t150

My Triumph T150 1972

This page will be devoted to the Triumph T150 Trident that I was restoring. There has been a lot of work done to it, but still a lot to do. Below is a rough account of the work to date and I will try to keep this updated as I go along. Below you will find a few photos of the bike to be going on with.

When I first got the bike it looked pretty much in standard trim but had a few mod carried out. These were :-

180watt 3 phase alternator, rectifier and twin zener diodes.
RITA electronic ignition system.
Progressive springs and improved damping in the front forks.
Hogan rear suspension units.
Lengthened operation levers on the front conical brake.
Oil pressure gauge fitted.

The bike ran reasonably well but the idling was erratic and the fuel consumption was just over 25mpg, and that was not pushing it at all. Also the oil pressure although fine on start up dropped to about 50psi at cruising speed when warmed up and dropped to about 25psi at idle. This I suspected was the result of crankshaft mains being worn and in need of investigation in the near future. Later when I did an oil change I found a few traces of white metal flakes in the oil filter just to back up my earlier suspicions, so an engine strip down was on the cards and at the same time it was decided to give the frame a new coat of paint and why not make a new wiring loom with a few mods at the same time. So the bike is now off the road while all this work is being carried out.

Work done so far

Before the bike came of the road.

I have fitted a set of Mikuni 29mm carbs from a Suzuki GS1000. These were a bit of a problem to fit as the spacings on the original manifold were well out compared with the T150 head. There was an article in the 'Triple Echo' No 131 & 132 by David Steele about this and I basically followed that with a few alterations of my own. They are a big improvement over the old worn out Amals originally on the bike and it starts first kick most times except in the winter when sometimes it needs two to get it going. Idle is smooth and pick-up clean at all throttle settings, also the fuel consumption is greatly improved with over 45mpg and sometimes over 50mpg if not pushing it too hard. There is a photo below on this page showing the carbs from both sides, just click on it to enlarge it.

Last year I managed to buy a Viking 3 into 1 exhaust system with a short rev cone meg for my T150. The exhausts are made in New Zealand by Paul Bryant and are probably the best you can get for the Tridents. He will make just about any style for the older Triumph, BSA or Norton bikes so if you need one follow the link on my 'Links' page, they are not cheap but then quality never is initially. The 'silencer' is of unknown make and is loud, so I may change it if I can find a replacement before I sell the bike. The exhaust went on fine once I got the old system off and you can see the result in some of the photos below, note how the front down pipes line up.

I have also got a pair of Norman Hyde rear sets, second hand from Trevor at LP Willaims. These rear sets were to cause a few problems! First the left hand side, the brake lever assembly on my bike had the forward lever attached to it, I am told this was the case for about 18 months around the time my bike was built - trust my luck. This meant that I had to get a new lever to fit on the inside of the engine plate and fit onto the end of the rear set�s brake pedal shaft as supplied with the kit (part number 82-6064 if you end up needing one). Also because the rod now has to run behind the rear shocker, the lever on the rear brake of the comical hub had to be removed and reversed so that the cranked end now goes towards the wheel. No real problem but there is very little clearance between it and the chainguard. This part is now complete and working.

Now for the gear selector side, yes you've guessed it more problems. This time it's the kick-start, It will not clear the footrest (I know I have to fold it up to use the kicker) but it is no use. I am told that the answer is to get a kick-start for a T160 as that pivots down at the axle end. I have got one and got it fitted but won't be able to prove it's worth until engine is back in the frame and the rear sets fitted. Watch this space for an update as to how I get on with this. I hope this all has a happy ending, wonderful these old bikes aren�t they!!!

Since the bike came of the road.

On the electrical side I have made a new wiring harness and got it fitted and tested. It all works as it should, surprise, surprise. I have incorporated a few safety mods while I was at it, here a list of them.

I have fitted four fuses instead of the standard 17amp one. This splits the system into separate circuits for the charging circuit, ignition & ancillaries, head lights and one for the horn.
Fitted a 'Podtronic' solid state voltage regulator/rectifier assembly. Click on the pic to see an enlargement.
The headlamp main and dip circuits are now fed through relays which in turn are operated by the light switches. This means that the switches now only have to pass a low current and also the voltage drop over the relay will be lower than through the switches. This will give better lighting and longer lasting switches.
I have also used thicker cable on the circuits with higher power consumption.
The bike had Lucas 'RITA' electronic ignition and a 180w 3-phase alternator fitted when I got it.

The frame and swinging arm have been stripped back to bare metal and repainted by a professional sprayer. All the associated brackets, oil tank and battery carrier have also been repainted, so it all looks quite smart. The frame has been reassembled and all the various brackets, oil tank etc have been refitted. The top and bottom yokes (with new taper roller bearings), the teles and wheels are back on and the wiring harness is on but still to be tidied up when all the rest of the bits and pieces are refitted.

The engine has had the crank reground and all bearings replaced, also new pistons, valves and tappet adjusters. Everything else was fine so it is all rebuilt with a new clutch plate and all new gaskets, seals, O-rings and tabwashers.

The engine has been finished and fitted back in the frame, the electrics are connected up so after I have painted the tank and side panels I can get it running and set up. I will keep you posted on the progress. But don't hold your breath as I still have lots of other things on the go just now that need my time!!!