Williams - How to improve Triumph TR2-4A

First printed in paperback format in 2003.

First published in ebook format 2014 by Veloce Publishing Limited, Veloce House, Parkway Farm Business Park, Middle Farm Way, Poundbury, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 3AR, England Fax 01305 250479 e-mail info@veloce.co.uk web www.veloce.co.uk or digital.veloce.co.uk.

Ebook edition ISBN: 978-1-845848-11-8

Paperback edition ISBN: 978-1-903706-80-0

Roger Williams and Veloce Publishing 2014. All rights reserved. With the exception of quoting brief passages for the purpose of review, no part of this publication may be recorded, reproduced or transmitted by any means, including photocopying, without the written permission of Veloce Publishing Ltd. Throughout this book logos, model names and designations, etc, have been used for the purposes of identification, illustration and decoration. Such names are the property of the trademark holder as this is not an official publication.

Readers with ideas for automotive books, or books on other transport or related hobby subjects, are invited to write to the editorial director of Veloce Publishing at the above address.

All Ebook design and code produced in-house by Veloce Publishing.

Contents

Acknowledgements & about the author

Foreword by Pete Cox

Chapter 1.

First checks

Establish whats involved

Should you remove the body?

Strengthening the ladder chassis

Fit a TR4 chassis

Strengthening your existing chassis

Strengthening the IRS chassis

Welding

Safety structures

Rear roll bars

Roll cages

Surrey backlight and roll protection

Chapter 2.

The integrated suspension package

Front suspension

Front wishbone assembly

Front suspension bushes

Front shocks

Front anti-roll/sway bars

Caster angles

Negative camber

Rear suspension

Rear shocks

Rear anti-roll/sway bars

Replacement rear springs

Live rear axle

Steel Girling hubs

Gear ratios and LSDs

Sidescreen steering

TR2/3B spring-loaded steering box top cover

Steering bushes

Caster angle changes

Steering rack conversions

TR4 steering

Chapter 3.

Rear handling improvements

IRS trailing arm improvements

Telescopic rear shock absorbers

Rear anti-roll/anti-sway bars

Rear spring height/ratings

Front handling and steering

Front wishbone assembly

Front suspension bushes

Front shocks

Front anti-roll/sway bars

Caster angles

Negative camber

Rear drive durability

Differential mountings

Rear hubs

Driveshaft details/the twitch

Rear hubs

Trailing arm mounting brackets

Camber

Differential

Limited slip differentials

Chapter 4.

Wheel sizes

Wheel diameters

Rim widths

Road wheel offsets

Road wheel options

Steel/disc wheels

Alloys

Wire wheels

Wire wheel hub conversions

Tyre sections and profiles

Tyres

Size limitations

Speed ratings

Caring for your tyres

Tyre technology

Chapter 5.

Whats important

Caliper capacity

Pad area & friction material

EBC Kevlar brake pads

Hawk brake pads

Disc/rotor mass

Front brake improvements

Standard performance TRs

Standard and fast road TRs

Ultra fast road and competition brakes

Other options

Front brake squeal

The brake lines

Dual line braking systems

Brake servos

Rear brakes

Lining materials

Drums

Drum to disc conversions

Slave cylinder variations

IRS handbrakes

Silicone brake fluid

Chapter 6.

Clutch

Clutch upgrades

Clutch pressure plates

Clutch slave cylinders

Cross-shaft bushes

Strengthen the clutch fork

Modern release methods

Gearbox improvements

Gear ratios

Strengthening modifications

Close ratio straight-cut dog gears

Improving gear selection

DIY rebuilds

Oil retention

Overdrives

Overdrive improvements

Adding an overdrive

Moss overdrive additions

Cosseting the transmission

Uprated overdrive controllers

Five-speed gearbox upgrades

The Japanese solution

Other options

Propshafts

Upgraded propshafts

Kevlar safety strop

Chapter 7.

Low-tension system

How it works

Retro-fitted breakerless systems

Optimising the timing

Performance distributors

High tension components

Distributor caps/arms

Spark plugs

The plug leads

Charging the ignition coil

Saturating the coil

Computer ignition management

Chapter 8.

Primary considerations

Duration and power bands

Coming on the cam

Hardening the cam

Sourcing a camshaft

Chapter 9.

Carburettor design principles

SU carburettors

Related components

The SU carbs

Setting standard SUs

Improving acceleration

Using SUs competitively

Swapping Strombergs to SUs

Enlarging the choke size

Weber carburettors

Its not just the carbs

Kit costs

Rolling roads

Choke sizes

Jet sizes

Comparisons

Related induction details

Fuel pumps

Fuel hoses

K&N filters

Why a low resistance air filter?

Chapter 10.

EFI an overview

Pump and pipework

Injectors

Measuring the Airflow

TPS inlet manifolds and throttle bodies

Programmable ECUs

Engine management by kit

Conclusions

Chapter 11.

Build a good engine

Maximising airflow

Maximising coolant flow

Heat exchanger effectiveness

Electric fans

Other cooling aids

Chapter 12.

Fast road engine upgrades

Engine capacity

The crankshaft

The front crank extension

Fast road bolt-ons

Cylinder head matters

Upgrading the cylinder head

Gas-flowing

Inlet manifolds & air filters

Unleading the cylinder head

Cylinder head materials

Cylinder head gaskets

Push rods

Valve springs

Valve guides

Rocker shafts

Third stage fast road tuning

Timing matters

Summary

Additional home tuning possibilities

Roller rockers

Distributors and ignition systems

Competition level improvements

Forged pistons

Blocks

Low inertia steel crankshafts

Competition camshafts

Assembling the engine

Flywheel options

Clutches and ring gear

Oil filters, pumps & coolers

The oil pump and drive

Oil coolers

Oil thermostats

Spin on filters

Catch tanks

Engine oil

Oil changes

Some additional details

Thin belt conversions

Rocker covers

Exhaust manifolds & systems

Manifolds

Silencers and noise

Chapter 13.

Generating the juice

Thin belt conversions

Alternator conversions

Connecting cables

Positive to negative earth conversions

Modernising the distribution

Electrical connectors

Wiring

Relays

Fuses

Supplementary harnesses

Upgrading the auxiliaries

Higher power headlamps

Headlamp relay kits

To fuse or not to fuse

Electric washer kits and jet mounts

Sidescreen windscreen/windshield wipers

Engine cooling fans

After-market starters