tr7triumph.com

After 35 years, the items I’ve replaced (myself) on my Wedge due to wear and tear or disintegration have included;

5 batteries
4 rear brake cylinders
3 clutch master cylinders, just about to rebuild the 4th
3 sets of radiator hoses
2 pairs of front shock absorbers
2 Rev counters
2 ignition coils
2 sets of road springs
2 steering Universal joints
2 Holley rebuild kits
2 gearbox rubber mounts - replaced 4 years ago with a Volvo item
2 rear axle pinion seals
1 brake master cylinder - now a V8 m/cylinder servo combo
1 crankshaft front seal
1 prop shaft
1 Holley Base plate inc spindles
1 V8 inlet valley gasket
1 V8 mild steel exhaust system - now stainless steel
1 clutch fork and fulcrum pin
1 handbrake cable
1 front anti roll bar
1 steering column bush
1 viscous fan coupling
1 V8 radiator x now aluminium
1 fan belt
1 set heater pipes and seals
1 distributor vacuum advance unit
1 speedo cable
1 pair of rear shock absorbers
1 complete set of bump stops
1 set of remote gear housing bushes
1 set of foam inserts for both seats
1 fuel tank
1 ignition switch

(Don’t tell Mrs Bushey)

But no headlights or clock - the original items are still working…

When I take my longest continuous serving TR7 ('t Kreng) the list is fairly long too.
The most important ones (including the ones fitted during restoration);
• 4 spring sets;
• 3 damper sets;
• 3 wheel sets;
• 3 different front callipers;
• 2 gearbox's;
• 2 back axles;

https://tr7beans.blogspot.com/2019/12/25-years-of-development-and-fun.html

I fitted a recon 3.08 rear axle not long after fitting the V8. No issues with the original at the time.

I’m still on the original gearbox after 80,000 miles. It was filled with gear oil, not ATF when I bought the car and been using the Castrol Synthetic oil that John215 recommended for many years since. I only used ATF briefly when flushing the old oil residue out of it. Yes the gear change may be slow in to second when cold but ATF isn’t known for manual gearbox LT77 longevity, so I’m told.

Gaiters on the front struts and the little rubber boots where the handbrake levers go through the backplates on the axle.

Yes I forgot the boots, can’t remember how many pairs it’s been, some haven’t made it past 12 months to the next MOT before failing.

The original clock is still ticking away although it gains 10 minutes every week. There’s always this replacement for £195 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/324765702249 ... SwjFVhJkMy

Bought 2 decrepit 7s, 2/8/2001; Built one out of them, on the road
15/7/2002 with new home paint, pressure & friction plate,
Brakes all overhauled, no replacement of cast iron bits,
All new hoses;
Rebuilt tail shaft;
Every bush replaced, & springs reset to standard;
Heavy anti roll bars front & rear;
Speedo reading 11500.
19600, [22/4/03], Tyres.
29500, [12/19/04], Overflow recovery system fitted to cooling system.
32000, [7/5/06], Repair rusting fuel tank.
37500, [20/12/05], Replace electronic ignition fit Iridium plugs.
46250, [5/5/07], Battery, Speedo cable.
47500, [25/4/07], Tyres. New fuel hoses.
50000, [16/1/08], Rebuild steering rack.
64000, [8/9/11], Fit air conditioning, 85 amp alternator.
66750, [31/5/12], Bear metal paint job.
66900, [22/6/12], New fuel tank.
67000, [6/12/12], New engine, radiator, viscus fan, all hoses etc.
68500, [1/7/13], Battery. Electric fuel pump.
70700, [14/4/14], Front tyres.
76500, [25/5/17], Battery.
80000, [16/2/20], Battery, new alternator.
83500, [15/6/81], Air conditioning compressor replaced.

She had developed a mild rumble on floating throttle, not there on deceleration or acceleration. These old ears can not locate it more than to either tail shaft or rear axle. Any suggestions or experience with this?

Hasbeen

Had a period where the steering rack gaiters seemed to need replacing every year but the last lot seemed to be better and have lasted for several years now (although that may be due to the car hardly having been used).

Hasbeen wrote:She had developed a mild rumble on floating throttle, not there on deceleration or acceleration. These old ears can not locate it more than to either tail shaft or rear axle. Any suggestions or experience with this?
Hasbeen

Any particular speed this happens Hasbeen?

No busheytrader, speed doesn't effect it. It is only on that perfectly balanced throttle, with no drive & no retardation.

There is also no vibration felt, which makes me think prop shaft, rather than rear axle.

I can't hear or feel anything on the hoist, although I have not run it on the hoist. That is the next plan, when my son with his younger ears is available to listen too. His suggestion is that I am a "worry wart" & it is so minor I should ignore it, until it becomes bad enough to pinpoint itself.

He's probably right.

Hasbeen

Hi Hasbeen,

I was chasing a similar noise several years ago. Both myself and my son swore it was from the rear.

I changed the gearbox mount - was sold 2 rock hard “made in India” items - eventually adapted a Volvo mount. Noise still there.

I changed the propshaft - now a shortened Rover SD1 item - Noise still there.

Renewed the disintegrated remote gear housing bushes to poly items. Noise still there.

At the next MOT test, I had an advisory note that the passenger side front wheel bearing was slightly rough. I hadn’t detected it in my pre MOT check. I replaced it the next weekend, went for a test drive and the rumbling had completely disappeared.

So, noise from the rear equalled a rough front wheel bearing. It would have been a cheap fix except I’ve now 2 rubbish spare granite gearbox mount paperweights and a V8 propshaft I didn’t need to buy.

busheytrader wrote: ... So, noise from the rear equalled a rough front wheel bearing ...

Sounds rather familiar

Well, I have posted about it before….

Has this happened to others?

Thanks for that busheytrader, the good & the bad. I should have thought of the gearbox mount. I almost rebuilt the perfectly good box when building the car. It sounded dreadful because the spacer was missing & it was sitting on the gearbox subframe, making the whole shell resinate. A friend knew the problem, which saved me a lot of unnecessary work.

It doesn't help to know it could be from the front, which really means it could be anywhere. My son is probably right then. I should just turn the radio up so I can't hear it, until it is bad enough to disclose it's whereabouts more completely.

Hasbeen

Other than a few batteries, I haven't replaced anything twice except for the valve cover gasket. I was doing fine with that but I took it off to repaint it and put some sealer on the half moon gasket which raised it up and I think it might have warped it as it continued to leak at the back. I have a silicone seal that a friend gave me but haven't installed it yet. I got the car in 2006 and went over it as it was bone stock (almost) and replaced most rubber items, front springs, ball joints. As I took things apart I painted them before putting them back. I cleaned and resealed the gas tank when the sealer started flaking of and started clogging the screen in the high pressure fuel pump. I had a wire break at the clip that supplied 12V to dash lights. I had the alternator go which I replaced with a Saturn one. It wasn't the original one and there was no tag on it to indicate which Lucas one it was so I didn't rebuild it. The previous owner (1985 to 2006) said it only let her down once but didn't know what they did to fix it (I think it was to put in a new Lucas high power alternator in it (why it wasn't the original) as it had plenty of power, even at idle with lights and fan going at night. That's it sum total of problems with the car. The clock always worked until last year when for some inexplicable reason the tail of one of the hands warped up and contacted the glass surface preventing it from turning. I'll have to take it apart to clip it off and I'm sure it will start again. The cassette in the radio stopped working so I bought a Pyle radio off eBay for $36 that has the manual dial but two slots for USB and SD cards instead of cassette. Looks old school and fits quite well, just had to shave a little plastic off to fit the recess right. The original owner had replaced the seat fabric for some reason(pre 1985) from the charcoal racing stripes to a grey weave which looks like they could have been original equipment and amazingly at 35+ years still look like brand new.

After 11 years I have one replaced the 2 front wings......old for new and replaced the o/f drivers sill.....old for old All the other bits I have fitted aren't replacements but modifcations