Rupunzell
Bernice Loui
Hello Doug,
Drive a few good examples of a TR6 before deciding..if you enjoy the experience, that is good enough reason to own one regardless of what lies ahead. The TR6 is a very different car from a X1/9. It has a certain British charm, sound, style and feel that is uniquely British you won't find in a similar Italian car.
As for the hub failures, suspension failures are like wings falling off on airplanes, any failure is totally un-acceptable. Engine, transmission, differential, electrical failures are not as serious.
Think for a moment what could happen if the occupants were in a car and the wheel flies off without warning at 70+ Mph, totally losing control of the car and slamming into another car or something else on the road.
Here is a partial list of TR6 problem areas:
*rear hubs (thread to shaft interface is improperly designed).
Good aftermarket fix readily available.
*front axles (same problem as above, but the axle material is soft which means the axle bends under heavy braking or cornering resulting in strange feeling brakes).
Good aftermarket fix readily available.
*front hub is made of cast iron, four 3/8"x24 threaded holed retain the brake disc. It works, but I won't put my life on it. And the cast iron does like having it's tapered roller bearing races replaced. The material is soft and the press fit wears out after a few bearing race replacement cycles.
*front anti-roll bar to A arm mount, who designed this???? There is no possible way it will NOT bend under load.
*front lower A arm mounts on earlier TR6.
Triumph updated the design early 70's or use the aftermarket fix, requires welding.
*engine mounts can crack near the steering rack mounts.
*Rear "spring bridge" tends to crack hear the ends.
*trailing arm mounts on the frame section tends to rust from the inside out and resulting in....:rolleyes2:
*The frame is made from a 16 AWG sheet steel formed into a U and a C shaped section caps end and spot welded together to make a box. These fabricated square sections tend to rust from the inside out hidden by paint. There are several areas on the TR frame that rust can hide and cause a structural failure when least expected. The door gap tends to "grow" if the frame is in problem condition.
*differential mounts, they crack and the mount pins come loose resulting in a host of problems. Designed in problem, aftermarket fix readily available, requires welding.
*seats are mounted by four 1/4"x28 welded nuts directly on the floor boards. These will crack due to them being spot welded into the floor pan. Flexing of all parts involved over time which causes these cracks and could result in the seat(s) to go flying with the occupant in a crash.
*Several areas on the body where drainage is not properly done (just like the side pockets on the X1/9 engine compartment) allowing water to get into places causing hidden body rust problems.
*differential, seals, bearings and crown / pinion gear wear. No drain plug and expensive to fix. The Nissan R200 diff conversion is a better choice if diff repair is required.
*U joints on the half shafts tend to wear out sooner than later causing excessive rear end movement. Replacement is a CHORE, good aftermarket parts easily available.
*Sliding splines in the U joint half shafts then to loose lubrication and bind.It can cause the rear end to jump and hop while trying to get power to the ground around a corner. Take them apart, clean and re-lube with high quality moly grease.
*Cast aluminum trailing arms can crack, hub mounting studs can pull out of the casting due to fine threads in a soft aluminum casting.
*Trailing arm bushings tend to have a short life. Good aftermarket parts available.
*Lever arm rear shocks.. kinda of a real downer if one wants significantly better dampers.
*The semi-trailing arm rear suspension is a LOT of camber change over it's travel. Not the best geometry for cornering power. Dynamic roll center is about 6" above ground level, it's designed in and not easy to correct without a completely different rear suspension.
*Engine tends to spit thrust bearings causing excessive end play.
*cam lobes are too small relative to the cam followers resulting in excessive wear.
*cam runs directly in the cast iron block without bearings...
*crank counter weights are not designed for high RPMs (6,000 is PUSHING IT).
*crank is marginal for much over 170 Bhp.
*front engine sealing block is made of cast zinc, I have yet to see one where the threaded holes for the oil pan is not stripped resulting in a oil leak in that area.
*transmissions can pulverize it's second gear thrust bearings. Design of the gear and slider engagement teeth has a tendency to slip once worn.
*Card board transmission cover. Nice plastic ones are easily available via aftermarket.
*Clutch fork tends to shear it's mounting pin resulting no clutch. It's due to mis-matched fork to shaft hole taper. Numerous fixes for this problem.
*clutch fork shaft bearings can bind, improved bearings are available.
*clutch release bearing and it's support sleeve are problem areas along with the clutch disc and pressure plate. many aftermarket and OE fixed put forth on this.
*Mix of Lucas electrics, some are fine, others are ARgggggggggggg.....!!!!
*Zenith carbs are not always fun to deal with.
*rigid carb linkage allows throttle changes with engine movement.
*throttle shaft bearing are made of plastic which tends to wear resulting a sloppy throttle.
.....I'm tired of typing even if this list goes on...
Bernice
Drive a few good examples of a TR6 before deciding..if you enjoy the experience, that is good enough reason to own one regardless of what lies ahead. The TR6 is a very different car from a X1/9. It has a certain British charm, sound, style and feel that is uniquely British you won't find in a similar Italian car.
As for the hub failures, suspension failures are like wings falling off on airplanes, any failure is totally un-acceptable. Engine, transmission, differential, electrical failures are not as serious.
Think for a moment what could happen if the occupants were in a car and the wheel flies off without warning at 70+ Mph, totally losing control of the car and slamming into another car or something else on the road.
Here is a partial list of TR6 problem areas:
*rear hubs (thread to shaft interface is improperly designed).
Good aftermarket fix readily available.
*front axles (same problem as above, but the axle material is soft which means the axle bends under heavy braking or cornering resulting in strange feeling brakes).
Good aftermarket fix readily available.
*front hub is made of cast iron, four 3/8"x24 threaded holed retain the brake disc. It works, but I won't put my life on it. And the cast iron does like having it's tapered roller bearing races replaced. The material is soft and the press fit wears out after a few bearing race replacement cycles.
*front anti-roll bar to A arm mount, who designed this???? There is no possible way it will NOT bend under load.
*front lower A arm mounts on earlier TR6.
Triumph updated the design early 70's or use the aftermarket fix, requires welding.
*engine mounts can crack near the steering rack mounts.
*Rear "spring bridge" tends to crack hear the ends.
*trailing arm mounts on the frame section tends to rust from the inside out and resulting in....:rolleyes2:
*The frame is made from a 16 AWG sheet steel formed into a U and a C shaped section caps end and spot welded together to make a box. These fabricated square sections tend to rust from the inside out hidden by paint. There are several areas on the TR frame that rust can hide and cause a structural failure when least expected. The door gap tends to "grow" if the frame is in problem condition.
*differential mounts, they crack and the mount pins come loose resulting in a host of problems. Designed in problem, aftermarket fix readily available, requires welding.
*seats are mounted by four 1/4"x28 welded nuts directly on the floor boards. These will crack due to them being spot welded into the floor pan. Flexing of all parts involved over time which causes these cracks and could result in the seat(s) to go flying with the occupant in a crash.
*Several areas on the body where drainage is not properly done (just like the side pockets on the X1/9 engine compartment) allowing water to get into places causing hidden body rust problems.
*differential, seals, bearings and crown / pinion gear wear. No drain plug and expensive to fix. The Nissan R200 diff conversion is a better choice if diff repair is required.
*U joints on the half shafts tend to wear out sooner than later causing excessive rear end movement. Replacement is a CHORE, good aftermarket parts easily available.
*Sliding splines in the U joint half shafts then to loose lubrication and bind.It can cause the rear end to jump and hop while trying to get power to the ground around a corner. Take them apart, clean and re-lube with high quality moly grease.
*Cast aluminum trailing arms can crack, hub mounting studs can pull out of the casting due to fine threads in a soft aluminum casting.
*Trailing arm bushings tend to have a short life. Good aftermarket parts available.
*Lever arm rear shocks.. kinda of a real downer if one wants significantly better dampers.
*The semi-trailing arm rear suspension is a LOT of camber change over it's travel. Not the best geometry for cornering power. Dynamic roll center is about 6" above ground level, it's designed in and not easy to correct without a completely different rear suspension.
*Engine tends to spit thrust bearings causing excessive end play.
*cam lobes are too small relative to the cam followers resulting in excessive wear.
*cam runs directly in the cast iron block without bearings...
*crank counter weights are not designed for high RPMs (6,000 is PUSHING IT).
*crank is marginal for much over 170 Bhp.
*front engine sealing block is made of cast zinc, I have yet to see one where the threaded holes for the oil pan is not stripped resulting in a oil leak in that area.
*transmissions can pulverize it's second gear thrust bearings. Design of the gear and slider engagement teeth has a tendency to slip once worn.
*Card board transmission cover. Nice plastic ones are easily available via aftermarket.
*Clutch fork tends to shear it's mounting pin resulting no clutch. It's due to mis-matched fork to shaft hole taper. Numerous fixes for this problem.
*clutch fork shaft bearings can bind, improved bearings are available.
*clutch release bearing and it's support sleeve are problem areas along with the clutch disc and pressure plate. many aftermarket and OE fixed put forth on this.
*Mix of Lucas electrics, some are fine, others are ARgggggggggggg.....!!!!
*Zenith carbs are not always fun to deal with.
*rigid carb linkage allows throttle changes with engine movement.
*throttle shaft bearing are made of plastic which tends to wear resulting a sloppy throttle.
.....I'm tired of typing even if this list goes on...
Bernice
Last edited:
