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[Blake Discher]

Hi everyone,

I have a clunk in the rear of my 1976 TR6 which on inspection appears to be the dreaded rear end clunk caused by perished differential mount bushes, or a cracked differential mount, or both.  The bushes are certainly shot and cracked.  I read Ken Streeter's excellent article (http://www.vtr.org/maintain/diff-mounts.shtml) in the maintenance handbook on this problem so I know what needs to be done, but here is my question:

I seem to recall at the VTR National in Richmond a fellow, maybe Matt Bakes from Triumph Rescue, who talked about a way to gain access to the area that needed to be welded (in order to repair a cracked mount) by cutting a square access hole in the flat  horizontal area behind the seats.  (This is the area the soft top folds into.)  This was to avoid having to weld on your back as I recall. 

Has anyone tried this and could you describe roughly where to make the "incision" after I remove the carpet in that area?

Thanks!

[slimsgt]

Blake
The front passenger differential is usually the first to crack from side to side where the post is held, just above the upper bush. Upon close examination, follow the post to the top of the frame to determine, if indeed the post has cracked or seperated from the frame. If so, then Matt's repair thru the inside does make it much easier. Myself, being a glutton for punishment, have been able to repair this  problem from underneath, by bending the welding rod to fit into the areas that need fixed. I wear a Air Force flight suit that does help with the welding spatter that comes off, and keep a spray bottle of water to put out flare ups from the undercoating and grease.  If the creak,clunk just started, then usually you just need to repair the lower portion of the mount bracket, by adding some flatbar steel to beef up the mount. I have only had one repair not work this way and it was the first one I did on my 71 TR6, after I gave it the acid test of doing a burnout. The diff came back out and I beefed up the mount this time and haven't had a problem for over 25 years. I would do a closer inspection to determine, if indeed your mount problem is to the extreme of cutting hole in body to repair.

Mark Pelham
VTR TR6 Vehicle Consultant

[Blake Discher]

Thanks Mark, that is exactly what I was looking for.