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Triumph TR3 - dismantling hooded type starter

Hi out there:
I have a problem with my starter(hooded type)in that I have to replace the rubber torque sleeve that replaces the convetional bendix spring.This thing is normally held in place by a threaded nut locked with a peg similar to a roll pin.Some were made with a nut(to quote the workshop manual)"secured by caulking the nut into the keyway provided in the shaft and therefore no peg is fitted.When reassembling it will be necessary to fit a new locating nut".This is the one I have.
Has anyone ever taken the nut off and if they did, where did they get a replacement and if they got one where in the world would you get caulking strong enough to replace a threaded nut with a retaining pin?
Chuck

Chuck-I am guessing that "caulk" means staking in Americanized English, in which case a chunk of the nut is driven into the key way to retain it. If you can reuse the nut, it might possible to drill the nut and shaft for a set screw or pin. You might try contacting Harold Rininger at: postmaster@haroldstrmgparts.com
He sells rebuilt hooded starters for $95 exchange and might have a source for the parts.
Berry

Chuck-On second thought, the easiest way to retain the nut might be loctite. The permanent stuff would offer the most peace of mind, be would require heat to dissassemble.
Berry

Hi Berry: I checked with Harold Rininger as you suggested and he advised that the caulked type nut does indeed unscrew but a new one is required in order to reassemble the unit.Unfortunately he says that the nut needed is no longer available and he knows no way of reusing the old one; and so the search begins.
Chuck

Chuck - I have an early 1958 TR3A with the older "bullet nose" starter. I have been looking at PLATE Z in the parts manual and don't see the part you are searching for.

I have a few spares, but don't know what it is you need.

A few years ago, I had the rubber piece in my starter fail and while I waited for a replacement to arrive by air (I ordered it the day after Sept 11th) and nothing was flying, so I welded the parts together and used that till the end of that season, replacing it during the winter with the new rubber sleeve device.

Don Elliott, Original Owner, 1958 TR3A - TS 27489 LO
Don Elliott

Don-In the red factory service manual on page 17 of the electrical section is drawing of the starter drive assembly. The locating nut is labeled "F". A touch of the mig welder would hold it in place.
Berry

My original starter (I believe) didn't have this nut. I has (I believe) a circlip or something similar. The one I keep for parts has the threaded nut and after examining it, I can tell that it has been "caulked" or "staked" at least once and maybe more than that.

Chuck, I would think that you could stake in the one you took out using a couple of good swift hits with a hammer on the end of a center punch. That would hold it, or as Berry suggests, if you have access to a Mig welder, a quick tack or two would do. Or take the rotating assembly to a weld shop and ask them to tack it for you.

Don Elliott, 1958 TR3A
Don Elliott

You might salvage the old nut by removing the staking with a die grinder, dremel, or drilling before trying to unscrew it.
Berry

Chuck - If, as you say, your nut has the pin, you don't need to "caulk" or "stake" the nut. Just pull out the pin, remove the nut, replace the rubber sleeve and re-use the same nut and re-insert the same pin. That will lock it. Really simple, now that I have all the info and can see over the snowbank.

Don Elliott
Don Elliott

Hi Don:unfortunatly the nut on my starter is not the threaded and pinned one it is the caulked one.Having contacted Harold Rininger I found out that it can be removed by clamping it in avise and unscrewing it.He is in the business of rebuilding these things and claims that he knows of no way of replacing and locking the old nut.To me the best suggestion so far is to tack-weld it back in place as long as the heat is not sufficient to damage the armature.
Chuck

Hi Guys:Further to the saga of the hooded starter.Upon checking further I find that the infamous caulked nut is free to turn on the shaft and has a bronze thrust washer behind it which is obviously there to allow it to spin,therefore unscrewing it is not an option nor is welding it in place because it would then be unable to spin.Driving it off appears to be the only way and a new one, if it could be found, would also have to be driven on.A new thrust washer would most likley also be required.
I think Harold confused this nut with the threaded and pinned one.
Chuck

Hi Guys: hopefully this is my last comment on this subject.This piece is not a caulked nut either.It is a steel disc backed by a bronze thrust washer and held on by a snap-ring I discovered on the shaft below the face of the disc.Removal isn't going to be easy.
Chuck

This thread was discussed between 01/12/2002 and 06/12/2002

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