17 replies to this topic

[sonscar]

Just set up some strings around your car,there are many google references to this.Measure the front of the rim and rear of the rim and work out toe in/out in mm or inches whatever is your weapon of choice.This is a very accurate method.Also measure the wheelbase side to side and compare.Do not over think this.Steve..

[R32Egor]

Hi all,

 

Update -

 

Did the alignment eventually took a few days of playing etc -

 

Front - -3.5 degs caster, -1.5 camber and 4mm toe out

Rear - -0.5 Camber (didn't want to go further neg after reading Keith Calver's piece about alignment), 3mm toe in - this was a nightmare as I was not using the string method.

 

I found this on youtube and did this and then perfect -

 

 

After all this and driving around it seems good - but i Have a couple of questions still -

 

Are the front wheels meant to return to center if I let go of the steering wheel with -3.5 deg caster?? - because mine are not really - if i compare to a modern car.

 

Ride height - Keith Calver says the rear ride height should be around 3/4" (19mm) higher than the front - what ever the front is. I have 20mm higher LH side and 10 mm higher on RH side, If I turn right it feels like there is more grip (harder feedback in the steering wheel) than if I turn left. I am in a LHD mini so my weight I presume has some effect.

 

So I was wondering if a 10mm difference in ride height is ok or is it better to have the recommended 19mm??

 

Thanks  

[Earwax]

Hi   Sounds like you are getting this thing sorted.

 

I measure my heights   as per this ( not sure if correct)

 

Front : _ at rear of front wheel arch near where door panel joins

 

Rear   _  at front of wheel arch near where grease nipple is

 

( basically similar to jacking points on a modern car)

 

 

The difference in side to side height probably needs considering _  if you can take your height measures with you in the drivers seat- (or whatever your most frequent configuration is - eg one passenger etc)

 

- in my road car my 100kg mass ( all muscle by the way)  means it looks one sided when empty  but not by much.   

 

From recollection I used 19mm (3/4)  sounds right ..... again  it seems to work fine for handling and braking.

 

((((((  Safety  advice - please be careful)))))) For your castor ( Which i think is pretty good) when you turn into an average turn and let go of the wheel-  the turn will shallow out - in my mini with either 10 inch or 12 inch wheels it is always a bit twitchy from road camber , bumps etc -it isn't the sort of car you can take  your hands off the wheel  when driving straight ahead ( maybe our roads are more problematic as well ) - so unless you are very concerned about the handling , I would just enjoy the involvement of driving the little beastie.