Help, Still No Self Centering

[Guest paul thompson]

Well this really is getting to be an epic saga, eve if I am the only one pasting to it any more.

I have had a modicum of sucess! I have adjusted the KPI right up to 21 degrees, which gives a camber (with the mushroom semi rotated) of about 2.5 degrees. The caster is still the same at 3 degrees both sides. Guess what?

It still doesn't self centre, however the steeing is now heavier and with very little effort you can staighten it up. Gonna see wat another 2 turns on the top ball joint do. Probably about another half a degree of camber but 2 degrees of KPI. It's going in for an MoT next week at a place that can check and set the toe for me. and the I'll try the pump them up to 40 Psi trick and take it to the test like that. Oh that was with my wheels and not the Ford wheels. I don't want to go that road as it would mean moving the cycle wings. I am a little happier now but needless to say there will be a few less Stellas in the fridge after tonite.

[Big Jim]

Hi Paul, probably we've all run out of idea's, or maybe you're expecting too much. I don't think that there's a Robin Hood in the country that self centres like a tin-top. Mine flicks back a bit but you've to bring it back by hand, mind you, you could do it with your little finger.

 

good luck

[Guest Steve]

I failed the SVA yesterday on several things including the self centering, or rather lack of it. I have looked through this post in detail and have pumped the tyres up, moved the dummy strut etc without joy and have one recurring thought. When I originally fitted the top wishbone I had to pack it out with lots of washers to make it line up at the back properly, Richard said this was normal. However, if the front bar on the wishbone had been made longer then the rear bar wouldn't need shimming and the caster would be greater, wouldn't it? So following that train of thought could it be that the top wishbones are made incorrectly with the front bar too short? I could cut this bar and re-weld but don't fancy doing it without a second opinion or two from you learned lot. What do you say, go for it or not?

 

Steve

 

ps, for what it's worth the SVA team at Edmonton were top, they did everything to get the car past and only failed it when the little things mounted up. Everything else I failed for is now sorted in a couple of hours work but the self centering...

[Guest Bob's Babe]

Steve, I made Tim take timeout from building to read all of this to see if he could help. He had a couple of suggestions but you have already done these :boohoo: :boohoo: he is now starting to worry about the same problem... if you can't get it sorted neither can he when he gets that far.

 

he and john have it in mind but can't find another solution other than what you have done

 

sorry we can't help more

 

sue

[Guest paul thompson]

I made mine pass in the end by winding in the top ball joint to get a bout 22 degrees of KPI. It gace about 2 degrees of camber also but I can live with that if it passes and it did!!