Midget Trunnions

[VWNate1]

I thought I'd made a post about this but I can't find it.....

Anyways , my Metropolitan Nash Coupe's front suspension was wobbly when I bought it decades ago , I faithfully grease it every oil and filter change but it got so bad I dipped into it at the beginning of the recent heat wave , I found the A-Frame bushings on the left side were totally worn out and flaccid , metal to metal a bit even .

The trunnions both upper and lower had about 1/4" side play , the bushings in side the A-Frames were worn out too so I replaced both upper and lower A-Frames with rebuilt units I bought some years back .

As long as I had it all apart I installed a custom made heavier coil spring .

The car handles ever so much better now ! .

I can hardly wait until I feel up to attacking the passenger side .

The trick to removing the tiny taper pins that hold the trunnions in , was to ever so carefully drill them hollow in two size steps , I'm certain this should be done with a drill press but I didn't have access to one so it was done by hand .

Once there was a clear hole through them from top to bottom , the pins banged right out with a simple flat faced dift and ball pien hammer .

This whole job was labor intensive but not overly difficult , the cleaning of 50 + years of rock hard grease and road mung was the hardest and most uncomfortable part .

[tannyo]

Now you're going to have to upgrade those wheels. I don't think 60 year old wheels are going to be able to take the stress.

That's what happens when you beef up a car. You start in one place then continue down the line. First the engine, then the clutch and tras, then the brakes...

[Steve Simmons]

Can't argue with that, especially after two or three broken wheels already.

[VWNate1]

FOUR now...... .

We'll see how it goes , I already notice more power is now spent propelling the car rather than shoving against the poor alignment , once I get the other side done I'll figure it out , it'll prolly accellerte better too .

The So. Cal. TT Run is fast approaching , I always let it out a little bit on this run , so stand by to see , I doubt I'll have the other side done in time .

If anyone has some 13" Rostyles for really cheap or free , let me know and I'll take 'em , de rust and spray red , slap on my rubber and give 'em a go .

[VWNate1]

DONE ! .

Or nearly so anyways ~ I was up past midnight last night re assembling the right side lower suspension and installing new trunnion pin and polyurethane A-Frame bushings and heavier duty front springs , the car drive *so* much better now it's amazing ~ the upper A-Frame wasn't loose in it's bushings so I left it for now . as soon as I find source to have the threaded bushings re placed , I'll go back in and replace it .

The reduction in interior noise and vibration just by replacing the worn through metal to metal rubber bushings , is amazing ~ no more squeaks and clunks when applying the brakes or hitting bumps etc .

Whew ! almost TT ready , I fitted one Bilstein HD rear shock absorber and need to replace the other but I don't have the grinder & press necessary to modify the shock so I'm waiting for my buddy to open his El Monte Shop .


I'd like to buy two new front tires too as they don't match brands right now (I scrubbed the left one to death) and I dislike mis matched rubber .