Yesterday, I finally got to the job of installing new rear shock links on
the TR4. Thanks to the triumphs list for the help, advice and warnings.
Knowing that one is wise to follow the advice of netters who have trod this
road before, I decided to remove the rear shocks. I got the car firmly
supported with four stands under the frame.
Another little gem of wisdom I have picked up over the years is to do one
side of the car at a time. The left side was first on the agenda. I was
not particularly surprised to find that the two bolts which hold the shock
to its vertical mounting bracket were not exactly tight. Another reason for
the clunking sound. Much has been said about the difficulty of getting a
wrench onto the hex heads of the shock-mounting bolts, because the wrench
clearance around them is so stingy. I raided my supply of truly bad tools
for a disreputable 9/16 socket, then disfigured it with the bench grinder
until it fit. When I turned the assembly to get the link to divorce itself
from the lower bracket, the lower link ran into the frame. It would have to
go lower, and the axle was already lying on the frame (the TR4 being, in the
best tradition of ancient American and British sports cars, underslung). I
loosened the 4 nuts on the spring U-bolts until the bottom plate (which
carries the lower shock-link bracket) was low enough to allow the link to
clear.
I placed the shock lever in the bench vise and removed the end of the upper
link stud, and its attendant retaining flange, with a hacksaw. This allowed
the removal of the link from the stud and gave ample clearance for the
application of a gear puller. The manufacturer (Armstrong?) of the
shock-absorber link apparently saw this coming, as there is a proper hole in
the end of the stud to accept the point of the puller. I left the nut on
loosely, so as to catch the stud as it broke loose. Good thing, too, as it
parted from the lever with a loud bang, leading me to believe that an
unrestrained stud could have popped a hole in the back wall of my shop, or
ricocheted into some other mischief.
Back to the car with a new link. I purchased these links from:
Peter Caldwell
800 362-1025
World Wide Auto Parts
2517 Seiferth Rd
Madison WI 53716-3302
nosimport@mailbag.com
www.nosimport.com
Price was right, service was fast, and the parts look good.
Rotated the new link into the lower bracket and re-tightened the U-bolts
using new 3/8NF Nylock nuts. Left the lower nut loose and the upper one
off. The shock absorber went back on with two new 3/8NF x 1-1/8"
socket-head cap screws. This is also the result of a very sound bit of
advice on this list and promises no more wrench-clearance problems.
Manipulated the lever to pick up the upper stud of the link during the
installation, then fastened the cap screws with the stock washers and new
Nylock nuts. Put the nut and lock-washer on the upper stud. Left both ends
of the link loose and turned my attention to the right side of the car.
Things went even more smoothly on the right because the lower bracket did
not require loosening to extract the old link and fit the new one. Some
minor asymmetry there, nothing compared to a Europa. Left the nuts on the
link loose again.
Next I fitted the rear wheels and got the car off the stands. Leaving the
front tires on the floor, put one floor jack on each side of the frame near
the rear (yes, I was paying attention in the discussion about not jacking
under the pumpkin) and got a jackstand on each end of the axle, just inside
the frame rails. Off came the rear wheels. Pushed down on the rear fenders
until the suspension seemed settled. Tightened up the nuts on the links.
Since these links work by distortion of the rubber bushings, it's best to
start them off so that there is no stress on the bushings whilst the car is
at rest. Wheels back on, car back on floor.
No injuries were sustained in the actual process. (Ironically, I hurt my
thumb on one of my own jacket snaps whilst buying the bolts.) The car
presented me no rusted, frozen parts. I used anti-seize on everything (save
the holding taper, of course) so that the next time will be easy, too.
Of course I need to wait until spring for the obligatory road test (we were
just dealt a serious wet and heavy snow), but I have a few knickknacks to
attend anyway.
Phil Ethier Saint Paul Minnesota USA
1970 Lotus Europa, 1992 Saturn SL2, 1986 Suburban, 1962 Triumph TR4 CT2846L
LOON, MAC pethier@isd.net http://www.mnautox.com/
"It makes a nice noise when it goes faster"
- 4-year-old Adam, upon seeing a bitmap of Grandma Susie's TR4.
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