Availability Main bearings Tri-Metal for Spit 1500

[roulli]

Hi,

 

I'm really struggling to find King Tri-Metal bearings for the Spit 1500 in - .010 Thou.

The only shop this side of the channel who has them normally, ran out of stock in  -.010 thou.and can't tell me when he will receive them from his UK source due to Covid and Brexit...

So I checked the big ones in UK and they don't have them at all, only for the six or the big ends.

Some people claim to sell  "heavy duty" "copper lead" Kings  on ebay, but if I ask that they confirm it says "CP" on the box - because that's the only way to identify "heavy duty Kings", they become unsecure about their claim.... It's apparently not uncommon to do that..

Has anybody bought King real Tri-metal main bearings in the recent past and reveal the source, please.

US have plenty of them, but I'd prefer to buy in Europe if possible.

Thanks

Patrick

[Nick Jones]

None at Bastuck?

Yeah, you want CP stamps for Tri-metal.  AM is Alu-tin.  These days I would accept that from Glacier, Clevite, AE etc, but maybe not King.

The 6 cylinder ones fit - you just get a spare pair of shells.  Did you check with JC? (very quiet these days?)

Nick

[rogerguzzi]

What about Chris Witor

Roger

[Nick Jones]

Looks like Witor does have them  - for 6 pot but price is ok and you get 2 spare. 

https://www.chriswitor.com/proddetail.php?prod=RTC1752LC-K

Wrong side of the channel but maybe ok if you order quick.  All the smart couriers will want their European vehicles south of the channel by 31st December....... 

[roulli]

Bastuck as Limora (= SC Parts in UK) do have one of the lowest quality and service images in the eye of the average enthusiastic Triumph fettler located around here. I had a look at their websites, it does not mention the brand neither claim heavy duty or Copper Lead.  Price wise it's in the lower range. But it might be worth a call

I left the idea of buying mains from the  six cylinder, as the pin diameter is specified slightly different for the 6 cylinder and the big crank small chassis engine.

I was tempted to buy from Chris Witor of TRGB, then I checked the respective workshop manuals and found the differences. The 6 cylinder main pin  is slightly smaller and then I wasn't sure whether the bore of the journal wasn't different either... I googled for "use TR6 main bearing shells in spitfire 1500" and did not find anything concluding positively.

Big end pins are to the same specs. though, and here there is no shortage of shells currently for both engines.

Good idea, I'll check with JC and Guy (fast green Herald Estate)

Patrick

 

[rogerguzzi]

Hello 

         I bought TR6 ones from Chris Witor for my Spitfire 1500

So i must have 2 of each somewhere?

Roger

[roulli]

28 minutes ago, rogerguzzi said:

Hello 

         I bought TR6 ones from Chris Witor for my Spitfire 1500

So i must have 2 of each somewhere?

Roger

Hello Roger,

DId your engine builder grind  the main pins down to fit the TR6 bearings? 

Patrick

[rogerguzzi]

Hello Patrick

                    Yes I gave him the shells and he ground it 0.010" under size I gave him the pistons at the same time as I was having a re bore and the block decked

I think we can trust Chris Witor for quality and the price seemed good to me!

Roger

ps I thought the TR6 and 1500 Spitfire ones were all the same? the con rods are!

 

          

[Nick Jones]

2 hours ago, rogerguzzi said:

ps I thought the TR6 and 1500 Spitfire ones were all the same? the con rods are!

So did I. Pretty sure I’ve bought “sets” before which are actually a set of 3 pairs for a 4 cyl plus a loose pair. Maybe I confuse it with big ends....

[roulli]

According to the books and web research I've found:

 

Main end journal Spit 1500: 2,3115" - 2,3120"

Main bearing pin TR6: 2,3110" - 2,3115"

 

Crank pin Spit 1500: 1,8750" - 1,8755"

Big end pin TR6: 1,8750" - 1,8755"

 

D. Vizard recommends in his book  "Tuning Triumphs >1300cc" a clearance of 1,5 thou which ends up to 2,0 thou after brake in.

 

So if the main pin diameters are different for the 6 and the 1500, then the bearings should be different as well unless the 1500 is meant to be driven with 0,0005" less clearance. (Bigger pin diameter in same bearing diameter)

 

Anyway, if you, Roger and Nick, are running TR6 main shells in the 1500, it seems to be a viable solution.  

 

Patrick

 

[Nick Jones]

It’s been some decades since I had a 1500...... if I have crossed the parts over, it’s in the other direction.

It seems strange, bizarre even, if Triumph would make dimensions just different enough not to be common across the range (yes, I know they did with pistons)

[RichardB]

44 minutes ago, Nick Jones said:

It’s been some decades since I had a 1500...... if I have crossed the parts over, it’s in the other direction.

It seems strange, bizarre even, if Triumph would make dimensions just different enough not to be common across the range (yes, I know they did with pistons)

Agree, and I thought the reason behind the larger bearing cranks was exactly this, to standardise rather than for any performance related reason. Seems almost like doing a half a job if the crank journals are standardised but the bearings aren't

[Martin]

Hi Patrick, I do have +10 mains for Spit 1500 CB 91612.10  here on the shelf. If you Need them gibt a shout. Other Good source is the Spitfirescheune.de . The Owner Chris Maus is a very nice guy. 

Cheers

Martin

[roulli]

Happy new year to All!

I've received these NOS Vandervells from the States (Thanks Richard for the tip).

As you can see on the pictures, they're slightly corroded. THis one has been cleaned with WD40.

Would you still use them over King Tri.Metal (which became available meanwhile). ?

Best

Patrick

 

[Nick Jones]

I’ve used bearings that looked like that after my machinist told me not to worry. He was a development engineer for Glacier before so should know what he’s talking about.

Its the engine in the Vitesse and it’s taken some stick so I guess he is right.