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Triumph TR6 - Front End and Rear End Issues

I have a 73 TR6 that I purchased from a previous owner who rebuilt the engine, clutch, rear end, etc. and generally did a good job. I have two areas of concern right now. From about 55 - 65mph I get a pretty good vibration in the steering wheel (visible shake). Seems like a front end issue. Under 55 and over 65 it seems to be not an issue. Any ideas here?

Also, I have recently noticed that under acceleration in that same range something of a grinding noise beneath/behind the drivers seat. I'm hoping this isn't the differential... Any ideas.

Also, what are the seriousness of these issues? Right now I'm driving this car daily and won't be able to take it out of commission for maintenance for about a month or so.

Thanks!
David

The steering wheel wobble is classic symptom of out of balance wheel/tyre.
The rear noise could be worn drive shaft universal joint(s). If they were overhauled and are unlikely to be worn , maybe the bolts have loosened. Nyloc nuts and thread locking fluid should prevent a recurrence. If you ignore the vibration and a shaft comes loose, the damage could be considerable, and if the wheel locks you risk an uncontrollabel spin.
Peter Cobbold

You were right. I had the wheels balanced and that fixed the front end wobble. Of course I also found out I need a left control arm and the ball joint is shot in the process...

Now for the rear end. Going to examine the U Joints and their attachments.
David

I am somewhat puzzled by the need for a control arm. Unless bent or cracked, it is typically just a matter of rebushing the arms. You will need to pay attention to the arm placement. As always, references to left and right are made from the rear of the car, part numbers referenced are Triumph part numbers.

On the lower arms, the 307209 arm is fitted to the LH Front and RH rear, while the 307210 is fitted to RH Front and LH Rear. For the upper arms, the 133504 arm is fitted to the front on both sides, while the 133507 is fitted to the rear on both sides. Mixing these up will lead to screwy caster settings. If caster was the problem, it may be that at some point in the past these arms were improperly installed an do not require replacement.

I am also assuming that you had the rear toe and camber checked during the alignment procedure and that no problems were found. If rear camber is also a problem, please e-mail me for additional information.
Steve

This thread was discussed between 09/05/2001 and 12/05/2001

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