sections.

Thanks (yet again) Jonners for some sound advice, when I can move my shoulder again (old torn rotator cuff injury twinges), and it's a bit drier out there I'll drop the crossmember and try again, I'm glad you didn't say it all had to come out again!