fisch Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 I have this here nifty old school T/C rod kit. But being an artist I need visuals and there are no oics in the directions. Do I have this right? Do I need a second big washer between the rubber grommet and the body mount? is that big black washer facing the right direction? Also there are usually two rubber grommets with a metal tube spacer that goes inside them. Do I need a cut down version of that spacer still? (Cut because I am only running 1 now.) Quote Link to comment
Draker Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 Take a look at carterb's 1969 4 door thread. He just posted his install of this kit I think. Quote Link to comment
fisch Posted March 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 Take a look at carterb's 1969 4 door thread. He just posted his install of this kit I think. Hot damn you are right, but it was his coupe thread. That is perfect. He didn't show the back side of the assembly, but it looks like it is whatever the stock set-up on the other side of the body mount. Shouldn't be hard to figure out. FOr anyone who stumbles here in the future: http://community.ratsun.net/topic/44192-cooper-1969-1600sss-bluebird-coupe/page-7 2 Quote Link to comment
Draker Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 Yep, your right! lol At least you found it. Quote Link to comment
datsunwizard Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 A plus with that old TC kit, is that you have the TC boot, which are not in the new kits. Keeps dirt, water, etc out of the joint. Quote Link to comment
fisch Posted March 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 A plus with that old TC kit, is that you have the TC boot, which are not in the new kits. Keeps dirt, water, etc out of the joint. True! When i saw the metal sleeve that goes inside the old rubber bushings, the sleeve was rusty and pitted from being exposed. Quote Link to comment
mttam510 Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 G-Machine!!!!! w00t better keep some delrin replacements on hand, they break apart after a while.....also, make sure you properly radius the shoulder on the actual rod where the rearward washer stops....if you are adding more caster. square shoulder = fail. Quote Link to comment
KoHeartsGPA Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 vg30.com is not working..... Other sources? Quote Link to comment
fisch Posted March 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 G-Machine!!!!! w00t better keep some delrin replacements on hand, they break apart after a while.....also, make sure you properly radius the shoulder on the actual rod where the rearward washer stops....if you are adding more caster. square shoulder = fail. Will these automatically add caster when I tighten them down or will it be the same because of the rear rubber bushing is the same. And I hadn't read anything about filing a radius, thanks! So just round off the shouldered edge the washer rests on a little. But still leave some lip so that the washer doesn't slide down the rod? And where can I get replacement delrin balls? KOHeartsGPA I got these in an old school parts lot. These are G-machine. I've seen a couple other folks make them, but not sure where you'd get them if vg30.com is down? 2 Quote Link to comment
mttam510 Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 man, I don't recall. I took mine out after replacing the delrin 3X and went to an energy poly bushing that I removed material from (top and bottom) to allow suspension articulation without the added spring rate and bind. In order to add caster you will have to pull the LCA forward, if you have the same thickness bushing aft, your caster will not change, and I would suggest adding more than you prolly have now. On the radius cut on the TC rod (a concave radius at the shoulder), if this is not done, the rear washer will not be tightened up to a square edge, causing a bending moment when the suspension goes through its travel, which will eventually fail the rod. Quote Link to comment
Three B's Racing Posted April 15, 2016 Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 Ok I realize I'm late on this but had to comment. Fisch, your T/C kit should have come with a gauge used to measure/set the distance between the back of the back rubber insulators washer to the front of the T/C rods mount where the delrin piece rests. This sets your caster and yes it does pull in a bit more, but just a bit. I had one of these I've used since 1997 with no issues. I only recently replaced it because I went with Futofab adjustable T/C rods. When I removed the old T/C with delrin kit the delrin and it's cup were STILL!!!! in great shape and I would have no issue using it again. Mttam510 is partially correct but for the first original kits than came out in the 70's as those kits didn't last. I do know that if you over torque the ball it will fail and is why you use the supplied gauge and lubricant. I also have a new in box T/C kit but without the protective boot. I'd suggest mounting the kit with the t/c rod removed from the LCA this way you can check the articulation of the rod making sure you have no bind. Yeah I never cut a radius on my T/C rod and never had a failure in the 17 years I rand the T/C kit. Quote Link to comment
banzai510(hainz) Posted April 15, 2016 Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 I thought those will break. That's why T3 make the ball joint ones now 1 Quote Link to comment
Dime Dave Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 I've had cars with this kit on them. Over time the nylon "ball" wears. Typically the boot is missing, which is critical for keeping dust out and accelerating wear. The "C" shaped metal gage is important. It sets the proper compression on the rubber bushing. If the assembly is too tight, the nylon ball will distort and wear quickly. Fisch, I'd be willing to trade a set of FutoFab TC Rods for some graphics work. FutoFab needs an image for Mr. Futo, a Fat, Ugly, Tired & Old fabricator. 1 Quote Link to comment
fisch Posted April 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2016 Thanks folks. I do indeed have the little gauge and the dust covers. Dave, I wound up getting that '73 from down in Springfield. http://community.ratsun.net/topic/69215-fischs-1973-2-door-510-yet-to-be-named/ Got it at my cousin's who restores cars, and wants to work with me on it. But I AM going to need some things (Rear rockers. Lower QPs.) so we might have to work out a deal for Mr Futo! At the moment I am slammed, and need to stop being distracted by my Datsun addiction so I can hit an art deadline! LOL!! Quote Link to comment
carterb Posted April 23, 2016 Report Share Posted April 23, 2016 Fisch, your first picture is correct. PM me your address and I'll send you a gage. - never mind, after re-reading the thread I see you have one already. if you have the Experimental Engineering kit, the ball is UHMW, not Delrin. It lasts significantly longer. I don't think Dave's kits ever came with the boot though. Hainz, the popular way to break t/c rods is to use swap out the rubber bushings for polyurethane. They are too stiff so the t/c rod bends back and forth as it moves up and down. This tendency to destroy cars is lessened by drilling a bunch of holes in body of the bushing parallel to the center axis. --carter Quote Link to comment
fisch Posted April 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2016 THanks Carter! I actually have the really old school G-machine package. Were they the first? Quote Link to comment
carterb Posted April 23, 2016 Report Share Posted April 23, 2016 Not clear on the history. Dave would know. I believe he based his kit off the "Nissan Motorsports" kit. Whether or not that kit was supplied by G-Machine or if G-Machine made a copy later on, I couldn't tell you. --carter Quote Link to comment
Lozer Posted May 30, 2016 Report Share Posted May 30, 2016 Hey guys I scored one of these old school kits recently also. Could someone take a quick measurement of the "Guage" so I don't over torque mine. Quote Link to comment
Lozer Posted June 1, 2016 Report Share Posted June 1, 2016 on a side note. I'm thinking about cutting down the rubber bushing to get more caster out of the setup. Would this conceivably be a problem for the TC rod? Quote Link to comment
Doctor510 Posted June 1, 2016 Report Share Posted June 1, 2016 on a side note. I'm thinking about cutting down the rubber bushing to get more caster out of the setup. Would this conceivably be a problem for the TC rod? Not a super accurate way to set up your camber Quote Link to comment
Lozer Posted June 1, 2016 Report Share Posted June 1, 2016 I have a caster scale and i use spacers to dial it in. Im just wondering if it would cause a critical failure. (i intend to check for binding) Quote Link to comment
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