Hi John:
Have you looked at the spacers between the frame and the body tub? I was
cruelly taken in by the sales type who sold me my TR6 back in 1986. It seemed
all square, but I could never get away with the nagging feeling that she was up
at the left. It turned out in my case that the car had been accidented and the
frame had a twist. The fine upstanding fellow who sold her to me had ommitted
to mention that there was a good 1/2" of putty on the left side of the bonnet
and almost an inch difference left vs right in the spacers between the tub and
the 45-degree struts between suspension towers and the frame members.
During the rebuild I had the frame straightened, re-squared the tub and
replaced the bonnet. What a joy. However, now I can't get the feeling out of my
head that she is down at the left since I am not used to the car being
straight.
Measure from the frame to the ground and compare to measurements from the
fenders to the ground. Considering the distance from the centre-line, any
variation should be about 2:1 fenders vs. frame. If not, you may have to look
at the body:frame alignment. If the frame is crooked, they do have a sort of
torture machine they strap the car to that twists the frame straight. It's for
unibody cars, but does an OK job on the TR as well.
Cheers,
Mark
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-6pack@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-6pack@autox.team.net]On
Behalf Of John North
Sent: May 8, 2005 10:31 PM
To: 'Triumph 6 Pack'
Subject: Leans to the left - still
Just finished a front suspension rebuild thinking to fix my list to the
left, but still the left side of the car is an inch or so lower measured at
the wheel arches. So I'm looking for suggestions.
When I set the frame on jack stands the car is level, meaning a measurement
from the floor to the top of the wheel arches is equal at all four wheels.
So surely that means the problem is in the suspension. But I just replaced
springs, trunnions, and lower a-arms. Ball joints were replaced less than
2000 miles ago. The a-arm brackets to the frame are good, not bent or
broken. The spring turret looks intact.
I'm out of things to look for, anyone got any more ideas?
John North
76 Aztec Yellow
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