Section : Rear Axle

Rear axle, brakes, wheels and tyres.

Rear wheel radius arm setup

Posted By : Jon Morton, 08-Jul-2006, 03:40pm

I bought a chassis and tub to rebuild my 1500 spitfire.

I'm at the point (almost finished it) where I need to setup the toe in toe out of the rear wheels.

Can any one advise a way to set it up.

Where can I take measurements from to get the right angle?

I will check to see if I have 34cm or 35cm radius arms. They came off my 1500 along with the diff and vertical links and shocks, the only thing I haven't replaced is the spring. However I will have to use a lot of shims to get them to fit.

Should I also be worried about over tightening the radius arms and over stressing or even bending the vertical link?

I wish I could afford the adjustable radius arms but I've spent enough!!

Thanks

Jon

Followups :

Rear wheel radius arm setup

Posted By : Jon Morton, 12-Jul-2006, 12:50pm

I guess it serves me right asking a question over the club meet weekend!

Jon
Rear wheel radius arm setup

Posted By : David Powell, 12-Jul-2006, 01:43pm

Don't be a cheapskate! Go get it 4 wheel aligned. The mounts on the chassis and upright will just bend, they won't snap so do up as hard as you want. The polybush, for example, slides around the pin in the middle so it needs to be clamped well against the bracket....

Its a time consuming job adding shims to them at the tracking place and 1mm at a time adjustment is a bit poor, I dumped the stock arms infavour of some length adjustable rod-end arms.

Rear wheel radius arm setup
- Rear wheel radius arm setup
  
  Posted By : Jon Morton, 13-Jul-2006, 04:14pm
  
  As much of a cheapskate as I am (very cheap), I'am going get them all aligned professionally. I just need to get there in relative safety with out scrubbing a set of tyres in the process. I know someone I trust to do it, however he is 170 miles from the car. I've been burnt before getting my car wheels aligned by a mechanic who should have been wearing a stetson and holster.
  
  So any advise on the alignment would be very useful
  
  Lovely adjustable radius arms by the way David,but scrabbling around in the dark recesses of my pockets for money to pay for them, I've only found 2 buttons and some lint! I will have to stick with the shims.
  
  Jon
  - Rear wheel radius arm setup
    
    Posted By : John Davies, 13-Jul-2006, 06:10pm
    
    Jon,
    The traditional homebrew way is to rig a string around all four car tyres, witout any bodywork in the way as near the wheel centre as poss. Then measure the disance between the string and the tyre wall (or better between the rim edge front and back) and do a little trigonometry to work out the angle. Lots of pocket calculators do the trig for you, or you can find tyables on the 'Net, like this: http://www.math2.org/math/trig/tables.htm
    
    Then: Tan Toe-in= distance from tyre wall to string/distance across tyre
    
    Comprende?
    It'll do for starters.
    John