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That's odd; the bearings should be immersed in grease (although I've
wondered how well greasing the top trunnion works, as a lot gets
squished out).
I installed the Torrington bearings on my BJ8 years ago; I thought
steering effort was reduced a bit (but I think part of it was
confirmation bias). Agree that it would make more sense to install them
on the bottom, load-bearing, trunnion.
Bob
ps. Still wondering how adjusting camber, for instance--zero camber is
recommended (newer cars have slightly neg. camber)--for the radial tires
most of us run is a hazard (assuming it's done properly).
On 1/6/2021 7:34 AM, Michael Salter wrote:
> I installed a couple of sets of those many years ago. Unfortunately
> the bearings were made from carbon steel not stainless and they rusted
> up after about 1 year.
> Hopefully the manufacturers now make them from stainless andor brass.
>
> M
>
> On Wed, Jan 6, 2021 at 9:49 AM Bluehealey <bluehealey@gmail.com
>
> These are the ones.
>
> https://www.ahspares.co.uk/austin-healey/big-healey/suspension-front/top-trunnion-bearing-kit-pair.aspx
>
> <https://www.ahspares.co.uk/austin-healey/big-healey/suspension-front/top-trunnion-bearing-kit-pair.aspx>
> Well worth doing.
> The other often overlooked source of heavy steering is the
> Steering Idler. It is rarely lubricated, has no real reservoir for
> oil, and a poor seal at the bottom. I suggest releasing the ball
> joints that connect to the drop arm to check it for stiffness.
> Complete removal of the idler isnâ??t a difficult job and is the
> best way to clean and lubricate.
> The caster is pretty good on these cars (the initial design was
> good). Camber could go from positive to negative to be more
> compatible with radial tyres. Also check and minimise toe-in. This
> has a radical impact on steering feel when wrong (in either
> direction).
> If after all that you still have problems, then go for the caster
> changes you have in mind and tell us about your findings. The Team
> may learn something.
> The only other aspect that seems to vary from car to car is bump
> steer. Some can be horrible on fast bumpies and others are on
> rails. Iâ??ve never seen a decent treatise on dealing with this on
> our Big Healeys.
> Have fun.
> Alan - from my iPad
>
>> On 6 Jan 2021, at 13:35, Team.net <lawrence.swift@gmail.com
>>
>> When I rebuilt the front end on my BT7, I had the trust bearings
>> at the top of the kingpin replaced with bearings - made a huge
>> difference in the ease of steering.
>>
>>> On Jan 5, 2021, at 10:36 AM, Bob Spidell <bspidell@comcast.net
>>>
>>> re: "The other two are factory fixed and too dangerous to play
>>> with or maintain...even if Kilmartin makes the parts"
>>>
>>> How so?
>>>
>>> On 1/4/2021 9:40 PM, gradea1@charter.net
>>>> I'm with the philosophy "set the toe and let 'er blow" The
>>>> 1/16-1/8" toe-in is most important for proper tire wear. The
>>>> other two are factory fixed and too dangerous to play with or
>>>> maintain...even if Kilmartin makes the parts. Hank
>>>>
>>>
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That's odd; the bearings should be immersed in grease (although I've
wondered how well greasing the top trunnion works, as a lot gets
squished out).<br>
<br>
I installed the Torrington bearings on my BJ8 years ago; I thought
steering effort was reduced a bit (but I think part of it was
confirmation bias). Agree that it would make more sense to install
them on the bottom, load-bearing, trunnion.<br>
<br>
Bob<br>
<br>
ps. Still wondering how adjusting camber, for instance--zero camber
is recommended (newer cars have slightly neg. camber)--for the
radial tires most of us run is a hazard (assuming it's done
properly).<br>
<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 1/6/2021 7:34 AM, Michael Salter
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:CAB3i7LLhrEr+T9_r3HnvjV_JQWrHYfaVDv1_J3hHAPYsFYr2Ow@mail.gmail.com">
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8">
<div dir="ltr">
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:comic sans
ms,sans-serif;font-size:small">I installed a couple of sets of
those many years ago. Unfortunately the bearings were made
from carbon steel not stainless and they rusted up after about
1 year. <br>
</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:comic sans
ms,sans-serif;font-size:small">Hopefully the manufacturers now
make them from stainless andor brass.</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:comic sans
ms,sans-serif;font-size:small"><br>
</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:comic sans
ms,sans-serif;font-size:small">M<br>
</div>
</div>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">
<div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Wed, Jan 6, 2021 at 9:49 AM
Bluehealey <<a href="mailto:bluehealey@gmail.com";
moz-do-not-send="true">bluehealey@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px
0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
<div dir="auto">
<div dir="ltr">
<div dir="ltr">These are the ones.
<div><a
href="https://www.ahspares.co.uk/austin-healey/big-healey/suspension-front/top-trunnion-bearing-kit-pair.aspx";
target="_blank"
moz-do-not-send="true">https://www.ahspares.co.uk/austin-healey/big-healey/suspension-front/top-trunnion-bearing-kit-pair.aspx</a></div>
<div>Well worth doing.</div>
<div>The other often overlooked source of heavy steering
is the Steering Idler. It is rarely lubricated, has no
real reservoir for oil, and a poor seal at the bottom.
I suggest releasing the ball joints that connect to
the drop arm to check it for stiffness. Complete
removal of the idler isnâ??t a difficult job and is the
best way to clean and lubricate.</div>
<div>The caster is pretty good on these cars (the
initial design was good). Camber could go from
positive to negative to be more compatible with radial
tyres. Also check and minimise toe-in. This has a
radical impact on steering feel when wrong (in either
direction).</div>
<div>If after all that you still have problems, then go
for the caster changes you have in mind and tell us
about your findings. The Team may learn something.</div>
<div>The only other aspect that seems to vary from car
to car is bump steer. Some can be horrible on fast
bumpies and others are on rails. Iâ??ve never seen a
decent treatise on dealing with this on our Big
Healeys.<br>
Have fun.<br>
<div dir="ltr">Alan - from my iPad</div>
<div dir="ltr"><br>
<blockquote type="cite">On 6 Jan 2021, at 13:35,
Team.net <<a
href="mailto:lawrence.swift@gmail.com";
target="_blank"
moz-do-not-send="true">lawrence.swift@gmail.com</a>>
wrote:<br>
<br>
</blockquote>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div dir="ltr"><span>When I rebuilt the front end
on my BT7, I had the trust bearings at the top
of the kingpin replaced with bearings - made a
huge difference in the ease of steering.</span><br>
<span></span><br>
<blockquote type="cite"><span>On Jan 5, 2021, at
10:36 AM, Bob Spidell <<a
href="mailto:bspidell@comcast.net";
target="_blank"
moz-do-not-send="true">bspidell@comcast.net</a>>
wrote:</span><br>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite"><span></span><br>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite"><span>re: "The other two
are factory fixed and too dangerous to play
with or maintain...even if Kilmartin makes the
parts"</span><br>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite"><span></span><br>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite"><span>How so?</span><br>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite"><span></span><br>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite"><span>On 1/4/2021 9:40 PM,
<a href="mailto:gradea1@charter.net";
target="_blank"
moz-do-not-send="true">gradea1@charter.net</a>
wrote:</span><br>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite">
<blockquote type="cite"><span>I'm with the
philosophy "set the toe and let 'er blow"
The 1/16-1/8" toe-in is most important for
proper tire wear. The other two are factory
fixed and too dangerous to play with or
maintain...even if Kilmartin makes the
parts. Hank</span><br>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite">
<blockquote type="cite"><span></span><br>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite"><span></span><br>
</blockquote>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</blockquote>
<br>
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