Hi everyone,
just to add our two pennies worth, we always use new Nylocs. If you go to your local nuts and bolts supplier, you can buy them for 10-15p each.
Kind Regards
Front Suspension- Drag Strut Bushes
Hello All,
No further updates here just a couple of comments...
Mike- I had noticed when I did the first strut that the angle was difficult so I jacked the suspension up at bit until it looked/felt right. This was really useful for the second strut as that one was much more difficult to fit. I think the car may have sustained damage at some point as it was not easy to slide the rear bush on deep enough to thread the nut.
Dizzy- What does \"anorak\" mean? To me that is a raincoat.
Biffo- I waited for my TR250 all my life. When my Dad gave it to me while I was in college I didn\'t hesitate to take it. It was a derelict due to having been stored in the desert with the top down for at least 5 years. I had absolutely no cash but did have a manual. My only options at that time were to walk or learn to fix it myself! Now I make a bit of a living and can afford to have someone else work on my cars but I still prefer to get dirty whenever I can do the job safely. It is great fun to have my niece help me out. I have one who likes to help and one who likes to shop. Best of both worlds there!
Sharon and Derek- I tried to buy new nylocs but the store didn\'t have the right size. I could have shopped around a bit more but was too busy that night getting the car fixed, the meat marinated, the pasta made, the sandwich stuff ready, dips prepared, tea made, and the meat barbequed. The guys at the club event gave me a hard time about the car being filthy (one mentioned African Safari). I told them I had to choose between a clean car and their lunch. They said I made the right choice! However, I will replace the nylocs when I can find the right ones as the one is pretty rough.
Thanks to you all for your help and comments.
Mary
No further updates here just a couple of comments...
Mike- I had noticed when I did the first strut that the angle was difficult so I jacked the suspension up at bit until it looked/felt right. This was really useful for the second strut as that one was much more difficult to fit. I think the car may have sustained damage at some point as it was not easy to slide the rear bush on deep enough to thread the nut.
Dizzy- What does \"anorak\" mean? To me that is a raincoat.
Biffo- I waited for my TR250 all my life. When my Dad gave it to me while I was in college I didn\'t hesitate to take it. It was a derelict due to having been stored in the desert with the top down for at least 5 years. I had absolutely no cash but did have a manual. My only options at that time were to walk or learn to fix it myself! Now I make a bit of a living and can afford to have someone else work on my cars but I still prefer to get dirty whenever I can do the job safely. It is great fun to have my niece help me out. I have one who likes to help and one who likes to shop. Best of both worlds there!
Sharon and Derek- I tried to buy new nylocs but the store didn\'t have the right size. I could have shopped around a bit more but was too busy that night getting the car fixed, the meat marinated, the pasta made, the sandwich stuff ready, dips prepared, tea made, and the meat barbequed. The guys at the club event gave me a hard time about the car being filthy (one mentioned African Safari). I told them I had to choose between a clean car and their lunch. They said I made the right choice! However, I will replace the nylocs when I can find the right ones as the one is pretty rough.
Thanks to you all for your help and comments.
Mary
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Alan Chatterton
- Senior Member
- Posts: 2945
- Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2004 11:18 pm
- Location: Redditch, Worcestershire
Mary,
Allow me to translate for you!
Anorak is indeed a raincoat. But over here, the term \"anorak\" refers to a bobble hatted-anorak wearing-trainspotter.
Sort of a geek, the type who wanders around car shows comenting on how the early MKIII\'s used a different grade steel in the wangle-donger hence that car is incorrect.
Know the type?
Hence the expression, complete anorak.
Allow me to translate for you!
Anorak is indeed a raincoat. But over here, the term \"anorak\" refers to a bobble hatted-anorak wearing-trainspotter.
Sort of a geek, the type who wanders around car shows comenting on how the early MKIII\'s used a different grade steel in the wangle-donger hence that car is incorrect.
Know the type?
Hence the expression, complete anorak.
-
David Withers
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1230
- Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2005 11:28 am
- Location: North Cambridgeshire, UK
- Contact:
Just looked at my drag strut bushes, been suspicious of them for a while. The passenger side rubber in the wheelarch seems to be displaced slightly, not sitting centrally in the cup washer which is attached to the car. There is also an occasional clonk from that side of the car.
I take it this indicates the bushes are due for renewal? What are the best type of bushes to replace them with? I\'ll do both sides.
Also, speaking to a friend who ran these cars in the 70s, he said that the drag struts can be prone to breakage. Can anyone tell me more about this?
Alan
I take it this indicates the bushes are due for renewal? What are the best type of bushes to replace them with? I\'ll do both sides.
Also, speaking to a friend who ran these cars in the 70s, he said that the drag struts can be prone to breakage. Can anyone tell me more about this?
Alan
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David Withers
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1230
- Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2005 11:28 am
- Location: North Cambridgeshire, UK
- Contact:
Alan,
Stress from the 2500S anti-roll bar can cause the drag strut to break. The problem may also have occurred on cars not fitted with the ARB but I haven\'t heard of any instances.
The answer is to reinforce the weak part of the drag struts. I did this on my 2500 (ex-Pi) getting on for 25 years ago when I fitted a 2500S ARB and they are still fine. Chris Witor lists strengthened ARB and non-ARB drag struts.
David.
Stress from the 2500S anti-roll bar can cause the drag strut to break. The problem may also have occurred on cars not fitted with the ARB but I haven\'t heard of any instances.
The answer is to reinforce the weak part of the drag struts. I did this on my 2500 (ex-Pi) getting on for 25 years ago when I fitted a 2500S ARB and they are still fine. Chris Witor lists strengthened ARB and non-ARB drag struts.
David.
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Mike Stevens
- Site Admin
- Posts: 3649
- Joined: Mon May 08, 2006 9:50 pm
- Location: South Oxfordshire, UK
Hi Alan,
Personally, I would fit poly-bushes. Although maybe not quite as good as originals, I think they are better than the repro ones you can get now.
Yes, drag struts DO break. I have seen broken ones and cracked ones the latter removed from a car I had been driving! It makes you sit up and take notice. The break only seems to happen when an Anti-roll bar is fitted and the cracks can be seen across the bit where the strut bolts to the front hub assembly up next to the ARB fitting. The fix is to weld another piece of metal over the area both sides so the bolt onto the front hub now goes through 2 thicknesses of metal each side of the strut. You\'ll need a longer bolt - Chris used to sell them, they were main bearing bolts I think.
Of course, if cracked, you should prep-out and weld the crack up first! Then grind back and fit the strengthening bit of metal.
Good luck!
Personally, I would fit poly-bushes. Although maybe not quite as good as originals, I think they are better than the repro ones you can get now.
Yes, drag struts DO break. I have seen broken ones and cracked ones the latter removed from a car I had been driving! It makes you sit up and take notice. The break only seems to happen when an Anti-roll bar is fitted and the cracks can be seen across the bit where the strut bolts to the front hub assembly up next to the ARB fitting. The fix is to weld another piece of metal over the area both sides so the bolt onto the front hub now goes through 2 thicknesses of metal each side of the strut. You\'ll need a longer bolt - Chris used to sell them, they were main bearing bolts I think.
Of course, if cracked, you should prep-out and weld the crack up first! Then grind back and fit the strengthening bit of metal.
Good luck!
No anti roll bar on my 2000 so thats one less thing to worry about!
I got some new bushes today, after a bit of deliberation I decided to try the standard ones on the grounds that they cost £8 for 4 as opposed to £20 + postage for the poly type ones. Time will tell if it was worth the saving......
To renew these bushes with the drag struts still on the car, I assume that once the nyloc is off, the strut can be pulled forwards far enough to release it from the chassis member, thus enabling the old wheelarch side bushes to be renewed?
I got some new bushes today, after a bit of deliberation I decided to try the standard ones on the grounds that they cost £8 for 4 as opposed to £20 + postage for the poly type ones. Time will tell if it was worth the saving......
To renew these bushes with the drag struts still on the car, I assume that once the nyloc is off, the strut can be pulled forwards far enough to release it from the chassis member, thus enabling the old wheelarch side bushes to be renewed?
-
Mike Stevens
- Site Admin
- Posts: 3649
- Joined: Mon May 08, 2006 9:50 pm
- Location: South Oxfordshire, UK
Hi,
You might be able to pull the strut out far enough. You\'ll be pulling against the track control arm inner bush and trying to twist it, which might be difficult. The solution is to either remove the outer end of the drag strut or the inner end of the TCA. The bolt for the latter can seize in the bush inner metal sleeve and if you have PAS the rack does make access a bit more difficult.
I think I would go with removing the inner TCA bolt if you have manual steering. However, removing the outer end of the drag strut is not difficult and it does mean that the strut can come right off for cleaning and painting! You could also inspect it for cracks.
Good luck!
Cheers, Mike.
You might be able to pull the strut out far enough. You\'ll be pulling against the track control arm inner bush and trying to twist it, which might be difficult. The solution is to either remove the outer end of the drag strut or the inner end of the TCA. The bolt for the latter can seize in the bush inner metal sleeve and if you have PAS the rack does make access a bit more difficult.
I think I would go with removing the inner TCA bolt if you have manual steering. However, removing the outer end of the drag strut is not difficult and it does mean that the strut can come right off for cleaning and painting! You could also inspect it for cracks.
Good luck!
Cheers, Mike.