Component / Parts Failures ref Spares to carry on Events

[Greta]

With the high rate of attrition on 2018 RBRR and a few stories from 10CR - I wondered if it were possible to create a list somewhere of known part failures that could inform drivers on future events of the spares they may consider carrying ... or that could be carried by the self electing Broom Wagon on behalf of everyone.

While I concede that if a car is not maintained - just about anything of a certain vintage could give up the ghost .. several stories emerge concerning poor reliability of repro parts - while this may be the only option it's good to know if something you've recently fitted is already proven by some to be a little dodgy.

While we can share our anecdotes here ideally it would be good to create a easy view list on a separate page that can be added to as experience informs.

My own story from 10CR 2019 was a failed mechanical fuel pump on a MKIV/1500 Spitfire ( straight actuating arm type without spacer ) - this was relatively easily fixed by the loan of a facet electrical fuel pump and the necessary unions, hoses and wires etc to jerry rig a stand in that saw me through another 1500 miles. Even having stripped it, cleaned it refitted it in working condition it has since failed again! ... I've bought an identical replacement, !!! er... , from ANG but on events I'll be carrying a spare or an electrical facet pump ( low psi ) - I'll let you know if it fails.

[WIMPUS]

The new repro pumps are not so well... 

In a year i had 3 (all started to leak engine oil, at 1 the housing was cracked).

Last year i fitted a Facet electrical pump, fuel cut-off switch, pressure regulator etc.

Been great for nearly a year now.

I do still got a new mechanical pump in the boot and made everything so that i can switch easy.

[Rubce]

An excellent idea for a thread. Here are my experiences of roadside failures over the past 13 years of Triumph ownership

GT6

Lucas Dizzy cap cracked on two seperate occasions

Wiper arm spring sheared

 

STAG

Fuel pump failed on two seperate occasions

Carb diaphragm split 

Rotor arm blown

Diff extension bearing failed (bugger all you can do about that at the roadside!)

 

Regards

Bruce

 

[RRR]

From my experience, It's generally basic things that cause people issues.

So I'm talking here about, fuel, spark, cooling.

My basic kit is plugs, leads, cap, points (if applicable), rotor arm. Fuel pump and hose. Water pump and fan belt.

Except for the pumps, that is the survival kit that I usually keep in the car anyway.

For longer distance events I might throw in a spare Dizzy to aid a quick change over, and perhaps a front wheel bearing kit along some electrical connectors just in case.

It very much depends on what you are prepared to work on at the side of the road.

To quote a military mantra - Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance. So use your Triumph regularly, and sort any issues before a big event like the RBRR or 10CR.

Finally  -  If it is running well. Don't fix it..... enjoy

 

 

[thescrapman]

I have a box of "touring spares" that gets raided to varying degrees depending on the car I use.

having analysed what causes terminal failures on previous events.

mainly things that rotate seem to be biggest issue.

water pump

frint wheel bearings

rear drive shaft (still working on finishing the dual sided Spitfire one)

fan belt

alternator

PI fuel pump or normal one.

Complete rocker shaft

metering unit and injectors, pipes, bag of seals.

stromberg diagphrams

Spare valve springs and caps and collets.

core plugs

complete built up distributor 

wheel studs and nuts.

brake pads

fuel pipe

Will needs to look in box for rest of the little bits and bobs.

 

[RobPearce]

The things I've had fail on RBRR or other events have been:

TR7 - exhaust and alternator mounting

2500S - driveshaft UJ

Stag - Alternator, overdrive, driver's door lock, electric fan wiring, rear subframe attachment

GT6 (five RBRRs and more) - fan belt, exhaust hanger, heater hose, indicator flasher (twice)

Vitesse - wiper arm

Toledo - duff float valve, leading to all four exhaust valves

 

[Greta]

Quoted from thescrapman-

I have a box of "touring spares" that gets raided to varying degrees depending on the car I use. ....

... Will needs to look in box for rest of the little bits and bobs.

Looking forward to the full list  ..but thanks to you & everyone so far for their lists - I also want to hear your tales and fixes

[Rubce]

One road side failure I missed off my earlier list was the clutch slave cylinder on our GT6. One minute I had a clutch and the next I didn't!

Fortunately it occurred about 1/2 mile  from our house so a short tow was arranged 

The cylinder was only about 6 years old.

Bruce

[Saltddirk]

for this 10CR I had packed.

spare dizzy with cap rotor and condensor again as extra ( not surprisingly since my adventures in Glencoe, and after repair 10 miles from home Shaun broke down again with the accuspark dizzy.) So in went the old and the original delco one came as spare.

Fuelpump, water pump complete. IMO roadside repairs need to be swap and go, can not see me rebuilding a waterpump with new bearings or change out a rockershaft 02 AM in a parkinglot up north while it is pissing down ( dof my hat to ^^^ ;) )

Spare brake or clutch master cylinder, spare rear brake cylinder plus seals etc to rebuild if needed

fan belt

electrical bits and bobs, flasher unit, relay, connectors,.... fuses!

assortment of springs and rubber bands ( Renown broke down on 2 successive RBRR when the accelerator return spring snapped) 

spark plugs, leads

I had a set of F/W bearings but not sure if I would have used them

liquid gaskets and assorted hoses.

assorted carburettor parts, mainly because I had a lot of items lying around from the carburettor rebuild, shoved them in a bag, might come in handy....

Spare Coil. actually the spare one was taped to the installed one (but the real reason it was there is that I left it after faultfinding in Glencoe, and it seemed as good a place to stow it as any)

Pouch with assorted bolts nuts washers, ....

Jumpstart pack

Dirk

[RobPearce]

Quoted from Saltddirk-

Spare brake or clutch master cylinder, spare rear brake cylinder plus seals etc to rebuild if needed

It's definitely worth having fluids. The only clutch issue I've had on an event (I think it was a 3CR or maybe Essex rally) was temporarily fixed just by re-filling it.

[nang]

And a towbar and trailer to carry everything. 🤬 Makes you wonder if your journey is worthwhile if you have to take sooo much.

Sorry if I appear a bit negative.

Tony.

[sparky_spit]

Quoted from nang-

And a towbar and trailer to carry everything. 🤬 Makes you wonder if your journey is worthwhile if you have to take sooo much.

Sorry if I appear a bit negative.

Tony.

On long events (10CR for example)I take what I think is most commonly likely to break, what you would be prepared to fix by the side of the road, and what is possible to carry for failures that would be difficult for me or a local garage to fix without a specific part; a Spitfire driveshaft for example.  My boot was literally full of tools and spares on the recent 10CR. It gave me a measure of confidence that I had most things I'd need. It was no trouble: the boot wasn't being used for anything else and the weight was not noticeable.

For "normal" use I just have fuses, fanbelt, oil/water/brake fluid, plugs, toolroll, etc.

[Saltddirk]

Quoted from sparky_spit-

Quoted from nang-

And a towbar and trailer to carry everything. 🤬 Makes you wonder if your journey is worthwhile if you have to take sooo much.

Sorry if I appear a bit negative.

Tony.

On long events (10CR for example)I take what I think is most commonly likely to break, what you would be prepared to fix by the side of the road, and what is possible to carry for failures that would be difficult for me or a local garage to fix without a specific part; a Spitfire driveshaft for example.  My boot was literally full of tools and spares on the recent 10CR. It gave me a measure of confidence that I had most things I'd need. It was no trouble: the boot wasn't being used for anything else and the weight was not noticeable.

For "normal" use I just have fuses, fanbelt, oil/water/brake fluid, plugs, toolroll, etc.

LOL,

Shaun and I did joke about fitting a towbar.

As Mike says, take what you are prepared to change roadside, and what you can change yourself. No use in bringing a rocker shaft if you have to go to your specialist garage to set the clearances. Except the waterpump which is a big chunk all other items are quite small, they fitted in a holdall. Tools were probably more volumenous, and i did bring my "testing" pack : carburettor balancing, colortune, vacuum gauge, multimeter and strobe... but then because they also fit in a dedicated case. 

Being stranded last month for what I thought was only a cap and a red rotor ( turned out that there was more wrong with the engine and we would not have completed the trip anyway) and being recovered for what cost the insurance cy possibly upwards of 2000 GBP felt so stupid. 

the 10CR (and the RBRR) is such a nice event and we were looking forward to it to do the drive again that it feels like a little trade off to be able to change socks only twice for the added security of being able to continue. 

Dirk

[Hogie]

Tip #1 -

when you buy a spare part fit it immediately and put the removed working item in the boot - you will then know that the spare works.  Not all repro spares work.

 

Tip #1

carry all the tools you need to ensure you can fit a spare part.

My last recent Hic up - brake pads needed replacing in the lake district. I had the new pads in the boot but I could not retract one of the caliper pistons - I did not have a pad retractor tool or decent pipe grips (Swan neck pliers).

 

Roger

[RobPearce]

Quoted from Hogie4A-

Tip #1 -

when you buy a spare part fit it immediately and put the removed working item in the boot - you will then know that the spare works.  Not all repro spares work.

... or in the case of my Toledo, you'll discover half way round that the new part was duff but at least be able to put it back to a good one. That would have lasted the whole event without problem.