PRE RESTO SHOW CHECK
1 David Harvey from the Triumph 2000 & 2500 Register casts his expert eye over our 2500TC’s engine bay before diving under the front of the car to inspect the condition of the track control arm mounting bolts.
2 First problem David spotted was that both the top mounts on the suspension towers were past their best. The damper piston rises as the rubber in the mount degrades, so fitting new mounts is now on our to- do list.
3 The next issue that needs sorting out is a slight leak from the top hose close to the header tank. As both hoses look as if they’re the originals, replacements have been ordered and will be fitted at a later date.
4 As the front crossmember and sump are going to be removed from our car before replacing the thrust washers during the Restoration Show, it made sense to ensure the notoriously difficult to remove track control arm bolts weren’t seized solid, as this would stop work.
5 As it was very difficult to photograph the area around our Triumph’s track control arms with the car on ramps and two of under under the car, David used a spare control arm to show how the bolts can seize inside the rubber bush.
6 Thankfully the bolts on our car weren’t seized and although David fitted new lock nuts, the old bolts will be replaced with shiny new ones when the suspension’s rebuilt at the NEC.
7 While the car was up on the ramps, we decided to fit a new clutch slave cylinder as the old one was leaking slightly. Fitting a brand new cylinder was easier than using a seal repair kit and has cured the juddering when letting the clutch out.
9 When the new slave cylinder was back in place, David explained how this part is sometimes fitted to the front of the engine plate rather than at the back. Getting it the wrong means the rod won’t act on the piston inside the cylinder.
While David Harvey was under our car he noticed a missing grommet where the double skinned panel had been drilled 40-odd years ago during the aftermarket rust proofing process. Fitting a new grommet into the hole wasn’t easy but it will keep any water splashes and debris out.
8 Like a lot of the major components on our 2500TC, the old clutch slave cylinder was the original and looked well past its sell-by date. Ours had a one-inch bore, while some Triumphs use a different sized cylinder, so check before ordering.
10 A great tip David showed us was to fill the new clutch slave cylinder with brake fluid before attaching it to the car. This method worked a treat and we didn’t have to bleed the system after topping up the master cylinder.