Gordon R Posted March 4, 2019 Report Share Posted March 4, 2019 A friend is restoring a kit car based on the Triumph Herald. The normal front coil over shock absorber has a cylindrical bush at the bottom - which takes a 7/16UNF bolt - and the threaded rod at the top of the shock. This bolts to the top suspension plate, via some bushes. Current shocks are kaput. His version has a cylindrical bush at either end and he is having difficulty locating a replacement. The bushes are 9.5mm inside diameter and 330mm between bush centres. Has anyone repaired or restored a Triumph Herald who could offer advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bala Posted March 4, 2019 Report Share Posted March 4, 2019 1 hour ago, Gordon R said: A friend is restoring a kit car based on the Triumph Herald. The normal front coil over shock absorber has a cylindrical bush at the bottom - which takes a 7/16UNF bolt - and the threaded rod at the top of the shock. This bolts to the top suspension plate, via some bushes. Current shocks are kaput. His version has a cylindrical bush at either end and he is having difficulty locating a replacement. The bushes are 9.5mm inside diameter and 330mm between bush centres. Has anyone repaired or restored a Triumph Herald who could offer advice? The Triumph Sports Six Club Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted March 4, 2019 Report Share Posted March 4, 2019 Same suspension as triumph spitfire which still has specialist suppliers and restorers, databases are probably better than for herald Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fen tiger Posted March 4, 2019 Report Share Posted March 4, 2019 Rimmer brothers at Bracebridge heath Lincoln, they will have what you need. https://rimmerbros.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIl_2k5p7p4AIVZrvtCh0HjAIMEAAYASAAEgIhRfD_BwE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted March 4, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2019 I can't see the shockers on the website - he is going to have to research and ring around. Thanks for the advice to all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted March 4, 2019 Report Share Posted March 4, 2019 might be a good opportunity to look into an upgrade as the suspension wasn't that good even in its day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted March 4, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2019 (edited) I was shocked at just how flimsy the suspension is. The wishbones at the front are wafer thin. Edited March 4, 2019 by Gordon R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted March 4, 2019 Report Share Posted March 4, 2019 (edited) Yes and the tight steering caused it to dip excessively on hard cornering. I think its ripe for harder suspension, maybe GT6 or what ever. I'm not really up on the subtle differences. Edited March 4, 2019 by Vince Green Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fen tiger Posted March 4, 2019 Report Share Posted March 4, 2019 It could be being a kit car it will have shorter stifer front springs compared to the stock road car, If its a Marlin T mk1 or a T M Marlin it will have lower springs, Not all kit cars did but many did, the front suspension on the Triumphs was quite good for the day, the big let down was the swing axle back end where if you backed off in a corner they got out of shape fast. They inproved them as time went on but the early GT6 and viteses were terible on that back axle layout. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matone Posted March 5, 2019 Report Share Posted March 5, 2019 Seem to recall lots of them having `offs` back in the day !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fen tiger Posted March 5, 2019 Report Share Posted March 5, 2019 28 minutes ago, matone said: Seem to recall lots of them having `offs` back in the day !!! Power off oversteer was a factor with the swing axle triumphs, i seem to recall the Americans made a car called the Corvair it was a back engine with rear swing axle bit like the VWs but engine was heavier 6 cylinder and suck through turbo model was offered . These cars were lethal and a guy wrote a detailed book on this car called something along the lines of unsafe at any speed. And the swing axle got blamed for much of the issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amateur Posted March 5, 2019 Report Share Posted March 5, 2019 30 minutes ago, Fen tiger said: Power off oversteer was a factor with the swing axle triumphs, i seem to recall the Americans made a car called the Corvair it was a back engine with rear swing axle bit like the VWs but engine was heavier 6 cylinder and suck through turbo model was offered . These cars were lethal and a guy wrote a detailed book on this car called something along the lines of unsafe at any speed. And the swing axle got blamed for much of the issues. Ralph Nader "Unsafe at any speed" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted March 5, 2019 Report Share Posted March 5, 2019 Herald was one of my first cars. It was a 1200 and i put a 1360 engine in it and ran it with the filter housing off, and without the wheel trims to reduce weight. 🙂 It was awesome 😍 Used to lift the engine by standing on the suspension with a strap around the block over my shoulders. The gearbox tunnel was made of some sort of compressed board and you could see the road going past through the holes in the floor. The steering would turn nearly 90deg. Wonderful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul1966 Posted March 5, 2019 Report Share Posted March 5, 2019 used to have a herald 1360 convertible, great car and fun to drive, still miss having it today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fen tiger Posted March 5, 2019 Report Share Posted March 5, 2019 2 hours ago, amateur said: Ralph Nader "Unsafe at any speed" That sounds familiar in this book he mentioned the corvair and its swing axle layout, the corvair went out of production i guess at least partialy to what he wrote about it in that book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amateur Posted March 5, 2019 Report Share Posted March 5, 2019 2 hours ago, Fen tiger said: That sounds familiar in this book he mentioned the corvair and its swing axle layout, the corvair went out of production i guess at least partialy to what he wrote about it in that book. Its a good many years since I read his book, but Ralph Nader had a dramatic effect on the US carmakers' attitude to safety. I believe that the safe positioning of "gas" tanks was one of the first things that they addressed, as well as seat belts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davyo Posted March 8, 2019 Report Share Posted March 8, 2019 On 04/03/2019 at 17:11, Gordon R said: A friend is restoring a kit car based on the Triumph Herald. The normal front coil over shock absorber has a cylindrical bush at the bottom - which takes a 7/16UNF bolt - and the threaded rod at the top of the shock. This bolts to the top suspension plate, via some bushes. Current shocks are kaput. His version has a cylindrical bush at either end and he is having difficulty locating a replacement. The bushes are 9.5mm inside diameter and 330mm between bush centres. Has anyone repaired or restored a Triumph Herald who could offer advice? MOSS Europe can supply any part for almost ever classic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted March 8, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2019 Sadly - Moss Europe only supply the type with a hole at the bottom and a bolt sticking out of the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westward Posted March 8, 2019 Report Share Posted March 8, 2019 On 05/03/2019 at 13:32, Fen tiger said: That sounds familiar in this book he mentioned the corvair and its swing axle layout, the corvair went out of production i guess at least partialy to what he wrote about it in that book. That's about right. Swing axles have a trick where under higher G cornering such as a swerve the suspension jacks up suddenly, the outer wheel tucks under and the car flips over. It can happen on any car with swing axle rear suspension but with rear engine cars like the Corvair it's much worse. Another bad one was the rear engine Skoda Estelle which the AA tried (and failed) to have banned from sale in Britain for being unsafe but the importers got round it by fitting wider wheels and stiffer shock absorbers. The bodges didn't stop the suspension from jacking up, instead it happened at higher speeds making the car even more dangerous. A lady I worked with was nearly killed when teaching her daughter to drive. The girl turned the steering too sharply and the Estelle flipped over and slid into a ditch which actually saved them from 100 foot fall down a steep slope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fen tiger Posted March 8, 2019 Report Share Posted March 8, 2019 The Corvair bettle the skodas all rear engined which should have helped with stopping the roll centre lift, but the rear end mass acts like a pendulum and if your not smooth it gets out of shape, and turn and shut off this moves weight off the back wheels tuck in more and its a accident in the making regardless of driver skill. Lowering a swing axle on a herald spitfire kit derivarives is strange as you have to lengthen the spring shackle plates give the car a bit more tuck in at top of wheel and if your smooth get your entry speed and line right in the corner and be negative power or on the power a little you can get good performance from these cars even without the latter MK3 gt6 or mk 4 spitfire improvements. In fairness to triumphs back then the front suspension was not at all bad the TM Marlin kit cars handled well for what they were TM stood for Triumph/ Marina thus Triumph Herald vitese spit front end with Marina rear axle and leaf strings. These were lowered both front coils/ shock and longer spring shackles and aloy spacers to drop the back end down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted March 8, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2019 Interesting. I need to look at the Herald chassis to see if it is original or modified. It might be easier to convert the top back to a standard plate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fen tiger Posted March 8, 2019 Report Share Posted March 8, 2019 4 minutes ago, Gordon R said: Interesting. I need to look at the Herald chassis to see if it is original or modified. It might be easier to convert the top back to a standard plate. Has it got the Triumph uprights that bolt to chassis or do moss nake something different. Marlins use the standard triumph upright sections ex vitese spit herald gt6 etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted March 8, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2019 Not actually seen the chassis yet. Most parts are in Bolton - chassis is in Yorkshire. My friend just popped round and aske me to get the springs off the coil overs. I had no compressors that small, but made one. It was only when I researched the parts that I mentioned to him about a bolt hole at either end. He had already bought a pair of incorrect shockers - which have since been returned. I think I need to see what exactly is involved. He has been restoring it for about seven years and this problem has only just surfaced. Just a bit worrying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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