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Triumph TR6 - FRONT SUSPENSION

Hello All,
I'm close to re-assembling my front end after installing poly bushings....at what point do I tighten the upper and lower wishbones and the trunnion pivot bolt ?.. before I put the shock and spring back or after the shock and spring and let them hang free by their own weight and then tighten or lift them up to the road position ?
I've read all about the trailing arms not being torqued till the car is on the floor with 2 people in it etc but the front is different as the wheel must be off.
Cheers
Charlie
Charlie Ballard

Hi Charlie, I just went throught the same exercise complete front and rear rebuild. Front all we did was to reassy the lower shock to spring pan on the bench all else was fitted to car and snugged up. Once all was in place we then torqued to spec. I was surprised that during the following 100 mile road test about the Niagara escarpment there was not even a shimy or shake.
B.R. Horne

The answer to your question is this...Any rubber bushing with a bonded center section(usually steel) will have what is called a memory...once the bolt that holds it is tightened it will want to return to that position...for that reason any bonded bushing should always be tightened and torqued at ride height or on the ground...if this is not done it will not only change the corner weight(spring rate) of that corner of the car but it will shorten the life of the bushing...however in your case the upper bushings are not bonded and do not have this problem...neither does the lower trunion...but the inner bushings on the lower arms are bonded and do require this procedure if loosened...the swing arms in the rear also have bonded bushings unless they have been replaced with poly w/ steel inserts which do not require ride height tightening...good luck
L.H. II Collingwood

Well said.
R.C. Blair

Charlie since your now looking at that 4 inch space to the ground and scratching your head.:)

What I do is snug them up and then take it right away for alignment first stop with the torque specs. in hand. Alignment shop ramp is usually self leveling so stand back and make sure car looks level on ramp then torque.
Bill Brayford

Hi Bill,
Malcolm tells me that he tightened all his new poly's when the car was only a frame, engine, tranny and wheels and aligned when all complete and it drives great. I think I'll try the simulated "road" position while still on the stands and torque it.
Then of course a complete alignment
Thanks All
Charlie
Charlie Ballard

Yah easier if all is off. Weight is all inboard.

Was working on mine years ago 4 stands all set equal? Not paying attention kicked one over crawling out from underneath? Wasn't supporting anything. Three point stance due to cars torque and weight points. Car never moved but I sure did.

Grandaddy was a Farmer/carpenter and beat into my head. If the foundation is not strong square and level. Run the D9 over it and start again. Yep we had 2, custom breaking.

(D9)
Used for clearing and breaking new fields. Pedantic Saskatchewan suggestion for cleaning up anything with a bad lean..:)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar_D9

Bill Brayford

Couldn't affor a REAL crawler tractor Bill?

a 10?

snicker.

a 9, sigh, that was a few years ago and that's a fact. Massive, diesel bulldozer, what?

Jim (there was a time)
Jim Deatsch

Yeah, we like big toys here in Saskatchewan. I wish I had taken some pictures when I built my new house a couple of years ago. Had a buddy do the landscaping with a Euclid.

Whenever I work under a car I always take my buddy with me, him being a 12x12 block of wood about a foot and a half long (sorry, I don't have the metric size for the youngsters out there). Gives peace of mind not having to worry about some errant goose knocking over a jack stand.

Tony
A. J. Koschinsky

This thread was discussed between 04/02/2004 and 09/02/2004

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