Stratton Jimmer Posted November 27, 2023 Report Share Posted November 27, 2023 Suspecting that there is something not quite right with my nearside rear suspension, I wanted to check the length of the adjustable radius arm. Haynes suggests that it is 16.71" and the Vitesse is 14.71" while the Triumph Workshop Manual shows it the other way round albeit that the diagram and its key are incorrect. What should it be? Here are two photos of the relevant diagrams from each book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted November 27, 2023 Report Share Posted November 27, 2023 Strange my copy of the WSM downloaded from Vitessesteve shows the same as your Haynes. Dimensions 1 and 2 have to apply to the GT6 arm as the Vitesse is straight and only has one dimension... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stratton Jimmer Posted November 27, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 27, 2023 I have the hard copy of that manual Johny and agree that the keys to the two drawings seem to have been swapped over. If that is the case, then the Haynes manual would agree with the WSM. I was hoping someone would know the definitive dimensions. When the weather is better tomorrow, I will whip the offside wheel off and measure that radius arm for a comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve P Posted November 27, 2023 Report Share Posted November 27, 2023 I have a pair in my shed I intended to use on my Herald CV conversion, just measured one at 17.5 inches, but that maybe wound out more than normal. I bought them from e bay so no idea of origin. When I converted my Vitesse MK 1 to CV I remember having to mount them in a different position on the rear outrigger. The ones in my shed have the angled ends as per that drawing. Bugger. S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Flinn Posted November 27, 2023 Report Share Posted November 27, 2023 This query's been discussed before on here, does this help? https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiI9MKvzOSCAxWZQUEAHXuTCBwQrAIoAHoECBoQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fforum.tssc.org.uk%2Ftopic%2F5267-rotoflex-gt6-mk3-radius-arms%2F&usg=AOvVaw2QufrTIw4OsCp86wvxiEXA&opi=89978449 Regards Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stratton Jimmer Posted November 27, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 27, 2023 (edited) 9 minutes ago, Gary Flinn said: This query's been discussed before on here, does this help? Just read through that thread and it doesn't really help. I need to see if my radius arm eyes are offset as per the diagram or straight. I will find out tomorrow when I take off the offside. These two images which I took when I fitted the CV shafts look as though the radius arm has no offset. In which case, how long should it be? Edited November 27, 2023 by Stratton Jimmer Additional information added. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted November 27, 2023 Report Share Posted November 27, 2023 I cant imagine youd get straight ones to fit on a GT6 surely? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stratton Jimmer Posted November 27, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 27, 2023 2 minutes ago, johny said: I cant imagine youd get straight ones to fit on a GT6 surely? In the other thread, Uncle Pete suggested that the brackets are angled so that the radius arm has eyes perpendicular to the arm with no offset. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puglet1 Posted November 27, 2023 Report Share Posted November 27, 2023 I have a Mk2 Vitesse- which I believe is very original and fairly un molested. I am in the process of overhauling the rear suspension so have just confirmed that my radius arms are offset. The measurement between the two bushes is close to 16.71. Does this help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted November 28, 2023 Report Share Posted November 28, 2023 17 hours ago, Stratton Jimmer said: Suspecting that there is something not quite right with my nearside rear suspension, I wanted to check the length of the adjustable radius arm. Haynes suggests that it is 16.71" and the Vitesse is 14.71" while the Triumph Workshop Manual shows it the other way round albeit that the diagram and its key are incorrect. What should it be? Here are two photos of the relevant diagrams from each book. Geometry tells us that a diagonal must be longer than the adjacent side, so the GT6 ones with the angled bush housings should be the longer, as shown in the WSM. Anyway, the WSM HAS to be Holy Writ, while Haynes only copies it, sometimes wrongly. JOhn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted November 28, 2023 Report Share Posted November 28, 2023 Im beginning to think the WSM also got it wrong not just on the crossed over dimensions but also which type of tie bar is used on Vitesse and GT6! I think the GT6 has the tie bar front mounts more inboard than the Vitesse and as the mk2 with roto flex suspension came out before the Vitesse with the same design presumably it was set up for that with STRAIGHT tie bars. Then the Vitesse with its more outboard mounts needed an ANGLED tie bars to allow the same axle to be used... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stratton Jimmer Posted November 28, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2023 The WSM keys to the two drawings are definitely swapped over as there is only one dimension on the straight rod and two for the offset rod. Haynes seems to have it right. The Vitesse has a longer wheelbase than the GT6 so I expect there to be differences in the radius rod length. I'm about to get the overalls on and go take a look at the six. I will let you know what I find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted November 28, 2023 Report Share Posted November 28, 2023 yes the second edition of the WSM corrects that error but in Puglets photo above his MK2 VITESSE tie bar is definitely angled.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stratton Jimmer Posted November 28, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2023 Well, things are not at all like either book. The radius arms are of the adjustable type but are straight with no offset at all. The eye holes are at 90 degrees to the rod. The length of the offside one was approximately 14.7" measured with a steel tape. The nearside one was 15". The brackets to which they fit are offset to cater for the angle between the hub and the chassis. Pictures to follow... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted November 28, 2023 Report Share Posted November 28, 2023 Yes I think we can reach a conclusion on the adjustable tie bars here for the records as the manuals are completely wrong: GT6 has straight with length of around 14.71" while Vitesse is angled and length 16.71 (to be confirmed).... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted November 28, 2023 Report Share Posted November 28, 2023 One thing that surprises me is that this design of tie bars is used at all on the roto flex axle because the extra pivot of the upright means it should only move in a straight up and down direction while the tie bar moves in an arc so something has to give🤔 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stratton Jimmer Posted November 28, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2023 I absolutely agree with you there Johny. Anyway, here are the photos of the radius arm and its chassis mount which is well inboard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted November 30, 2023 Report Share Posted November 30, 2023 but its made adjustable soyou can get the correct rear toe in having a preset length is just a rough staring point having a preset dimension is a hang over from production who never in any manufacturer like to have to adjust anything so preset lengths were often devised to save any on line adjustments during production i remember on assy they set the steering box and drag links on 8x4 before they dropped the engine and cab on ...caused hopeless straight ahead headaches and needed to induce a corrective error to correct it when cabs was dropped on. set the headlamps wthout locking the cab down good for low flying aircraft the manufacturers were full of these daft tricks gear remotes are another needs to be set to suit but they always wanted pre set then fight the pudding and stick as nowt lined up Grrrrr Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted November 30, 2023 Report Share Posted November 30, 2023 Yes but the rotoflex design is really fixed for wheel toe in by the extra pivots so all I can think is that as you adjust the tie bar youre just stressing the rubber bushes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted November 30, 2023 Report Share Posted November 30, 2023 so we change the/any adjustment is to suit variations in wishbone/chassis positions as on rotaflex the toe is adjusted by shims under the inboard pivot brackets ??? and that would change the link lengths a bit does that work ? Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve P Posted November 30, 2023 Report Share Posted November 30, 2023 No shims on mine, when I converted my Vitesse to Roto/CV the slight adjustment of toe required was done by the tie bar adjuster ,it is minimal so I cant see it stressing the bushes. I had to drill the outrigger as the tie bar bracket is further inboard than the MK 1. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trigolf Posted November 30, 2023 Report Share Posted November 30, 2023 No shims ever fitted on rear of my Mk2 Vit either. It has offset radius arms too. Many years ago I had the rear tracking set up by a knowledgeble local tyre fitter using the adjusters on the radius arms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gully Posted December 7, 2023 Report Share Posted December 7, 2023 On 30/11/2023 at 11:37, Pete Lewis said: as on rotaflex the toe is adjusted by shims under the inboard pivot brackets ??? On my Rotoflex GT6 there's plenty of adjustment in the tie bar adjuster to make quite a considerable difference to the toe. The way the geometry works, the adjuster is pretty effective. One side of mine was way out when I first had it, but straightforward to adjust. Gully 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now