madmaninshed Posted June 8, 2023 Share Posted June 8, 2023 Hi, I have all the gear now to do my front wheel alignment. I was kindly sent the alignment spec for a 1986 de Dion Supersprint, but mine is a 1989 de Dion car. Please can anyone confirm if that will be correct? The car was last set up to a later k series spec, which is different. Many thanks, Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted June 8, 2023 Member Share Posted June 8, 2023 I have the Assembly Guides for 1988 and 1996. Please let me know if you'd like copies.But when this topic comes up it always includes comments that the factory settings aren't optimal...Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Golf Juliet Tango Posted June 8, 2023 Area Representative Share Posted June 8, 2023 I'd set it up to the specification you have. Then see how it feels. BTW: manuals are available on line: http://www.caterham.dk/Assembly_Guides/index.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmaninshed Posted June 9, 2023 Author Share Posted June 9, 2023 Thanks Jonathan, you kindly sent those to me already. I'm so confused. The 1996 spec says front 0 deg 20" toe in, and the 1986 spec says 0 deg 25" toe out. The1991 spec that my car was set up to says between 0 deg 01" and 0 deg 15" but doesn't say if toe in or out. I have to set it somewhere. I'm guessing that for road use it probably doesn't matter, as long as it's roughly correct, and not tearing the tread off the tyres. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JP Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 What do the POBC think of the Gunson's Trakrite as a means of getting something reasonable for road use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkeywood Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 The front suspension differs on the early cars - what does yours have? IIRC the '89 De Dion had the top link triangulated by the rubber bushed ARB and no adjustment for camber or caster. The factory recommendation for this was 1/8" toe in and, in my experience, about right for the road. If the additional link to triangulate the top suspension and optional negative camber lower wishbone are fitted then the general take was to run closer to parallel, or parallel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmaninshed Posted June 10, 2023 Author Share Posted June 10, 2023 Hi rkeywood, Thanks for your post. Here is a picture of the front suspension setup. I think you are right. Perhaps someone can confirm. Anyone want a cheap unused camber and castor gauge? Is that 1/8" total toe in please, or 1/8" per side, and excuse ignorance, but how do you convert to degrees please? I'll get there in the end. Really appreciate the help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkeywood Posted June 10, 2023 Share Posted June 10, 2023 Can't be 100% from the front on photo but looks like triangulated with ARB only. This is the arrangement1/8" overall - conversion here. Start at 30' and see how it goes. 24 turns on the ends should get you about there. The ride height and steering rack height give you a bit to play with on the front end characteristics. From the photo it looks like the steering rises quite a bit to the arm and the front may be running fairly low.The additional link is a decent upgrade (simple bolt on but does need a new ARB) - this is the arrangement:The negative camber wishbones are stamped 'N'. 22 turns on the ends gets you about right for these but I'd look for about 10' with the additional link fitted.Hope this helpsRob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmaninshed Posted June 11, 2023 Author Share Posted June 11, 2023 Hi Rob, That's really helpful. Thank you. I will get to work. Cheers, Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmaninshed Posted June 11, 2023 Author Share Posted June 11, 2023 It looks to me as if I do have camber adjustment after all, so I will try to set it up with very slight toe in or parallel. There seem to be about 6 threads visible on the drivers side for the toe in/out adjustment, and about 12 on the passenger side. The steering wheel is slightly off straight when the car drives straight. This seems to have changed since I raised the rack, which concerns me. I have a steering wheel clamp. Should I start by taking the steering wheel off and putting it back on straight in the position the car drives straight, or should I get the steering wheel straight by turning the adjusters please? Sorry to be so thick, but I'd rather ask and learn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7 wonders of the world Posted June 11, 2023 Share Posted June 11, 2023 bm heading your way son as i've written it ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmaninshed Posted June 18, 2023 Author Share Posted June 18, 2023 Well I took the plunge and got an initial reading, and did a repeat test to check it. The front is 25" toe in at the moment, and although I heard that the Trackace system is only for front wheels, I couldn't see why it wouldn't work on the rear, so did the same for the rear. That came out at 35" toe in. At least the wheels aren't pointing in vastly different directions. I haven't done a squareness test yet. For general road use, is it worth adjusting from those figures please, or are they acceptable? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigCol Posted June 18, 2023 Share Posted June 18, 2023 in #10, madmaninshed said but I'd rather ask and learn.The only silly questions are the ones you don't ask! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7 wonders of the world Posted June 18, 2023 Share Posted June 18, 2023 what camber do you have both ends...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmaninshed Posted June 18, 2023 Author Share Posted June 18, 2023 I will check tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmaninshed Posted June 21, 2023 Author Share Posted June 21, 2023 Camber at front is approx 1.3 degrees negative, and nearer 1 degree at the rear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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