Front axle camber adjustable?

[Casar66]

I need to clarify something: the fact that the right wheel sticks out 10 mm further (#2) is definitely not due to the vertical link swap and therefore has nothing to do with the camber. I just looked into it—I actually brought this up here almost 10 years ago. And since the opposite is true for the rear axle, both issues are simply due to the body being mounted crookedly by that sloppy repair shop.

[Drewmotty]

10mm difference is only 5mm off centre. Mine was worse and I sorted it in half a day. 
Many  TRs are off centre but it’s not noticeable until wheels which fully fill the arches are fitted. 
We have a little game at Malvern spotting the worst one 😁

[Casar66]

9 hours ago, Drewmotty said:

10mm difference is only 5mm off centre. Mine was worse and I sorted it in half a day. 
 

How did you fix it?

Did you just loosen the mounting screws connecting the body to the frame and realign it?

[stuart]

3 hours ago, Casar66 said:

How did you fix it?

Did you just loosen the mounting screws connecting the body to the frame and realign it?

That is the usual procedure, however sometimes the mounting holes need elongated if the panels that they are contained in have been misaligned during any restoration/rebuilding that happened previously.

Stuart.

[Drewmotty]

6 hours ago, Casar66 said:

Did you just loosen the mounting screws connecting the body to the frame and realign it?

Yes. Loosen them all as far as possible and jack it over by wedging between the chassis and inner cill. If you find a bolt binding then take that one out and slot the hole to suit after everything is where you want it. 

[Casar66]

Thank you! Perhaps I will find motivation doing this coming winter. 

Now I have to care about the camber in my right front wheel. 

 Since the spirit level is so long, I can't place it against the rim—I have to place it against the tire instead. And that gives me different—and inaccurate—results every time. I've now ordered a digital protractor; that should work better and provide reliable measurements.

[PriceLes]

If the hard parts are the same, the spindle is not tweaked and chassis not out of alignment at the mount points the only real adjustment (within the range of exposed thread on the two bottom bracket fasteners) is via the lower shims?

If you drove the car somewhere suitable (as level as possible) so the wheels were in a natural state when you stopped, a suitable block (wood perhaps) attached to the level to push it beyond the bodywork would enable it to be rested on the lower part of the wheel rim. A measurement could be taken from the level when vertical to the upper part of the wheel rim on both wheels. On my 15 inch rims the OD is around 414mm at the outer edge, 0.5 degrees camber would be around 3.6mm (0 at the bottom, 3.6mm at the top (added to the spacer block)

 

[michaelfinnis]

1 hour ago, Casar66 said:

 

 Since the spirit level is so long, I can't place it against the rim—I have to place it against the tire instead. And that gives me different—and inaccurate—results every time. I've now ordered a digital protractor; that should work better and provide reliable measurements.

 If you get a length of metal angle and secure two bolts through it, spaced at the rim diameter, and obviously both protruding the same distance, then you have a tool which can be held against the rim and the which you can hold the spirit level against and get an accurate indication. 

Mike

[Casar66]

for me the measurements with the spirit level are not accurate enough. My approach now ist quite simple: Instead of building a tool I use a metal angle as long as the diameter of the rim, I then place the metal angle perpendicular to the rim and hold the inclinometer parallel to the bracket. It should then directly display the exact camber angle. Based on those readings, I would then install shims or, possibly, remove some (on the other side).

Or is that too simplistic?

[BlueTR3A-5EKT]

Something like this https://www.circletracksupply.com/longacre-dunlop-style-caster-camber-gauge-adapters.html

or the original Dunlop kit.

https://www.ricardo.ch/de/a/vtg-dunlop-wheel-camber-castor-king-pin-gauge-cg-3-set-1304863516/

 

 

[stuart]

29 minutes ago, BlueTR3A-5EKT said:

 

or the original Dunlop kit.

https://www.ricardo.ch/de/a/vtg-dunlop-wheel-camber-castor-king-pin-gauge-cg-3-set-1304863516/

 

 

Exactly the kit I have.

Stuart.

[BlueTR3A-5EKT]

4 minutes ago, stuart said:

Exactly the kit I have.

Stuart.

It’s the kit we had at Cox and Buckles garage, along with the Dunlop tracking gauges.   Both got used a lot.

Edited July 8 by BlueTR3A-5EKT

[jerrytr5]

Or a piece of wood and some string

Jerry

[Z320]

26 minutes ago, jerrytr5 said:

Or a piece of wood and some string

Jerry

Where is the LIKE button!

[Casar66]

My measurements:

right: -0,2 degree

left: -1,5 degree.

The triumph repair-manual says, that the camber for a PI is at the front 0 degree +- 1/2 degree (laden 2up). Btw. "2up laden" means that with two passengers sitting in the car?

According to the measurements my right wheel camber is good and the left has too much camber. But the tire say different: the left tire looks perfect, the right one  wears on the outside.

But I have centre-Lock wheels with 12mm spacers and 205/70/R15 tires. 

So what to do with the shims?

 

I like Jerry´s tool a lot, lovely!

My one is much more simpel and hopefully it works (forget the number on the display, with one hand for the camera it is difficult to measure)

Edited July 8 by Casar66

[jerrytr5]

Yes, setup suspension with typical load. Get some bags of sand for 'passengers'. Ignore Triumph settings as you no longer have skinny high-profile tyres.

With modern tyres you probably need to set the front to 1.5 deg negative with 3mm toe-in.

So the left currently with 1.5 deg neg camber has even tyre wear.

The right is almost vertical and wears on the outside, which makes sense. Set to 1.5 neg like the left and you're done.

Well, almost, check the tracking next.

Then you can have fun with the rear.

Jerry

[Casar66]

Thank you! The rear axle is luckely perfect adjustet.

For the right front side I will add to the 3 existing shims another 2. Is this ok or maybe too many?

[Steve Morris]

Mick Richards has written a fantastic piece on this subject.   Well worth hunting out.

[PriceLes]

1 hour ago, Casar66 said:

 

For the right front side I will add to the 3 existing shims another 2. Is this ok or maybe too many?

That would depend on how much thread is left on the bracket fasteners ( I see Revington do brackets with longer threads) 

I will look forward to making a Starrett camber checking tool.🤣

[Casar66]

Hi guys,

today at 35 degree I wanted to add some extra shims to the lower wishbone.

 

I'm wondering what the best (easiest) way to do this is. If I just jack up the car, the spring is fully extended and blocks access to the bolt (with a wrench). That's why I want to compress the spring by jacking up the entire front assembly.
Will I then still be able to safely loosen the two bolts on the lower control arm enough to squeeze in the two extra shims?

Many thanks

Cas

 

 

 

 

 

[stuart]

27 minutes ago, Casar66 said:

Hi guys,

today at 35 degree I wanted to add some extra shims to the lower wishbone.

 

I'm wondering what the best (easiest) way to do this is. If I just jack up the car, the spring is fully extended and blocks access to the bolt (with a wrench). That's why I want to compress the spring by jacking up the entire front assembly.
Will I then still be able to safely loosen the two bolts on the lower control arm enough to squeeze in the two extra shims?

Many thanks

Cas

 

 

 

 

 

Jack up under the cross member then put axle stands in under the chassis for safety. Then jack up under the spring pan on the side you want to alter then look in behind the inner lower wishbone mounting box to see how much thread there is left on the two studs of the mounting brackets. If there is sufficient for the nyloc to still be gripping the studs when undone enough to slip another shim in then just slacken them enough to do so. However if there isnt enough thread do not proceed and so then you will need to purchase lower inner brackets with longer threads .

Stuart.

 

Edited 6 hours ago by stuart

[Casar66]

Thank you!