Let this be a lesson to you all

[stuart]

1 hour ago, Z320 said:

Hi,

this eveneing I will dive into my scrap boxes:

why is the thraed of the vertical link worn 2/3 of its lenght, and 1/3 not?

Just a question....

I'll be back, Marco

 

When the thread gets a bit slack through wear the trunnion oscillates around the pivot bolt with steering input I would say.

Stuart.

[Charlie D]

I'm surprised that the actual upright was worn so much. I would have thought that the trunion, being a softer material, would have worn it's internal thread instead.

I've had an upright snap once, at the very top of the thread, but I think that was due to lack of maintenance on my part when I as a kid.

Fortunately it happened at low speed after hitting a pot hole.

[Z320]

On my old parts, 2 vertical links and 4 trunnions,

the thread on the vertical link and in the trunnion is about 34 mm long.

They match on each other and if only 2/3 is worn IMO they have not been assembed correctly.

This is the case if the caliper bracket is not removed from the link to do this, but this causes max 1 turn less.

Possibly they have been assembled with the steering stop already bolted in the trunnion.

Interesting is a look on the other side.

[Peter V W]

You would think a new vertical link and Trunnion should be sold as one matching unit.

Why supply as separate parts, allowing new parts to be mixed with worn old parts.

[RogerH]

21 minutes ago, Peter V W said:

You would think a new vertical link and Trunnion should be sold as one matching unit.

Why supply as separate parts, allowing new parts to be mixed with worn old parts.

Hi Peter,

 it is worse than you think - the vertical lnk and TRunnion are made by different workshops in different countries.
It is a miracle  they fir at all.

Roger

[Ben Davies]

50 minutes ago, RogerH said:

Hi Peter,

 it is worse than you think - the vertical lnk and TRunnion are made by different workshops in different countries.
It is a miracle  they fir at all.

Roger

Indeed…
 

When I replaced both the vertical links and trunnions on my ‘3 last year, it wasn’t easy finding a combination of new parts that had less play than the old ones… eventually went over to Moss and we rummaged through the crate of trunnions until we found some ‘from the batch before last’, which were a perfect fit…

Threads on the old links were getting a little sharper so decided to change them while it was all apart, but the wear appears even from top to bottom. 

[Trumpy3]

It may be when the photo was taken or I have missed something but where is the trunnion and pivot bolt.?

Brian

[Ralph Whitaker]

Think I will strip and check mine this winter. I have already collected a set of later TR4 top wishbones and ball joints so may as well fit them and the later trunnions with the removable through bolt which would make future inspection a lot easier.  ( or maybe not having just read Rogers post on seized trunnion bolt.)

Ralph

Edited July 1 by Ralph Whitaker

[RogerH]

I had a dream - now, who said that. Well, me.

I woke up this morning with a plan. I shall remove the VL from the TRunnion. Then remove the lower wishbones from the chassis.
Then I can work on the TRunnion bolt on the bench.

I think the problem is that the S/S sleeves in the SuperPro bushes are seized on the bolt.  When I turn the bolt (very tight) I am turning the sleeves in the Poly bushes.

Shoud be fun pressing it all apart.

Roger

[PodOne]

36 minutes ago, RogerH said:

I had a dream - now, who said that. Well, me.

I woke up this morning with a plan. I shall remove the VL from the TRunnion. Then remove the lower wishbones from the chassis.
Then I can work on the TRunnion bolt on the bench.

I think the problem is that the S/S sleeves in the SuperPro bushes are seized on the bolt.  When I turn the bolt (very tight) I am turning the sleeves in the Poly bushes.

Shoud be fun pressing it all apart.

Roger

Hi Roger 

Given all the effort getting the wish bone off.

Why not just burn the bushes out and then replace them while cleaning the bolt up? Or the bolt is rough replace it as well?

Andy

[stuart]

11 hours ago, Trumpy3 said:

It may be when the photo was taken or I have missed something but where is the trunnion and pivot bolt.?

Brian

He had already removed that.

Stuart.

[multipletriumphsinner]

17 hours ago, RogerH said:

Hi Peter,

 it is worse than you think - the vertical lnk and TRunnion are made by different workshops in different countries.
It is a miracle  they fir at all.

Roger

The forgings for the vertical links, and the brass trunnions were always made by different manufacturers. However they would have been made in the same country.

[Z320]

With good luck they have been selected in suitable pairs.

But the time it needs to screw, check and unscrew them - for the case they don’t fit well,

and to take a second and a third one to screw and unscrew, please be honest to yourself…..

[Peter V W]

19 hours ago, RogerH said:

Hi Peter,

 it is worse than you think - the vertical lnk and TRunnion are made by different workshops in different countries.
It is a miracle  they fir at all.

Roger

So Roger,

One would hope that these engineering firms can produce parts from a drawing/specification.

I hope the parts comply to B.S.I. Euro codes of practice. India codes.

So firm “A” and firm “B”  parts sold by shop “C” should fit.

Therefore we should be able to order parts from shop “C” in confidence that they fit.

Having to go through a box testing them for fit is a joke.

Quality control must be part of the process.

Peter

 

[PodOne]

Ball Joints would seem to be the answer going forward it will be interesting to see a solution.

Anyone know what happed to the project to produce them? A lot of folk signed up for them a while ago.

[multipletriumphsinner]

15 hours ago, Peter V W said:

 

One would hope that these engineering firms can produce parts from a drawing/specification.

Quality control must be part of the process.

 

 

I happen to know who makes the vertical links, and they take quality control very seriously, and as a former first tier accredited supplier to Unipart they are made to original drawings.

I'm not so sure about the trunnions. If its anything the same as the small chassis market supply there will be repro's (usually made in Turkey), and Stanpart branded made more locally. The small chassis trunnions branded Stanpart still use the original dies in their manufacture.

 

[Peter V W]

2 hours ago, multipletriumphsinner said:

I happen to know who makes the vertical links, and they take quality control very seriously, and as a former first tier accredited supplier to Unipart they are made to original drawings.

I'm not so sure about the trunnions. If its anything the same as the small chassis market supply there will be repro's (usually made in Turkey), and Stanpart branded made more locally. The small chassis trunnions branded Stanpart still use the original dies in their manufacture.

 

Thank you, useful info.

Who would you buy a vertical link and Trunnion from?

Peter

[multipletriumphsinner]

22 hours ago, Peter V W said:

Thank you, useful info.

Who would you buy a vertical link and Trunnion from?

Peter

For some considerable time there has been only one trader who would stump up the considerable outlay on a run of the 4A-6 links. They then factor it out to the trade as you know it, from which it is available retail.

As far as I'm aware there hasn't been a cheap imported repro alternative.

 

[RogerH]

Moss certainly did get them in and spread them out to the retailers. I bought one a few years back and it works perfectly

Today I bought a used one from the TRshop as I need it today. It looks very nice and i believe it will do a good job.

 

Roger

[Ian Vincent]

On 6/30/2026 at 10:54 AM, stuart said:

You can do a check yourself, jack up under the spring pan till the wheel is a couple of inches off the ground and use a long lever under the wheel and lift up and down that will show play anywhere in the trunnion cross bolt bushes, however unless your vertical link thread is as worn as the one I showed it will probably stay in the trunnion. I suspect the one shown was on the last bit of threads left in the trunnion and just had enough. 

Ive seen some bad ones over the years on dismantling like this one.

Stuart.

 

So, notwithstanding my TR3a being MoT’d on 30/06 I thought I would do this simple check. On one side there is no discernible play and on the other, I can feel a little click when I apply pressure to the long lever but can’t actually see any movement. 

I am assuming that’s probably acceptable but would be interested to have the views of the forum cognoscenti. 

Rgds Ian

[Charlie D]

9 minutes ago, Ian Vincent said:

I can feel a little click when I apply pressure to the long lever but can’t actually see any movement. 

I suppose that could be because  the trunion has less oil/grease in it compared to the other side.

Maybe worth trying to pump more into it and trying the test again.

[Ian Vincent]

26 minutes ago, Charlie D said:

I suppose that could be because  the trunion has less oil/grease in it compared to the other side.

Maybe worth trying to pump more into it and trying the test again.

Thks for that Chatrlie, I did give both sides a couple of pumps with the grease gun but I had stuff to do so I forgot to check again after i'd done it.  I'll do it when I get a moment.

Rgds Ian