Camber Angle Adjustment/Measuring

[Born2Run]

Any Volunteers in the Bath area that have a device for checking/adjusting camber angle? I had to disturb mine in the process of re bushing and powder coating. Although I marked the positions with tape I ended up having to replace one of the top wishbones so I am fairly sure there will be a slight difference now. 98 SLR wide track.

 

Thanks Ian

[Paul Deslandes]

Too far away to help you out unfortunately but remember that adjusting camber has a significant affect on toe so you must check and adjust that as well.

[Born2Run]

Thanks for that tip Paul, already on the list to check - The local garage can check that for me but not camber unfortunately.

[Richard Price]

Ideally, you need to be checking camber and toe at the same time, as any change of toe will change camber, and any change of camber will change toe.... The two need to be juggled a little.

[weeman]

A camber gauge is easily made using a small, magnetic, digital spirit level/ a piece of 2"x 1" and a flat magnetic steel plate. I'll send pics and details if you're interested?

 

I find that the following works well;

1. adjust camber to 1/2 degree positive of desired final required setting.

2. set the toe to required setting.

3. set the camber to required setting.

 

of course this method probably varies according to how inaccurate the set-up is to start with, but I'm guessing that your car was reasonably well set-up before you dismantled it.

 

[Born2Run]

Weeman It is a car you may well know - Bob's old yellow one. I assume that what you describe is very similar to the gunsen magnetic units available. I am tempted to buy one at £35, then visit my local tame garage so that between us we have the tools and the knowledge. Thanks for the set up advice - that should save a bit of faffing about time.

 

From what I have read on here (mine is 99% road use) Camber angle is best at 1'20" Neg (-0.02 deg) and toe of 0 Deg

 

Oddly I am unable to find the detial in any of the documentation I have

[Paul Deslandes]

The affect on toe of adjusting the camber is very significant. The affect on camber of adjusting toe is minuscule.

 

If you're going to the trouble of setting up the front geometry, you might want to consider doing the bump steer rack height adjustment first. All reports of raising the rack by 9mm confirm how worthwhile this is to driving stability. Caterham cam now supply new rack clamps, the lower being 9mm thicker that the upper, negating the need for shims, although shims are still the cheapest and quickest way if you have some gash bits of ali lying around. Info on bump steer here. It seems that all chassis are the same so there's no need to do the measurements as they all come out at 9mm.

[Pendennis]

Excellent information here. However, I think not all chassis are the same

 

There was a period between 96-97 when the anti-dive chassis was manufactured, these incorporated a raised steering rack platform

 

Edited to add, just read your car is a 98 SLR, so yours is not anti-dive

 

Edited by - Pendennis on 11 Nov 2013 11:22:17

[Mankee]

Quoting Pendennis: 

There was a period between 96-97 when the anti-dive chassis was manufactured, these incorporated a raised steering rack platform

I was about to add "make up steering rack shims" to my list of winter jobs, but I am holding off after I read this! Is there any other way of telling if a chassis has anti-dive geometry or not, without getting the measuring gear out?

[7 wonders of the world]

It's worth setting the top BJ and TRE's to the same point both sides as you rebuild - same number of threads etc.

 

Again well worth marking a known level in you garage and using wood shims to make a level pad for the car to sit on saves faffing having to zero the camber gauge every time, add a couple of Tesco plastic bags under the tyre as these make for cheap slip plates this will help settle the car between adjustments after you bounce the suspension - parasitic stiction on the front suspension of a 7 is quite significant.

 

Don't forget castor to this should be checked first, then camber then toe,

 

Ride height / rake should be in the right ball park too, especially if your not dialling out the bump steer.

 

ALL adjustments should be carried out with the car ballasted to preferred load.

 

 

[Pendennis]

If steering rack gaitors virtually touch the top of side skin hole, you could presume you have an anti dive front.

 

Alternatively a phone call to Arch with chassis number would confirm this.

[ECR]

I like the Tesco carrier bag suggestion.

[Paul Deslandes]

Better get some stocks in. If the EU has its way, supermarkets soon won't be allowed to give out plastic bags 😬. They do work a treat though.

 

I suspected that there may have been variations in the rack plate height but when I brought it up with Bruce a couple of years ago he wasn't very sure on the topic. I suspect Ian's suggestion of asking Arch is probably the only way assuming they keep records, other than doing a few measurements.

 

After shimming my gaiters touch the top of the side skin hole to the extent that I should really enlarge them upwards a few mm.

[weeman]

Weeman It is a car you may well know - Bob's old yellow one.

 

I certainly do, Ian

What a small world it is? I was talking about you only this morning, with Baz. I Spotted Bob's car, I mean your Car in L/F and was curious. I'm guessing that Bob mentioned our trip to the 'Ring' a few years back, and a certain 'tow trip'.

I hope you're enjoying S7 RUN as much as Bob did.

 

 

[Born2Run]

Really useful bits of information, thanks chaps. Who would have thought changing a few bushes could become so involved? To summarize

 

1. Build camber measuring device

2. Consider changing rack height - had a look and its standard. Happy with handling before I took it apart so will leave alone.

3. Check camber - set to 0.02 deg neg

4. Check toe - set to 0 degrees

5. Don't touch anything else unless it is really bust - live with the stone chips

 

Cheers Ian