Wedgie virgin needs a strong hand!!!

[wee man]

Well I finally popped my cherry and drove home in my first ever TVR.(350i Series 2 1987)
180 miles with no problem then something went BANG! And it wasn't me.
I thought the noise came from the front, my mate thought it was from the back??
I can now hear an occasional knock like something banging against the chassis or floorpan. Usually at low speed and when turning?
The second problem may or may not be associated but started after the BANG. A very sharp vibration when any rear pressure is applied to the gear stick. Putting the slightest pressure on the stick feels like pushing a stick into the spokes of a spinning bycicle wheel, causing a vibration that is too uncomfortable to hold. It changes and stays in gear as it did for the first 180 miles and behaves normally in all other respects??
It is going in the garage on the ramp in the morning any ideas what to be looking for????

[wedget]

Peice of pi55, It is probably the diff bolts, They have a tendancy to vibrate loose especialy if you dont have the right engine mounts. They are located at the rear of the car inbetween the wheels on the diff i kind of cant explain where they are but if you email me i can give you my phone no and go into detail, there are four bolts and they need constant tightening up possibly with locktight. I could be wrong but this is what PH is all about, Big pot loads of recipies

[wedg1e]

Only vibrates when rearward pressure applied to the stick? That could be the gearshift extension being clouted by the propshaft front U/J. I think what happens is that the gearbox leaks oil, which soaks into the rubber bushes that mount the extension to the rear of the 'box. The rubbers go soft, and whenever you go for 2nd or 4th, the leverage pulls the extension down until it hits the U/J. It may also be caused by the main gearbox mountings (under the box) going soggy in the same way, allowing the engine/box to tilt backwards under power.
You'll soon find out when you get underneath...

Oh... welcome, by the way!

Ian
'87 390SE
Teesside

[rus wood]

The other thing to check is the front anti-roll bar mountings. They can go with a bang and vibration often follows.
This is an easy one to check and easy to fix - but before you do get a copy of the Wedge Bible (shpub) and look at the modification that Steve suggests.

Russ

[streaky]

"They all do that!"

But, just what it is they all do in any particular circumstance is more difficult to say .

Welcome to the World of Wedging.

Streaky

[wedget]

It could also be the diff mount £200 quid fitted and modified for strenth

[grahamw48]

Hahaha!

Thanks for the list of 'banging things'.

Mine has so many bangs and vibrations, it's difficult to know where to start.

Now I have a few places to look.

[wee man]

Thanks everyone for your help and welcomings. Much appreciated.
The story continued:
Jacked the car up and BINGO the rear nearside wheel is flapping like a fish's gills......colapsed wheel bearing, and a little play in the offside. So with thanks to Richard Thorpe and a credit card number('s ok, I made it up), they will be here in the morning.
Hopefully that will see and end to the problem???
Any bets??


The diminuative wannabe.

[jim meehan]

chance to get some fresh clutch fluid in at same time -

>> Edited by jim meehan on Wednesday 28th July 22:33

[mhardy]

rus wood said:

The other thing to check is the front anti-roll bar mountings. They can go with a bang and vibration often follows. This is an easy one to check and easy to fix - but before you do get a copy of the Wedge Bible (shpub) and look at the modification that Steve suggests. Russ

hey russ that's intresting can you tell me more about that modification???

thanks

Matthijs (Holland)

[rus wood]

Best thing is to get the Bible (shpub) but as far as I remember: -

The anti-roll bar is held in by a thin sliver of metal that clips into a flat plate on the chassis and is then wrapped round the rubber and bolted on.

Trouble is that the clip can bend, the bolt isn't really up to it so it comes off and (as in my case) bangs along the bottom of the car until exiting behind.

Steve's mod (it may not be his but he documents it) is basically to use two bolts to keep the clip in place.

Russ

PS I have no connection with shpub other than being a happy reader of the wedge bible.

PPS don't allow the completeness of this answer put you off buying the bible - there is a lot of other good stuff in there.

[wee man]

I am happy to announe with my fingers crossed that this little epidose appears to be at an end.
With special thanks to Wedg1e and to Rus Wood who were both on the money with their suggested causes.

The nearside anti roll bar bracket had snapped, hence the BANG and subsequent knocking against the chassis.

Also the rubber bushes that mount the rear of the gearbox under the gear stick had perished and the back of this unit was hitting the propshaft U/J as perssure was applied to the stick.

So now I can get to play with my new toy at last........What's that?.....ITS RAINING!!!....#@£$£**&$"

The diminutive one.

[bhardy]

Funny thing is that my ARB bracket broke at the continental meeting (hmmm maybe i had put some sort of stress on it..... ) and my brothers ARB bracket went a few weeks later on a roundabout! We spend an hour replacing them this week.