280i - Steering column U-joints and tie rod ends

[m2500tvr]

Okay, looks like I'm needing some new steering column universal joints and tie rod ends. The column in my '85 Series "1.5" is Triumph TR7/TR8.

Anyone know how/where to source these? U-joints Triumph TR7/TR8?

I'm in the US.

Thanks

Edited by m2500tvr on Tuesday 6th August 16:55

[mrzigazaga]

Hi Mate..You can get them from different suppliers but i found the most helpful to be David gerald TVR..There are several different types so they will ask you to measure the length of the existing UJ and the OD of the connecting shafts..Also a good tip when replacing these is to cut some lengths of motorcycle inner tube and slide over the shaft before fitting the new UJ's..Once the UJ has been fitted you cover the UJ with the inner tube and cable tie the bottom end and then pack with lithium or equivalent grease and then cable tie the top..Do this with each of the UJ's and they will last a lot longer..Hope this helps...Cheers...Ziga
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=d...
I found these but they are in the states but not a massive issue..
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=T...

Edited by mrzigazaga on Wednesday 7th August 17:19

[m2500tvr]

Hi, Ziga:

Thanks for the reply. I am in the US. I've send an email to David Gerald. It would be great to source these for the US. That eBay link is for TR6 bits.

-Steven

[mrzigazaga]

Hi..Have you tried Marshall Moore TVR..I think he is in North America..Im not too familiar with the running gear on the M..Sorry...Ziga

[gog440]

mrzigazaga said:

Hi..Have you tried Marshall Moore TVR..I think he is in North America..Im not too familiar with the running gear on the M..Sorry...Ziga

Zig he has a 280i too.

[m2500tvr]

Marshall is out of the parts business.

Anyone have any part numbers? Tie rod ends from a Cortina Mk4.

[mrzigazaga]

Sorry..Not paying attention..Family issues...The track rod ends are from a cortina mk4-5..
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TRACK-ROD-END-PAIR-for-F...
You will still need to measure the length of the UJ's..The OD of the steering column and joining shafts between UJ's and steering rack..Cheers..Ziga

[m2500tvr]

Thanks, Ziga.

Any ideas of how to source alternative or off-the-shelf parts for the steering shaft and u-joints? Looking at this, this could be fabricated with a simple shaft and u-joints, though as I recall the shaft going into the rack is splined?

[mrzigazaga]

Hi Mate..Not sure about off the shelf parts...You might get TR7 UJ that fits the column but not the joining shaft..I dont think it was that simple..If the column is TR7 and the rack cortina then perhaps the joing shaft between the UJ's might be the same as the column but the shaft connecting the UJ to the rack will be different..Also the knuckles/UJ's used on RHD cars was different to that of LHD cars..If you can find someone that sells a selection of UJ's then measure the length of each UJ and the outer diameter of the steering column..Connecting shaft and bottom UJ connection to the steering rack..You might be able to match some up but i wouldnt hold your breath..Also make sure that you have established what column you actually have as im not sure as regards to US wedges..There were three columns used..TR7..Ford granada and SD1 rover..Someone with a US spec wedge might be able to help more..Ziga

[m2500tvr]

Thanks for your help, Ziga. I've got a TR7/8 column. Didn't know about the Granada column.

The rack is from at Cortina Mk 2??

Those are the dimensions - shaft diameters, rack and column, spline count, u-joint length.

I've gotta take a closer look at it all. I really haven't yet.

The TR7/8 used a shaft portion with a u-joint built in at one end. As many times as I've seen it, I don't recall. Does the 280i use separate, replaceable u-joints? That could make things easier.

I'm used to sourcing lots of bits for racing cars. LOADS of stuff is available, and very few bits are so special that often good, or even better, alternatives, can be found. Especially track/tie rod ends and universal couplings. We'll see. Certainly haven't found these things yet =8^O

Edited by m2500tvr on Tuesday 6th August 22:07

[Wedg1e]

If you know what you're doing it's possible to dismantle the column UJs and replace the cruciform joint.
I have in front of me some scribbled notes that I made when I did just that on my '80 Tasmin back in about 1996/7... it says the joints were "made by NACAM or NAGAM, Lic. Nadella." and shows part of a logo that looks a lot like the one on Nadella's website:

http://www.nadella.de/index.php?id=22

None of this is any use whatsoever of course - what may be of use is that the joint is 80mm long overall, 40mm wide at the widest point. The OD of the splined shafts is 14mm each side (that'll be 9/16" in proper money) and the holes for the clamp bolts are 8mm clear.
There are approx 36 splines on each shaft end.
The cruciform joint itself has caps that are 16mm diameter and the dimension across the caps (at the point they're staked) is 38mm, although the caps are domed so they measure 40.5mm across the domes. My old ones were marked 'CNS Nadella 10-09'. The yokes were marked with the Nadella logo on one half and 'SM' on the other. I've seen two versions of these joints; one (the Nadella type) is made from folded steel and the other is forged.
If you aren't comfortable with undoing and redoing the staking then you're probably better off replacing the whole joint... if you can find one. They aren't Triumph and they're not MGB either...

[RCK974X]

Parts List.....

Steering Column is TR7, later ones are Rover SD1.
Steering Rack is Cortina mk4/mk5 (the square looking one) both manual and power steering versions.

Connector between column and rack is a TVR special (or at least nobody know where it comes from), and there are a few different UJs which may connect it all together. David Gerald has good knowledge, probably others too ?

Front suspension is Cortina Mk4 for suspension arms and ball joints etc, but the stub axles and assemblies (brakes, bearings, etc) are Granada mk2. Obviously springs and shocks are TVR specials.

I don't think any of those models were ever sold in the states, so unfortunately it's probably emails and international parcel deliveries !! On the other hand Granadas and Cortinas were sold all over Europe and Cortinas made it to Australia and South Africa, so not exactly rare...

[m2500tvr]

Thanks for all the information. That's the challenge in the US. Lots of these donor parts cars were made, but none came to the US market. Digging deeper...

Dug deeper, still digging.

Wedg1e, VERY interesting idea to rebuilt the joint! Thanks.

Edited by m2500tvr on Sunday 18th August 23:00

[m2500tvr]

Made some measurements:

Steering Universal Joints
Upper U.J. – 62mm long and reversible – the steering rod is 15mm/9/16” diam

Measured on my car:
Intermediate rod – 0.675” dia. intermediate rod
Spline count – ?? 26? 36?
Rod, splined, coming out of firewall and coupling to u-joint – 0.75”
Spline count – ?? 48?
Universal joints – 3.5” L
Rack input shaft diameter –
Spline count – ??
Shaft diameter from steering wheel into break away collar/shaft – 0.565”
Input shaft into rack – 5/8” 0.625”
Spline count – ??

All in inches. Any of this make sense?

Thanks.