Trigo pin alignment tool

[Voyager]

I’ve had my left front wheel on my SPF off about 10 times in the past 3 months. Noticed my WAW2 drive pin holes are getting slightly harder to align with the pins.

While searching several old threads, found some old discussion regarding a Trigo pin alignment tool. What is everyone doing to combat the issue nowadays?

[Silverback51]

I bought the tool and use it.

[scootter]

I also bought the alignment template. I found it was easier just to rotate the wheel around till it goes on easy if they aren't way out of alignment.
Scott

[Voyager]

John,

If you don't mind, who did you buy it from?

Bob

[OCCOBRA]

OK, using the alignment tool shows a pin or two out of alignment. What then? How do you corrrect situation?
Not to change purpose of this thread but what way to go Vintage or Trigo. They both look great and are within driving distance for me should I have any issues. Their Xmas specials put them within $.

[Voyager]

I was planning to use the tool as a preventative measure. Place it on the pin outer edges and then torque the pins down. Should hold everything in place.

If they ever get out of alignment, tap them back in place with a mallet.

[scootter]

I took all mine off when I had the disc turned. When I put them back on and tried to mount the wheels, I had a heck of a time. So I bought the alignment tool I think from Performance Unlimited. It's was a pain to use as you have to bend the studs into place after torquing them down by using a long pipe. So I called Phil at PSE ( thats the type of wheels I have) and he said to just rotate the wheels till they go on. Most of the time it should work and it did for all of mine.

[ACademic]

It doesn't take more than a 1/16" of an inch (or less) to have them out of alignment. You can also mushroom the ends of the pins if you overtighten, and once that is done no alignment tool is going to help you. The tolerances are tight because they have to be.

[DSM351]

I got these Lifetime Upgraded Pin Drive nuts for my SPf from David Kirkham,

Pin drive bolts splitting Help Please

www.kirkhammotorsports.com
Just measure the angle of the old pin drive nuts and they will make a set of hardened stainless steel replacements. They are indestructible.
I used blue loctite and 80 Foot pounds.

[LMH]

I bought my alignment ring from Trigo a few years ago. I'm assuming they still sell them.
Larry

[PaulProe]

I have the spacer tool for my set and used it for my coarse alignment. It will spot if you have a pin that is really out of position, but with tolerances and all the possibilities that the pins could take, it isn't perfect.

Because it is only about 1/8" thick and the pins are about 1 1/4" long, it will only spot issues within it's thickness range. You can still have the pins get into a bind when you put the wheels on. It then takes rotating the wheel on the pattern to see where it fits best.

You can get the wheels to line up without the tool but it can be a real bear to get it done. Lots of on and off trying to troubleshoot. The tool is very quick to spot issues. If the spacer starts to bind up, there is no way the wheel would ever go on.

You can get the tool from Trigo: Alignment Tool $35 plus shipping

I originally tried to mount my wheels without it. Consumed more than the $35 in beer trying to get it done on the first wheel and had three left to go.

Paul

[LMH]

I didn't have much trouble mounting my wheels. Pins were in alignment and work with both sets of Trigo's I have. I used the ring but it fit w/o trouble.
Larry

[Bob In Ct]

Using anti-seize in the pin holes makes it much much easier to put the wheels back on.

Bob

[Voyager]

Paul,

Thanks for link. Think I will order one.

Again, everything is new and lining up fine, but I think things will change when I do my initial 500 mile retorque. Plus I pull the wheels off constantly (had 2 off last night!).

Bob

[ratsnst1]

Originally Posted by OCCOBRA

OK, using the alignment tool shows a pin or two out of alignment. What then? How do you corrrect situation?
Not to change purpose of this thread but what way to go Vintage or Trigo. They both look great and are within driving distance for me should I have any issues. Their Xmas specials put them within $.

get a piece of steel pipe about 18 inches long just big enough to slide over the studs and start bending them a little at a time till the template slides on and off some what easily.

[decooney]

Just used my alignment tool yesterday, no bending of pins or bar required. Here area few steps I found out helped make it easier putting my older Trigo wheels on with original Chrome pins; I don't have the new black ones.

For remounting - I leave the pins loose (not all the way seated) when I put the alignment tool ring on. With a rubber mallet gently tap the alignment tool over the pins - leaving the tool towards the end of the pins; not all the way seated to start.

Once the alignment tool ring is on and over all of the pins, tighten down the pins in a star pattern until they are seated, but not torqued yet. I then tap the alignment tool ring on a bit further STILL keeping the ring to the outer end of the pins. If needed, remove the ring with a wide wooden block going around in a circle gently prying it off leaving no marks.

Before putting the wheel on, I then use a mild scuff pad with WD40 and clean the inside of the Trigo Wheel center and pin holes, and the hub center ring itself; just making sure there are no burrs or grime gumming things up. From there, I simply add a very mild amount of thin waterproof grease to each of the pins and the inside of the Trigo wheel center as mine fit snug as machined and I run the older pins which seem to be a tad tighter clearance.

Each of my wheels are marked (indexed) but I found out using this method, it does not much matter, they seem to go on much easier than dry, and it goes much faster following these steps vs. trying dry mount with no clean/grease prep. Worked for me, good luck.

[Dominik]

That is the answer:

"I got these Lifetime Upgraded Pin Drive nuts for my SPf from David Kirkham,

http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/show...ve+nuts&page=2"

Bending the studs is not!

Throw that alignment tool away and get the proper pin drives.
Who would bend (engine) main studs OR high quality wheel studs?
Plus, they straighten themselves during usage and clamp your wheel. That's why you battle to get it off.

Those tapered pin drives where never intended to be used for our purpose. They are not the proper material, not true, not parallel, not tapered correctly.

[decooney]

Keep in mind there are the older chrome allen pins from Trigo, and the newer Black pins seen in other threads having issues. Looking over the old thread David K did, and the pins shown that were tapered wrong, they were showing the later version black pins. Strange, I've never had any problems with the older Chrome pins from Trigo, no cracked pin or alignment issues, but want to check again to see how they have been seating to the hub. Sure is easy to see how having the wrong pins with poor machining could create serious problems with wheels/hubs coming loose, ugh!

[Dominik]

Yes, in 2000 I also had few problems with TRIGO. Do yourself a favour and clamp a threaded stud (main bearing stud?) or cut off bolt into a drill press or lathe, thread a pin drive over it and spin it.

Then you can get a first indication if it's true (parallel).

The taper is another issues. Wrong angle, and it's not done on a lathe, rather "hammered" on. (the pins get hammered in a mandrel, and not necessarily straight.) Those don't need to be straight where they are meant to be used.

Some adapters also seem to feature 90 deg taper, others 60 deg.