Freyasgrandad

Hi All, Having replaced the Rotoflex set up with CV joint half shafts I've noticed a bit of a judder from the rear end on occasion. As the gearlever doesn't move when this happens I suspect that the rubber mounts on the diff are a bit old and in need of replacement with Poly ones. Question is can this be done without removing the entire rear suspension? Steve

A. I'm not that strong. B. Setting geometry without springs and shocks is the best way as you can adjust bump-steer as well. Steve

In theory at least, fitting an adjustable top wishbone of the Canley design should not alter Castor angle. As I want to reduce castor anyway I shall obviously measure it. After much thought I am going to do this job single seater style removing the springs and shocks and using ride height blocks whilst doing the geometry.

Thanks for all your input everyone I appreciate the information. Having looked at the suspension today I think I am going to go for Canley's adjustable wishbones simply because they will be much easier for me to install and adjust with my present reduced mobility and dexterity. Quite what I am going to use as ballast I don't yet know but there is a reason why geometry should be set laden. Steve

Advice Please. Having converted to CV rear shafts and telescopic shocks and renewed all bushes and trunnions my Vitesse has much improved rear grip. So much so that understeer is an issue when I push even a little. Given that the rear now drives with about 1 degree of negative I think it is probably best to try and get the front camber to at least 0. I know this is achieved with shims on the lower wishbone location points but are there assorted sizes available or is it just a question of adding more standard shims? Either way does anyone know the formula to calculate the required shim(s)? Steve

The problem is Dave that my faulty touch up paint wasn't from Halfords it was from much closer to home if you get my meaning. Steve

I've just got my Vitesse back from having the CV joint half shafts fitted along with standard length telescopic shocks. Tremendous difference but no going to dwell on that now. What I was shocked and concerned by was the condition of the inner UJs on both sides of the old shafts. I have the receipts for the rebuild of my car in 2008 at 67000 miles and it included new Rotoflex joints and UJs I won't say where from but not far from home, Ok that was 10 years ago but the car is now on 71000 miles, most done by me and whilst the Rotoflex joints actually seem fairly good both UJs were badly worn to the point of potential failure. As most owners will know this was not detectable with the shafts installed. Disaster averted check yours carefully Steve

I think a few people missed the point of my question here, anyway I took the car to a paint factor yesterday and had it scanned, they also scanned a sample of the touch up paint. So, my car was sprayed in and out with Ford Ermine White in 2008, when it was still available off the self. The touch up can is a bit strange, the closest colour match is with white primer although it is definitely gloss. According to the scan it contains more yellow and red than Leyland New White. Think I shall be returning the can ton the supplier, who to be fair does not mix the colours so really the fault is with their supplier. Anyway I now have the correct paint. Steve

Having looked at all the pictures I am inclined to think that my car IS code 19 so perhaps a better question would be has anyone else had issues with touch up paint from a highly reputable supplier? Steve

Thanks Colin, From the chart I suspect that mine may be Sebring White or as it was a modern respray even another manufacturer's colour. I shall have to experiment.

I know this sounds silly but before I make a fool of myself complaining to the supplier. My car's build records and trim plate all show it as being painted in Code 19 White. Now I know that she had a full respray back in 2008/9 but I assumed that this was in the original colour and several other Triumph owners have also expressed the opinion that it was Code 19. Recently I ordered a tin of touch up paint from a very reputable source, it duly arrived with a label on the bottom saying "TRIUMPH WHITE CODE 19". All good so far, until that is I actually went to use it, the paint is a creamy colour very similar to BMC Old English White or MINI Pepper White rather than the bright white of my car which is similar to Mazda Snowflake although without the pearl finish. Has my car been resprayed in another white, or is the supplied paint the wrong colour for Code 19.

Thanks everyone, I have replaced my switch today. Both the broken switch and my replacement are made of plastic/nylon and on both the flat was not very well defined and this made both removal and replacement a real pain. All done now though and yes the brake lights do work! Steve

Thanks Scrapman, I should have seen the flat on my replacement unit but Intermotor disguise it very well. Fortunately Snow has stopped play before I bodged it up!

Thanks Paul the picture makes it very clear. From the removal instructions in the manual I assumed that the nut was welded to the bracket. I shall hopefully be able to loosen the nut enough to turn what's left of the switch with my fingers. Thanks guys for all the adverts but I have a replacement switch already which is sadly of the plastic variety. Pete, on my car there is a separate pedal stop built into the bracket. Steve

Hi everyone after a year out due to a serious spinal injury In have got back to working on my cars and run into a problem straight away. In the course of fitting a new carpet set I have found that the Brake Light Switch has been broken beyond all hope of even a bodge. My problem is that there appears to be nothing to grip onto to unscrew it from the bracket other than a thin plastic disc. The manual isn't any help so has anyone removed one of these and can tell me is there a lock nut on the pedal side of the bracket or can I drift out the centre and use a stud extractor to remove the bugger? Many thanks Steve

I used to be firmly in the "keep it looking original" camp when I got the Vitesse. Until that was one of the fake Rostyle trims threw itself at the scenery on a semi rural road recently, a walk back along the footpath located it embeded in the severed branches of the hedgerow. Thank heavens that there was no one, especially a child, walking along the path at the time! No question in my mind, period style alloys such as Cosmic/Dunlop/Minilite replicas are absolutely fine and what a lot of owners would have fitted in the 60s and 70s. I have gone for Minilites with diamond cut rims and high gloss black centres with chrome nuts and cap almost mimic the Rostlyes. I also think that proper 5.5J steels with chrome knave plates look lovely and early Formula Ford steels will fit Triumph hubs. They look very nice but have no centre caps . Just avoid banded steels! I agree with Peter's remarks regarding better wheel studs but would point out that in addition to using larger studs it is possible to obtain stronger 3/8 studs as well. I have these fitted on my 1955 Standard 8 after breaking a stud whilst relining the brakes. Steve

Thanks Richard, Can I just confirm that the plate mounting bolts pass through both the insert and the boot lid please? Steve

When I got my Vitesse the boot lid inset panel was missing, the number plate was attached with double sided tape to a black metal frame that had two 3/8th UNF bolts that pass through the boot lid and are secured (naturally) with nuts inside the boot lid. I always assumed that the number plate frame was original and would bolt through the insert, but.... I have finally managed to obtain an immaculate original insert, complete with rubber washers and nuts and it is not drilled for any sort of number plate location at all. The insert is in such good condition that, although the seller did not know its' history, I think it possible it is unused NOS and has never had a plate attached. Question is, please can someone tell me what is the correct original factory method of fitting the number plate?

Just fitted new bearings to my Vitesse and the felt seals that came with them didn't fit. The other thing that I had a problem with was that the two alternative Split Pins in the kit don't fit either. One is too big to pass through the drilling, the other too small to retain the nut satisfactorily and after a short test run I had 0.012" end float due to both nuts having vibrated fractionally loose. Fortunately Halfords sell a pack of "assorted" split pins and luckily these contain two pins of exactly the correct size to firmly secure the castlated nut in the correct location. We did forty miles on Drive it Day and the end float remained at 0.006" as set.

Yes John, a very good question which did come first? I suspect that the piston ceased due to a very poor rebuild of the caliper, not by me I hasten to add, combined with a period of not being used over January and February but it must have been knocked back to have ceased where it did. The offside caliper was not ceased and the distortion on that mount was much less than on the nearside but it was also bent towards the wheel as was the nearside. I can't see that a kerbing impact would have bent the mounting and not damaged other parts of the suspension. The car has just clicked up 73000 miles and had original dealer service history until 66000 so I know the calipers were never worked on in that time. Therefore I assume that the calipers were done when the car was refreshed in 2008 and also assumed that the mounts might have been rusted on to the upright and were "persuaded" free with a large hammer but the evidence doesn't support that theory so frankly I'm not entirely sure what caused them to bend initially. You are correct that they are made from ductile iron but the design is such that natural braking stresses should not cause them to distort as they have. In truth I still suspect a large hammer was involved but I cannot find anything to prove or even support this idea. Interestingly the rear brakes have been rebuilt to a very high standard as has the rest of the mechanics and chassis of the car so why the fronts were so bodged up mystifies me. Steve

My Vitesse has never had what I'd call fantastic brakes, but along with I suspect many owners I put this down to my being used to modern servo assisted ABS equipped modern brakes. I'll try to cut a longish story short here. I recently fitted a new set of calipers to the Vitesse following discovering a ceased piston in one of my originals and realising that they had been very poorly rebuilt in the past. After fitting the new calipers I experienced a long, spongy pedal and very poor braking. Closer examination showed that the left caliper was not locating parallel to the disc causing one pad to reach the disc first but more worryingly then causing the caliper mounting plate to flex and the caliper to move laterally. With originals no longer available I contacted Canley Classics about their aluminium plates, the chap on the phone was very helpful but said he didn't believe that the original bracket could bend or flex without braking as it was cast iron and wasn't happy to sell me their plates without further investigation. Several other "experts" and "specialists" expressed the same opinion, in fact the phrases "I've never seen that in all the years I've worked on Triumphs" and more significantly "they all have poor brakes", became very familiar to me. I got the Canley plates anyway and fitted them today and yes BOTH the original caliper mounting plates were bent just beyond the bolt holes attaching then to the rear of the upright. As they came off easily and showed no sign of any other damage I have to assume that this is due to ceased or sticking caliper pistons causing side thrust on the calipers and in the right circumstances cast iron DOES bend, With the alloy plates fitted the calipers run true and the disc is centered in them, there is no flex or movement of the calipers and the brakes are superb not ABS standard of course but easily able to pull up the Vitesse quickly with no locking up or pulling. So, don't take it as read that "they all have poor brakes" if your Triumph brakes aren't all you would like for no apparent reason check your caliper alignment and look for any movement of the caliper when the pedal is pressed. Either or both is a good sign that the mounting plates have distorted.

Fixed! The Canley Ally mounts solved the problem, although fitting them is not a straight swap and you can't use the back plates with them. I'm going to put up a new post and send an article in to the Courier because I think other owners should be aware of this issue.

Thanks Pete, Bearings are new and in good condition, disc runs true but the caliper is at a slight angle. Further checking shows that this is almost certainly the nearside mounting plate, loose, broken or wrongly fitted so I have gone down the alloy bracket route and will strip and rebuild at the weekend. Am I right in thinking that the correct assembly order is sealing ring onto vertical link, bracket to link, disc shield over bracket and bolt all together? Steve.

So, here is a strange one. After a few weeks off the road whilst I was abroad the Vitesse celebrated my return by developing very poor brakes. A quick inspection revealed that one piston on the nearside caliper (which may become significant) was ceased tight. After a few attempts to free it off on the car I decided to buy a pair of new calipers and rebuild the old ones at my leisure. I fitted the new calipers, along with new pads and shims and whilst the brakes were better they were still not as good as they should be. Initial examination suggested that the same piston on the new nearside caliper was sticking but closer inspection with the help of a friend to pump the pedal showed that in fact one pad was hitting the disc earlier than the other causing the mounting bracket to flex and the caliper to move. The end result of all this was that when the brakes are released one pad is father back from the disc than the other causing a long pedal and reduced braking. My immediate thought was that the ceased piston had been stuck for longer than I had realised and this had caused the mounting plate to distort but today I discovered that the offside caliper is doing exactly the same thing although to a much lesser degree. Really close inspection of both calipers reveals that neither is actually perfectly parallel to the discs so that the pads do not contact the disc across their whole surface, the outer ones touch at the top, the inner ones at the bottom. Just to be clear here, the discs are recent replacements and run true. So I'm left with two possibilities. 1) the caliper mounting plates are distorted or 2) the new calipers have had the mounting holes and faces machined out of line. Wondering if anyone else has experienced anything similar and if it is worth changing to alloy mounting plates. Steve

Think I have got to the bottom of this, having taken both over riders off and measured them properly there is not as much difference in size as I first thought but that on the nearside is I suspect a reproduction and is slightly larger in all dimensions than that on the off side but made of a lighter gauge of steel. It is as Paul had advised not handed and was fouling on the bonnet hinge bolt and had not been properly fitted as a result. A quick reshape with a die grinder and it locates properly and the car no longer looks lopsided. Thanks Paul.