Castor, Camber, Track

[Guest Botbuilder]

Hi Guys

 

I've made some progress with my front suspension set up. I've ordered some steering geometry checking kit which should arrive today. Can anybody advise on how many degrees Camber and track I shlould be looking for. I believe the castor angle is about 5 degrees.

 

Thanks

 

Alan

[johnlrichardson]

Front camber 1deg negative (in at top)

Front tow in 0.5 deg in

Rear camber 1 deg negative

 

HTH jon

[Guest Botbuilder]

Front camber 1deg negative (in at top)

Front tow in 0.5 deg in

Rear camber 1 deg negative

 

HTH jon

Thank you Sir

[Guest mower man]

Caster 3to5 degs should be ok hth mowerman

[thespannerman]

My 3a has 1/2 degree -tve camber, 3 degree castor and 2mm toe in. Made up my own gauges out of ally strip and plum lines. Make sure your car is dead level on axle stands. The more castor you dial in gives better self centreing, but reduces the feed back and feel of the front end.

[agent_zed]

sure i read somewhere that modern cars with PAS run more caster?! the idea being that on a non-pas too much caster makes it harder to turn. Or have i got the wrong end of the stick.

[johnlrichardson]

Always told the car should be standing on its wheels and not on axle stands because the dimensions will

alter when lowered

 

jon

[Guest smartfazer]

Always told the car should be standing on its wheels and not on axle stands because the dimensions will

alter when lowered

 

jon

 

 

My 2b is still on axle stands and the camber/toe in looks wrong, and I am at the limit of the thread on the Tie Rod Ends. Visually I can see that I have way too much positive Camber and Toe In.

 

Will I be needing Tie Rod extensions? If so what size, short or long?

 

I notice that in the RH brochure most of the cars have extensions fitted.

 

Steve

[Dave R]

dont worry till its sitting on its wheels

as to if you need extensions, there are so many variations as to which rack was supplied, could be anybodys guess

[Guest mower man]

As above comment it MUST be sat on it's wheel's in condition to be driven or ALL setings will beWRONG regards mower man

[thespannerman]

My home made castor gauge has V cuts that sit over top and bottom ball joints, so I need my wheels off to take measurements. Set my toe in sat on wheels with two paralell strings running length of car tied between axle stands. My 3A still has 180lb springs on the front, so my geometry wont change if an elephant sat on the bonnet. Really need to fit some softer front springs, but at the minute its handling is brilliant.

[Guest mower man]

If your axle stands were under the wishbones you maybe close to the correct figs but Ihave aways had the vehicle on the floor! if itlook's ok you can't be far away ,tyre wear may say different ,you say handling seems ok? try it for a week or two if tyre wearis strange you may be out ! .Damper tech supplied me with some 130 lb springs I have found them far better than the 180 one's fitted when Ibought the car !![i havent lost any more fillings ] it's possible that 120 would be even better HTH mower man

[Guest chelcott]

Hi Guys

 

I've made some progress with my front suspension set up. I've ordered some steering geometry checking kit which should arrive today. Can anybody advise on how many degrees Camber and track I shlould be looking for. I believe the castor angle is about 5 degrees.

 

Thanks

 

Alan

hi newbie what is the kit you've ordered and how will you carry out check, is it mat which leaves imprint that you roll whell over?

[Guest Botbuilder]

hi newbie what is the kit you've ordered and how will you carry out check, is it mat which leaves imprint that you roll whell over?

Hi

 

I bought a Sealy castor camber gauge from Ebay for about £30, it seems to do the job fine. I'm also getting some Sealy laser tracking gear, which has still not arrived. Setting the tracking is not a problem provided I know whhow many degrees it's supposed to be. Worst case scenario is I take it to Quickfit and pay £17 for them to ajust the tracking.

 

I'm not impressed with drive over type tracking gear, I've tried it in the past and found it to be not very reliable or accurate.

 

Quickfit could also do the castor and camber, if it was possible to adjust. My 2B is an old sliding pillar conversion. Whoever converted it didn't know what they were doing. I haven't driven the car as yet due to illness, but my brother has taken it for a spin and he reckons it handles like a pig on stilts. When I checked things out castor, camber and tracking were all over the place and impossible to improve without major work.

 

I think I've got to grips with it now and I'm going to extend the dummy strut and make a new shorter top wishbone. I've drawn everything up in Acad and run some simulations, it appears to work well. I just have to brave the cold and get into the workshop.

 

Alan