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I'm off to Portland Saturday morning for a weekend visiting my Mum and my TR8. Can someone tell me what size impact socket I need to loosen the top nut on the front struts? (The one in the middle when you pull the rubber cover off.) I really don't want to take the whole set. Thanks.

Ken
Anchorage, Alaska

1980 TR8, 1973 TR6, 1965 Volvo PV544, 1958 MGA, Jeep Cherokees

19mm

Clay

[url="http://web.mac.com/jclaythompson/Site/Welcome.html"]My Triumph Site[/url], [url="http://web.me.com/jclaythompson/Technical"]Technical Stuff[/url], [url="https://docs.google.com/?hl=en&tab=wo&authuser=0&pli=1#all"]Download Page[/url]

I thank you, and the baggage handlers thank you! If I recall correctly, I have to separate the sway bar from the control arm to drop the strut. Do I need any special tools for that?

Ken
Anchorage, Alaska

1980 TR8, 1973 TR6, 1965 Volvo PV544, 1958 MGA, Jeep Cherokees

No Ken. The strut comes off the control arm at the ball joint. You will need 2 hammers or a ball joint removal tool to get it off. Probably a good time to fit a new rubber boot to the ball joint.

If you haven't looked at the bump stops, around the strut shaft under the dust boot, & the boot it would be a good time. The bump stops were rubber, & usually disappeared by now. In oz we use a polly one from a Holden as replacement.

I have always found the top nut comes off much more easily while the strut is bolted in place, so my first part of strut removal is to loosen that nut a turn or two.

You will have to drop the steering arm, or remove the rack ball joint. I find the arm easier, only 2 bolts, & that removes the callipers. Either way, if you don't muck with the tie rod, the alignment is not changed. Don't forget the brake hose is fastened to the strut.

Hasbeen

Many thanks to all.

Ken
Anchorage, Alaska

1980 TR8, 1973 TR6, 1965 Volvo PV544, 1958 MGA, Jeep Cherokees

I do recall our friend, Mr Thompson hereabouts, has a method involving a large socket while unscrewing the nut against it to force the ball joint from it's taper fitting without damaging the ball joint or removing chunks of meat from your hands with the misapplied blows from a sledge hammer.

Perhaps he may kindly provide this tip?

Mildred Hargis

Are you opening the strut to replace those short springs or to put new shocks in? I would probably put new shocks in (unless they're really good) when you have it apart as compressing the springs can be a b*tch if you're doing it with a cheap set of spring compressors (like I have).

Hows the shock bellows? Mine had deteriorated right off (like the bumper stops) and wouldn't have known they where there if not for the parts book. Probably why I had zero shock action left.



TR7 Spider - 1978 Spitfire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - Yellow TCT

Just dealing with the springs. The shocks seem pretty good. I have new spring seats (upper & lower) and bumper stops and bellows. Probably should have got ball joints, too; hope they are okay.

I'm going to jack it up after dinner tonight and disassemble. Today I had to go for a drive!

Ken
Anchorage, Alaska

1980 TR8, 1973 TR6, 1965 Volvo PV544, 1958 MGA, Jeep Cherokees

Mildred, thanks for the kind words!

There is an easy way to remove the ball joint stud from the strut. Remove the cotter pin from the castle nut and break the nut loose. Get a socket from your tool box that will slide over the stud and sit on top of the castle nut and will just touch the bottom of the strut housing. Now loosen the nut, which will push the socket up against the strut housing until where is enough pressure on the nut that it then pushes the stud out the bottom of the strut.

Clay

[url="http://web.mac.com/jclaythompson/Site/Welcome.html"]My Triumph Site[/url], [url="http://web.me.com/jclaythompson/Technical"]Technical Stuff[/url], [url="https://docs.google.com/?hl=en&tab=wo&authuser=0&pli=1#all"]Download Page[/url]

Clay, thanks for the tip on ball joint removal.

Because I only had a long weekend to play with the car, I just conducted exploratory surgery this time. Despite the story that came through my mechanic from the previous owner about the car being deliberately so low, I found the small end of the front coils were collapsed. When I am back to Oregon again in April, I'll be installing the new springs.

Thanks again to everyone for your help.

Ken
Anchorage, Alaska

1980 TR8, 1973 TR6, 1965 Volvo PV544, 1958 MGA, Jeep Cherokees

Wow, then my car should actually be lower than yours. [:D]


Jim Clark
'80 TR8
'97 Maxima 5spd

Please help my old and addled brain on this one. My original stock 1976 springs still retain their shape, length, and function now some 156,000 miles later. How is it others springs have taken to giving up the ghost?

I very puzzeled on this one. After all, I have impacted more than a few pot holes and corrugated roads, just like everyone else.

Mildred Hargis

Not sure what to tell you, Mildred. Mine were pretty saggy when I picked up the car. The previous owner had put in rubber spacers between the coils to compensate.

Then I put in the stiffer aftermarket springs, which got the front to stock but made the rear REALLY HIGH. My mechanic said to drive it for a bit to let them settle and then we'd adjust the ride height. I was skeptical but after only two months it definitely came down a bit.

We ended up chopping off half a coil in the rear to get it to stock height per the manual. Hopefully they did all their settling and it won't wind up too low in another few years.

-----
Tom
'79 TR7
'87 Alfa 75
'91 Alfa Spider

My car bottomed out (on low hanging California Cat cage) on every speed bump regardless of care. I replaced the springs with new standard ones and new shocks. It didn't sit a whole lot higher certainly not as high as many other TR7's so I don't know if new springs did much. I think it's about half inch higher in front although rear is still higher. Part of that must be hard black poly replacing the somewhat collapsed rubber spring seats. It now doesn't hit on speed bumps if I take care going over them. The shocks had zero shock action before.

For some reason different cars sit at different heights regardless of new springs, old springs, regular springs, hard springs, lowered springs. My Yellow TCT with original springs sits higher than the Spider with new regular springs. Don't know why. Maybe manufacturing/manufacturers differences?


TR7 Spider - 1978 Spitfire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - Yellow TCT

Yes, thank you for reminding me of those accursed speed bumps. The only time the back end of the car bottoms out, (You thought I was going to write, 'I bottom out.', didn't you?), is one particular local dip then a quick climb. It takes a lot of fore-thought to avoid the nerve jangling jar from that road hazard. There are always fresh scrape marks on the pavement around that one.

Both ends of the car set normally after all these years. What are you kind folks doing to your springs that I'm not?

Mildred Hargis