Tub spread reversal ??

[Jeffds1360]

Hi guys, been thinking of some light work I could attempt whilst I am laid up and was wondering your thoughts on ratchet strapping my Herald CV to 'pull' back into line?

The passenger door bottom only protrudes about 10mm, if that, I was looking just to hook the straps over the inner rail in the hood well, beside the B post and putting some tension on and then increasing it daily.

I'm worried this might just rip the weld/fitting apart as opposed to pulling the post back in.

Any comments/suggestions please?

P.S. 9 days into chemo, they have reduced my treatment levels as it was causing me too much intestinal pain and peripheral neuropathy  boy that hurt.

ATB and merry xmas.

[Colin Lindsay]

Don't pull anything thin, like the hood rail; it needs a lot of pressure to bend the tub so hook to the b-posts; even then make sure you're not going to crease anything and it can break the spot welding. One other thing to try; loosen the door hinges where they attach to the door itself and twist the door. The door may sit out further at the front quarterlight area, which can be shimmed or adjusted back into line, but it may drop into line with the b-post at the rear too. 

[Wagger]

Colin is correct, as usual.

Attached is how I did it on my saloon. I was surprised that the door frame took this, but I did use two straps. I sat on them within the car.

However, the Tub has now relaxed and gone back half way to where it was some three months later. I considered putting a permanent tie-bar between the two seat belt anchor points with the Left and Right hand threaded adjuster used to adjust the bonnet. I do not intend to use the rear seats.

Making a sturdy frame might work but would still trip rear occupants up on exit.

If you search the forum  typing in "Tub spread" including the quotes, you will find pictures of how others did it.

You may also get some funny answers about sandwich fillings.

[Pdv]

Hi Jeff's,

Good luck with the body tub, you will get lots of help from on here, sorry as I can't  of the top of my head think who posted it but somebody made a rod threaded each end and then used that to gently adjust the tub.

I am sure you would be able to find it with a search, if not here then it may be on the Club Triumph site.

Wish you well and the gap at the top should be 45 1/12 inches.

Wish you well with your treatment as well.

All the best.

Steve

[Wagger]

Looking at how others did it, my method will not work on a convertible. It needs much stronger anchorage and kit. Definitely do not pull over the outer skin or a permanent crease will result.

[Jeffds1360]

Cheers guys, just woke up and aches not so bad.

Yea, I've seen the options/methods used in the other posts but my thoughts were to do it over a longer time period, many months and see if I can pull a bit of slack every few days. 

However, Colins reply has made me rethink and I need to find a better anchor point. .... I'll look into it when a bit better....I'm so BORED,  all this lying about and mollycoddling 

 

[Paul H]

Here’s a few photos which show how others have tackled body tub spread . The method I’m going to try is the last photo .

 

 

 

Paul

 

 

[Pete Lewis]

a CV takes more load than a saloon as the rar deck panel is deeper this stiffens it up , you will have to over pull double  to get the relaxed where you want it

yes takes a lot of load and much creaking and groaning as you pull in 

mine is the top picture paul posted just made from odds and sods   and thats on a saloon which is easier as it has the strong lugs on for the B post extension on the top of the wings

if you can get the door carcass to twist its a simpler option but not seen that work well so far 

any  straps over the wing top must be reinforced to stop the strap denting the wing profile 

 

[Paul H]

17 minutes ago, Paul H said:

Here’s a few photos which show how others have tackled body tub spread . The method I’m going to try is the last photo .

 

 

 

Paul

 

 

Forgot to say the reason for pic 3 being my choice is because body tub tub spread is only on one side 

Paul

[Badwolf]

Jeff - Hope things aren't too bad for you. I don't think that this job comes under the heading of 'light work' 

[Badwolf]

6 hours ago, Wagger said:

Looking at how others did it, my method will not work on a convertible. It needs much stronger anchorage and kit. Definitely do not pull over the outer skin or a permanent crease will result.

I'm sure there was a post about this subject earlier this year recommending using the seat belt anchorage points on the B posts for this excercise but I'm not 100% sure.

[Jeffds1360]

No seat belt mounting points on the 13/60 CV

 

[daverclasper]

There was an article in Courier a while back in the Bond section, where the member cut a long, thin wedge shape into the bottom of the B post, then welded up after pulling in. Apparently, very little stress on wings to pull in , little creaking, paint cracking etc. Have mentioned this technique before, though no response. Is it a bad idea?   

[Pete Lewis]

dont think putting that level of stress through a belt anchor is a good idea 

Pete

[Colin Lindsay]

What I found was that it takes enormous strain - really enormous 'can't get the ratchet any tighter' kind of tightening, and even then it springs out again once released. On my late 1200, if you look at the centre tunnel then as it tightens you can see the holes for the seatbelts actually moving downwards against the chassis, meaning that the wings are pulling in and the floors are being bent downwards by the stress. On release it jumps back up again. I was wondering - and you can replicate this downward movement by having someone suitably weighty stand on the centre tunnel with the seatbelt bolts removed - is if another hole was cut, higher up, at the exact point the floor reaches when the b-posts are in the proper place, and then, with the tub braced, the seatbelt mountings were screwed into place in the new position through the tunnel and into the chassis mounts, would this be enough to hold it? Would it make more difference if the outer body mounts were shimmed with larger spacers to allow more downward movement in the centre? Might be worth experimenting with... 

[ahebron]

I will add my ot effort to the mix. Top bracket on door pillar is bolted to the door lock plate and the top seat belt fixing point.
Lower fixings are inner and outer seatbelt fixing points with a brace to the handbrake pivot to keep it all in line. 
Obviously I have a fixing point made for the left side of the car
As well a pull ram I can fit a push ram for those moments when a little is too much. I over did it on this side and cracked the topdeck in the right rear corner of the tub, easily welded and primed.
I built it to pull each side individually as the strap method pulls both together and the weaker side mover first and the most.

More info here