TRIUMPH TR6
PLATE AE
BEARINGS, PISTONS, RINGS
6
Because Charles Runyan always found Vandervell engine bearings in the TR engines that
he tore down over the years, we at TRF have always handled only Vandervell engine bearings
for sale, unless a Vandervell bearing is unavailable for the application. Apparently, there is
also a story about a crankshaft breaking in one of Charles's engines when no Vandervell
bearing was available. Yet another story surfaced recently from Frank Stoddard who now
works in TRF's Purchasing Department but used to do the same job in the 1960's for
Standard Triumph in San Francisco, California. It seems that no engine bearings had arrived
at the San Francisco warehouse for some time from England, and some non-Vandervell
bearings were purchased from a local source. One day, Kas Kastner, Competition Manager
down in Los Angeles, called Frank on the 'phone. He was fighting mad and wanted to know
why they were selling junk bearings. He refused to fit anything but Vandervell bearings to his
race engines.
The question of whether or not to sell only Vandervell bearings came up again at a policy
meeting at The Roadster Factory. The price of genuine Vandervell bearings has gone steadily
upward over the past few years, and we find it hard to compete against bearing prices
available from other sources, although we do sell lots of Vandervell bearings. We made a
thorough study of the matter,and we concluded again that Vandervell bearings are the only
ones that we want to sell.
It seems that Vandervell bearings are made by a very expensive process. Molten lead
copper alloy is poured to heated steel backing material. Other bearings are made by
compressing powdered copper or other alloy onto the heated steel backing. Cast alloy
material is recognized as the correct specification by automotive engineers for bearings of
high load capacity.
The copper lead alloy surface on a Vandervell bearing is then overplated with lead indium.
The lead indium overplate is fairly unique to Vandervell bearings, and it combines great
fatigue strength with high load carrying capacity. The expensive lead indium alloy has the
advantage over the lead-tin-copper or other tin alloys used in less expensive bearings. Tin
tends to ``migrate'' into the copper lead inner layer. To prevent this, an intermediate plating of
nickel is applied over the copper lead to act as a barrier. Regrettably nickel is not a bearing
material, and when fatigue causes the tin alloy to break down, your crankshaft begins running
on nickel which quickly creates a high wear situation.
So, we at TRF have questioned whether or not we should sell the expensive bearing
brand, and like most times, you get what you pay for. The rights parts aren't the cheapest
ones. You can count on us for Vandervell engine bearings is you want the best.
BEARINGS, PISTONS, RINGS
ENGINE BEARINGS
MAIN BEARING SETS,
Vandervell brand
Main Bearing Set,
standard size
1
Main Bearing Set,
.010 inch undersize
1
Main Bearing Set,
.020 inch undersize
1
Main Bearing Set,
.030 inch undersize
1
Main Bearing Set,
.040 inch undersize
1
CRANKSHAFT THRUST WASHER SETS
Thrust Washer Set,
standard size
1
Thrust Washer Set,
.005 inch oversize
1
Thrust Washer Set,
.015 inch oversize
1
Thrust Washer Set,
.030 inch oversize
1
CONNECTING ROD BEARING SETS,
Vandervell Brand
Rod Bearing Set,
standard size
1
Rod Bearing Set,
.010 inch undersize
1
Rod Bearing Set,
.020 inch undersize
1
Rod Bearing Set,
.030 inch undersize
1
Rod Bearing Set,
.040 inch undersize
1
SMALL END BUSHES,
Vandervell brand
SMALL END BUSH SET
(Install and ream to size.)
1
Bush,
small end
6
PILOT BUSHES,
gearbox input shaft
Bush,
pilot, fitted in rear of crankshaft, fitted up to
1
engine no. CC/CP50000
Bush,
pilot, fitted in center of flywheel, fitted after
1
engine no. CC/CP50000
PISTONS,
OEM brand, with rings and piston pins
Piston Assembly,
standard size
6
Piston Assembly,
.020 inch oversize
6
Piston Assembly,
.030 inch oversize
6
PLEASE NOTE:
Fit only matched pistons by brand, type,
and size to your engine.
PISTON RING SETS,
Grant brand rings, as recommended
by Kastner in factory competition manuals
Piston Ring Set,
standard size
1
Piston Ring Set,
.020 inch oversize
1
Piston Ring Set,
.030 inch oversize
1
Piston Ring Set,
.040 inch oversize
1
PLEASE NOTE:
Fit oversize piston rings with pistons of
corresponding oversize. Replace entire set of rings
at same time.
Plate No.
Part No.
Description
No. Off
Vandervell Lead-Indium Overplated
Cast Copper Lead Construction
Typical Overplated Copper Lead
Bearing Construction (Cast or Sintered)
1. Lead-Indium Overplate
2. Cast Copper Lead Intermediate Layer
3. Steel Back
1. Lead-Tin-Copper Overplate
2. Nickel Dam
3. Copper Lead Intermediate Layer
4. Steel Back
