Vixen S2 rolling chassis shoping list
Discussion
I am planning the rebuild of the rolling chassis on my S2. Could any kind soul supply me with a complete shopping list of parts required to refurbish the running gear, ie bushes, bearings,components required for the rear uprights etc, etc.
What is the concensus regarding bush material ie poly or rubber?
What is the concensus regarding bush material ie poly or rubber?
This is a how long is a piece of string question.
Starting with the front corners:
Uprights - Many will say chuck the old ones as a matter of course and replace them with new. There is some sense in this, but at the very least check that the threads on the bottom are not damaged.
Stub axels - should be OK, but often arn't. Check they are not scored, or blued by the bearing turning on the shaft. If you arn't sure chuck them, they are cheap as chips. That said, new ones often have poor quality machining.
Wheel bearings x2 each side, Oil seals each side. TR6 fitting, but don't buy the cheapies from E bay (or indeed many Triumph specialists). Get Temkens or similar quality. Yes, I know they will cost about 3X as much.
Consider discs too, after all, the whole suspension is in bits. There will never be an easier time to do the job.
Steering arm - Pray its OK, because you cant get them (having said I think that new hand made ones are available from one Lotus specialist).
Speaking of brakes check and refurb your brake calipers - If they are suspect, or siezed, its just as cheap to get your old original ones refurbed by BigRed or similar as it is to buy a Chinese import.
If you are redoing the suspension then trunions each side as a matter of course.
Top swivels, check for play, I believe they are TVR specials but available through speicalists.
I would also check the track rod ends, but beware, TR6 spares suppliers are currently supplying some pretty crap TREs which have been known to last <6m on the car without the boot perishing. Find a supplier of decent ones, or you will be doing it again before the next Controle Technique.
As far as bushes go, this is really a matter of personal choice if its a road car. Polybushes are expensive in comparison, but if you are one of those people who like to "press on" then maybe you should consider it. I may not have bothered if they didn't come with the car. Some people swear by them some say that its hard to tell the difference unless you are pushing the car very hard.
Rear suspension, well, there is a thread running right now all about that, but in summary
Dismantling is realtively straight forward, Get decent bearings again. Repacing the bearing shells can be a specialist job and doing the crush tubes is something worth researching. You will need new oil seals X2 each side)
I think Ive rambled enough now. I ll leave it to the experts, finally, Vixen parts list here in case you weren't aware
http://www.zen11896.zen.co.uk/vixen/parts/index.ht...
Starting with the front corners:
Uprights - Many will say chuck the old ones as a matter of course and replace them with new. There is some sense in this, but at the very least check that the threads on the bottom are not damaged.
Stub axels - should be OK, but often arn't. Check they are not scored, or blued by the bearing turning on the shaft. If you arn't sure chuck them, they are cheap as chips. That said, new ones often have poor quality machining.
Wheel bearings x2 each side, Oil seals each side. TR6 fitting, but don't buy the cheapies from E bay (or indeed many Triumph specialists). Get Temkens or similar quality. Yes, I know they will cost about 3X as much.
Consider discs too, after all, the whole suspension is in bits. There will never be an easier time to do the job.
Steering arm - Pray its OK, because you cant get them (having said I think that new hand made ones are available from one Lotus specialist).
Speaking of brakes check and refurb your brake calipers - If they are suspect, or siezed, its just as cheap to get your old original ones refurbed by BigRed or similar as it is to buy a Chinese import.
If you are redoing the suspension then trunions each side as a matter of course.
Top swivels, check for play, I believe they are TVR specials but available through speicalists.
I would also check the track rod ends, but beware, TR6 spares suppliers are currently supplying some pretty crap TREs which have been known to last <6m on the car without the boot perishing. Find a supplier of decent ones, or you will be doing it again before the next Controle Technique.
As far as bushes go, this is really a matter of personal choice if its a road car. Polybushes are expensive in comparison, but if you are one of those people who like to "press on" then maybe you should consider it. I may not have bothered if they didn't come with the car. Some people swear by them some say that its hard to tell the difference unless you are pushing the car very hard.
Rear suspension, well, there is a thread running right now all about that, but in summary
Dismantling is realtively straight forward, Get decent bearings again. Repacing the bearing shells can be a specialist job and doing the crush tubes is something worth researching. You will need new oil seals X2 each side)
I think Ive rambled enough now. I ll leave it to the experts, finally, Vixen parts list here in case you weren't aware
http://www.zen11896.zen.co.uk/vixen/parts/index.ht...
Edited by Astacus on Monday 6th August 21:35
Edited by Astacus on Monday 6th August 21:37
Edited by Astacus on Tuesday 7th August 00:05
A couple of things to add to that excellent list ..
Front uprights bend easily at the thread join to upright - check they are straight. If it's been bent a while, trunnion can elongate the holes on the lower susp. arm too. (been there !)
Rear uprights, if you reuse them, check the steel rod at the bottom is straight - it also tends to bend (not as bad on S2 as S3 which had a single spring and shock).
change all the UJs anyway...
steering arms - apparently you can use Herald ones and heat them to bend them (yuk!!) but I don't think that's wise if you have any other options... originals are Triumph standard 8 or something ridiculous like that...
Front uprights bend easily at the thread join to upright - check they are straight. If it's been bent a while, trunnion can elongate the holes on the lower susp. arm too. (been there !)
Rear uprights, if you reuse them, check the steel rod at the bottom is straight - it also tends to bend (not as bad on S2 as S3 which had a single spring and shock).
change all the UJs anyway...
steering arms - apparently you can use Herald ones and heat them to bend them (yuk!!) but I don't think that's wise if you have any other options... originals are Triumph standard 8 or something ridiculous like that...
Edited by RCK974X on Monday 6th August 22:31
Thanks thats very helpfull.
RCK97X, you say "S2 as S3 which had a single spring and shock" ... that is interesting as mine has four dampers with springs fitted to the rear most.
I did contact David Gerald for the build sheet, he said, although my chassis number was correct for a four cylinder Vixen, the build sheet contradicted this and sugested a six cylinder engine...Tuscan?
Strange things TVR's !
RCK97X, you say "S2 as S3 which had a single spring and shock" ... that is interesting as mine has four dampers with springs fitted to the rear most.
I did contact David Gerald for the build sheet, he said, although my chassis number was correct for a four cylinder Vixen, the build sheet contradicted this and sugested a six cylinder engine...Tuscan?
Strange things TVR's !
pigiron said:
Thanks thats very helpfull.
RCK97X, you say "S2 as S3 which had a single spring and shock" ... that is interesting as mine has four dampers with springs fitted to the rear most.
I did contact David Gerald for the build sheet, he said, although my chassis number was correct for a four cylinder Vixen, the build sheet contradicted this and sugested a six cylinder engine...Tuscan?
Strange things TVR's !
Intriguing, I wonder whether it was specced like that for the customer, or whether there is some confusion over the chassis numbers on the sheet.....|Have you got any history with the car?RCK97X, you say "S2 as S3 which had a single spring and shock" ... that is interesting as mine has four dampers with springs fitted to the rear most.
I did contact David Gerald for the build sheet, he said, although my chassis number was correct for a four cylinder Vixen, the build sheet contradicted this and sugested a six cylinder engine...Tuscan?
Strange things TVR's !
My understanding is -
S2 had 4 shocks & springs.
S3 had only two (shorter bar, so the weight resolves all on one side - BAD !)
DG sells longer bars and my S3 now has 4 units too....
chassis numbers are 1234/4 or 1234/6 where last digit is engine cylinders (Kent or Essex)
if it has a T at the end it was a Triumph engine
I think that's right ? Anyone ??
S2 had 4 shocks & springs.
S3 had only two (shorter bar, so the weight resolves all on one side - BAD !)
DG sells longer bars and my S3 now has 4 units too....
chassis numbers are 1234/4 or 1234/6 where last digit is engine cylinders (Kent or Essex)
if it has a T at the end it was a Triumph engine
I think that's right ? Anyone ??
OOPs, you are right - forgot about that...
TVR changed number sequence in S2 somewhere.
Earlier style is LVX1234/F which is a 4 cyl S2. (Ford Kent)
ALL (?) V6 models got a /6
I beleive this is right, but can anyone confirm ?
TVR did change the sequence numbers around a bit....
My S3 doesn't have the LVX on the front for example, which apparently it should...
TVR changed number sequence in S2 somewhere.
Earlier style is LVX1234/F which is a 4 cyl S2. (Ford Kent)
ALL (?) V6 models got a /6
I beleive this is right, but can anyone confirm ?
TVR did change the sequence numbers around a bit....
My S3 doesn't have the LVX on the front for example, which apparently it should...
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