Escadrille Ecosse Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 Rather than hijack @Radioactive Man's thread any more than I already have I thought I'd start a new thread. On 1/16/2021 at 12:25 PM, Nick Jones said: You could try contacting this guy (it's James Shackford, well known in Club Triumph circles) https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SHACKTUNE-TRIUMPH-FRONT-HUB-BEARING-SPACER-KIT/143226142059?hash=item2158f17d6b:g:GlcAAMXQQUpRBZg- The link is NOT for Spitfire ones but GT6/Vit/saloon. He has done Spitfire ones in the past as well, but not sure if he still does as I think they were relatively slow sellers. So I went on ebay and after a bit of message chat ended up speaking to James on the phone. Very decent fellow. It turns out that he eventually sold all of Spitfire/Herald version of the spacers which were a very slow moving thing and isn't planning on getting any more made. It is only the GT6/Herald/Saloon version he has left and there aren't many of those either and when those are gone that will be it too. Basically to get a reasonable cost he needs to commission a reasonable batch and the up front cost and slow sale rate, plus I suspect the hassle, isn't worth it for him - not that he seems to have ever been in it to make a load of dosh. Anyway, dawned on me that my Spitfire already runs GT6 uprights and hubs, just with the smaller discs and calipers so I bought a set of spacers and the Timken bearings. Came very quickly too although not been out to the garage to do anything with them just yet as it's too bloody cold and there's more than enough things I can be getting on with in the warm instead. And I also want to try the spacers on the front of the Scimitar as they may fit that too. The earlier SE5 cars used the complete TR5/TR6 setup on the front, but the SE6 models use a hybrid version with the larger GT6 bearings and a special upright, stub axle, hub and (very expensive) disc too. No-one in the club seems exactly sure what the bits come from although the uprights are TR6 modified to take the larger stub axle which I suspect may come from the Saloon rather than the GT6. As for the hubs they are either from the Saloon or more likely a modified TR6 part. More important is the fit as the Scimitar suffers very bad pad knock back on outmaneuvering. Going back to the spacers from James though, if anyone is after some for their car I'd get in now. And if someone were interested in acquiring the drawings and the tooling to make up the shims then maybe chat to James? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 James is indeed one of the good guys and a true enthusiast. He used to do this kind of thing as a bit of a sideline, but I understand he’s just started trying to actually earn a living at it, so my best wishes to him on that. Slightly surprised he’s stopped doing the bigger spacers as they do big saloon as well as GT6 and Vitesse. I must have had 4 sets off him.... Sure he knows the market though. TR6 uses Herald/Spit sized bearings but more widely spaced. They also suffer from flex and pad knock back. Can’t comment on the Reliant, though I wouldn’t be surprised if they did go up to the bigger bearings as Herald ones seem really small for a biggish car with the Ford boat anchor hung in the front. Related I also did a how-to-install when I fitted a set to my PI, but I can’t find that right now.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radioactive Man Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 I did try and contact James via eBay and didn't have any luck, shame but if they don't sell in numbers then never mind. Going to reassemble my hubs perhaps at the weekend and live without them. Timken bearings should be an improvement on the current Power Range bearings... I hope Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebrookster Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 Yeah, I'll happily third the comment about James being one of the good guys!! I have a fair chunk of his suspension parts and bearing spacers already knocking around in my back kitchen waiting to be fitted to the 2000, and on top of that he currently has 2 steel flywheels and a better set of front shocks sat on a shelf for me (I really must work out getting them up here, I can't see travel opening up anytime soon to collect them). Reminds me, I need to sell the set of front shocks I already have sat here! Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escadrille Ecosse Posted January 25, 2021 Author Share Posted January 25, 2021 The great parts merry-go-round. I love it! Thinking about spacers for the Spitfire though, would it be possible to machine down a set intended for the TR5/6 since that uses the same bearings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogerguzzi Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 10 hours ago, Escadrille Ecosse said: 10 hours ago, Escadrille Ecosse said: The great parts merry-go-round. I love it! Thinking about spacers for the Spitfire though, would it be possible to machine down a set intended for the TR5/6 since that uses the same bearings? Hello all I think probably not as they have a large bore to clear the stub axle and just a small shoulder at th outer end to keep it central! Silly me just thought probably yes just machine from the large end! But if you have a lathe may as well make your own? Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escadrille Ecosse Posted January 26, 2021 Author Share Posted January 26, 2021 56 minutes ago, rogerguzzi said: Yes, I guess if you can machine one down it's just as easy to make your own. Interesting thing speaking to James though was that the hardest part was making the shims as these are difficult to get off the shelf in the right sizes regard OD and bore. He gets them made in batches of hundreds. Squares punched from shim stock with a small hole in the centre. These are then mounted on a rod and clamped between a bush at each end making a sort of irregular bar. The stack gets put in a lathe and machined to the correct OD. The stack of shims then gets put into a close fitting tube and clamped down. That allows the whole lot to be put in a lathe and get the ID cut to size with a boring bar. It's the tooling for the shims that he said was the most expensive part ironically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted January 26, 2021 Share Posted January 26, 2021 Surprised he had to go to those lengths to get shims. It is possible to buy shims in a fairly wide selection of thicknesses and sizes, though presumably not what he wanted or he would have gone that way. I bought a bag for my CV conversion game. Not exactly what I’d have chosen but near enough. Bag of 5000. Wasn’t that expensive, but I’ve still got a few thousand left 15 years on. Probably find you can buy them from McMaster Carr in the USA.... who don’t ship to the UK. Pity, they do a lot of useful stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ed_h Posted January 27, 2021 Share Posted January 27, 2021 Being in the States, i use McMaster a lot, but in this case I found these shims for the spacers in my GT6+. The spacers are home made, but that shouldn't affect the shim size. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimBancroft Posted January 28, 2021 Share Posted January 28, 2021 Must say that every part I have bought from James S has been of the best quality. He really is a top lad and has helped so many people out. He has a number of new ideas for parts that he wants to bring to market, the latest being good quality LED light bulbs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escadrille Ecosse Posted January 28, 2021 Author Share Posted January 28, 2021 35 minutes ago, TimBancroft said: He has a number of new ideas for parts that he wants to bring to market, the latest being good quality LED light bulbs. That would be very welcome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebrookster Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 8 hours ago, TimBancroft said: He has a number of new ideas for parts that he wants to bring to market, the latest being good quality LED light bulbs. Whilst I am very glad to hear this, I am also simultaneously groaning at the effect that this may have on my wallet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 11 hours ago, TimBancroft said: good quality LED light bulbs. He needs to be careful on this as the MoT regs on headlights have just changed and appear to place a ban on a change of light source technology. I say “appear”’ as the wording is somewhat open to interpretation and has provoked lively debate on the RR forum. Might not be a great time to stock up on expensive LED headlight bulbs though..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zetecspit Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 3 hours ago, Nick Jones said: He needs to be careful on this as the MoT regs on headlights have just changed and appear to place a ban on a change of light source technology. I say “appear”’ as the wording is somewhat open to interpretation and has provoked lively debate on the RR forum. Might not be a great time to stock up on expensive LED headlight bulbs though..... Do the regs just apply to headlight? That is what I read. The other issue is that Classiccarleds seem to do decent leds already, but there is no doubt space for another quality supplier. Especially if aimed solely at Triumph/MG etc, with a simple selection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 Yes, headlights only. Primarily aimed at stamping out the proliferation of crappy HID conversions I think. Should just bloody blanket ban HID. If you need that much light to see where you are going, you shouldn’t drive at night, or at all. I can see just fine with halogens unless there is something with HIDs coming the other way! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimBancroft Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 I should have stated that the LEDS that he is looking at are rear lights...sorry....! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprint95m Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 On 1/25/2021 at 9:22 PM, Escadrille Ecosse said: Rather than hijack @Radioactive Man's thread any more than I already have I thought I'd start a new thread. Thanks Colin for starting this thread. I had looked for these (some time ago) without success and rather forgotten about it after. I have ordered a pair of spacers for my Sprint. thanks, Ian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escadrille Ecosse Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 Excellent Iain. I am just working myself up to heading out to the garage to fit mine. Too cold, must be getting soft in my old age Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 Think these spacers have gone up in price since the last time I looked, unless I was looking at the wrong ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escadrille Ecosse Posted February 4, 2021 Author Share Posted February 4, 2021 I paid £57 + postage for mine but when looking on ebay to check that I see they are now showing £257 which is possibly a mistake or an encouragement to contact him perhaps. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprint95m Posted February 4, 2021 Share Posted February 4, 2021 I paid the same Colin. It really is a top service offered, I contacted him Friday evening and they were delivered on Monday and, mind these were GT6 that had to be reduced to fit my Sprint Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escadrille Ecosse Posted March 21, 2021 Author Share Posted March 21, 2021 (edited) Haven't got round to fitting these to the Spitfire yet. However this pic reminded me of some bits that I have had knocking around in the garage for years without knowing what they were for. On 1/27/2021 at 1:08 AM, ed_h said: Being in the States, i use McMaster a lot, but in this case I found these shims for the spacers in my GT6+. The spacers are home made, but that shouldn't affect the shim size. Ed Dug them out and hey presto... Makes sense now. There were shims with them. Metric thicknesses rather than imperial from a company called Ondrives which are still trading so may be of use to someone looking for said shims. Having had a good look at the hubs I am pretty sure they are TR6 modified by Reliant to take the larger bearings, with Reliant's own stub axles and a collar that fits over the boss on the upright to suit the larger grease seal. Fitting was pretty straightforward. I got to the right ballpark for the shims just with the hub but I found that to get the last iteration I had to put the wheel on to get enough leverage. Then take it all apart, grease the bearings, put in the seal and all back together. I repalced the discs at the same time. These are specials too 3/8" larger diameter than the TR6 version and about 1/16" thicker. And three times the price Edited March 21, 2021 by Escadrille Ecosse grammar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 Ondrives.... that’s where I got mine from.... in about 2005. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escadrille Ecosse Posted March 21, 2021 Author Share Posted March 21, 2021 1 minute ago, Nick Jones said: Ondrives.... that’s where I got mine from.... in about 2005. Don't know how old these are but probably of the same order Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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