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Triumph TR3 - Steering Adjustment Solutions

Further Adventures from Under the Hood...

I've examined my steering box and concluded my peg and worm are indeed worn. When the adjuster screw is set for reasonable play and effort at the straight ahead tracking position, it tightens up as the wheel is turned in either direction. When the outer range of left and right turning are properly adjusted, the center is full of slop.

In earlier postings, Don Elliott provided a reference for a spring-loaded steering peg adjuster made by Protek Engineering, and I've seen a listing for the one offered through Revington of England. Are these actually the same unit? Can anyone vouch for the Revington unit? I've not yet telephoned either company in England, but does anyone know the contact name and number of a rep in the States?

The rest of the steering linkage appears to be behaving, but I can see the bushes are well aged. I've resolved to put off monkeying with these until next year. As Don said earlier regarding my minor floor pan issue, get out and drive. Spring weather has GOT to be just around the corner. Right, Mike?

Thanks all,

Bill Stagg
1961 TR3A
Bill Stagg

Hey Bill; I ordered spring loaded plate from Revington and tryed it. I don't know if there the worm was just to worn or what but it didn't work real well. I ended up install rack and pinion, that did the trick. You might want to try the spring loaded plate it may help.

Good Luck

Russ
Russ Austin

I've known Neil Revington for 15 years. He is very modest but very technical. He runs a super shop and supply place. When I visited him in 1998, I had to wait to see him as he was busy with a group of photographers from "Classic and Thoroughbred Cars" magazine. The pfoto story was about his restoring the two powder blue TR4's. He has very well engineered products that he tries out on his rally TR4. He restored two of the Works TR4's that ran their final event in 1964 in the Shell 4000 miles Rally from Vancouver to Montreal. He and his shop also built a TR3 Italia from scratch. Not the restoration of an old one, but a new car as the originals.

Russ - Did you get back to him about the thing not working. When I installed the one I bought from Protek, I called them because I felt it wasn't doing the job either. They told me to screw down again a bit more on the adjuster. I did and thought it was "bottomed" and would also feel like a worn one. But it was OK and I've never had to re-set it since. That was in June 1995. I had driven 21,000 since June 1990 with it steering all over because the worm was worn. Since putting it in at 101,700 miles, I've driven about 50,000 miles. Steady a new.

I found the papers for my order and the cost in 1995 was £80.00 which equals $185.50 in Canadian dollars (UD$125.00).

If you call either (or both) Neil Revington or Glen Hewitt at Protek, mention my name and say hello from me.

Don Elliott, 1958 TR3A
Don Elliott

Thanks Don we can always relie on good sound advice from you. I did speak to Neil about it and we both decided that there was just way to much play. In the center position I could turn the steering wheel over an 1” one way and an 1” the other, that’s 2” of travel. Just a little to (two) much.

I was going to send the whole steering box to TRF for a complete rebuild; Charles did not know when they would be getting worm gear in. So I went ahead and did the rack and pinion. I know you like to keep every thing stock and as original as possible and I would normally agree, I really wanted to get on the road.

The thing I really like about the R&P was that if I ever wanted to revert back to the original steering box I could.

Thanks again

Russ Austin
58 TR3A
Comm# 41804-L
Russ Austin

When I put my adjustable spring loaded peg unit in, Protek were just finishing their testing on the prototype rack and pinion so I went for the spring loaded peg. It was also a lot cheaper. My father was born in Scotland and you know how thrifty the Scots can be. I guess it rubbed off on me.

Did you buy your rack and pinion from Neil ?

On the first adjuster you bought from Neil, did you discuss with him having a longer "adjustable peg" turned on a lathe ? I would suggest that you check the dimensions of the spring (the length) when it is fully bound up as well as the depth of the hole for the spring. Or you could have a machine shop make a new peg for you. If the spring is "bound" when fully tightened down, find a longer spring that fits into the new longer "peg". Naturally, the overall length of the peg will need to be longer to permit a deeper hole for the longer spring. Even if it's an inch longer sticking up out the original steering box, it can't be seen by any concours judges because it's hidden behind the air deflectors. Then the peg will have more travel to go down all the way to the bottom of your really worn worm.

That's a low-cost project you can do yourself or get done and you won't spend as much as a new worm gear. That's the Scottish in me again.

Also ask an industrial plating and heat-treat shop if they can re-chrome the root of the old worm with "hard industrial chrome" like they do on crankshafts that are still good but have been ground down to the lower limit. It might be hard to find a machine shop that can re-grind the hard chrome back down to the original dimensions, but it's worth a try. More Scottish thrifty-ness.

Why else would I have kept my TR3A, the first car I ever bought brand new 45 years ago this coming May ? The Scots always keep things of value for a long time.

Don Elliott, 1958 TR3A

Don Elliott

Russ - If it didn't work, you could sell it to Bill in Indiana. Then you both save time and money.

Don
Don Elliott

Russ and Don,

Many thanks for the feedback and guidance on this one. I do need to tackle the steering, so I'm game for trying your plate, Russ, if you still have it. It may be that my worm is better behaved than yours. If you'd like to let me give it a test, I'd be happy to cover the shipping.

If either of you knows, are both the Protek and the Revington units designed alike? Any differences in design or construction?

Many thanks,

Bill Stagg
1961 TR3A
Bill Stagg

1st Question: Sorry Bill I sold it on e-bay for $10.00 for than what I paid for it.

2nd Question: Both Protek and Revingtons Rack and Pinions about the same, they are both weld in units. I choose one that was not welded in. It bolts in where idler arm is mounted.

Bill in an earlier post, I mentioned British Motor Cars, in Madisonville, KY. Paul will have an open house May 10th a little over 9000sq ft off NOS and used parts. Our club makes an annual trip for the open house; Paul draws people from as far south as Alabama. If you have the opportunity to come sooner that would not be a problem. I would be happy to go with you.

Russ Austin
58 TR3A
Comm# TS-41804-L
Russ Austin

Russ,

Thanks for the response and the invitation. I'd love to join you for a run to Paul's. I'm sure I'd learn a great deal, and you never know when something on my "hit list" will turn up on his shelves.

I've got May 10 on the calendar. Let's plan on it.

Best regards,

Bill
Bill Stagg

This thread was discussed between 21/02/2003 and 28/02/2003

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