Camber angle shims (Correction)

[MT2+2]

SORRY TITLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CAMBER ANGLE SHIMS NOT CASTOR

Has anybody successfull fitted the front camber angle shims without the special tool recommended in the Jag manual?
The tool sets the car at the 'half laden position.'
Ive tried to change the shims but they are nipped by the wishbone against the frame.
I was trying to take a short-cut and wonder if there is a simple solution eg would weighing down the front of the car with sand bags work?
Any advice appreciated.

Also.....does anybody know if the camber should be adjusted when importing a US spec car (like mine) to the UK, to take account of the different road camber on RHD roads?

Its a 1966 Series 1 4.2 ltr 2+2.

If these questions have already been addressed pl redirect me - Ive had a search but cant find anything!

Many thanks guys for any help you can offer.
Martin Thomas
Series 1 4.2 ltr 2+2

[mgcjag]

Hi .....whats your name....please try to put it with your car model in the signature area.......First thing i would suggest is to check the ride height measurements......there is no different measurement for lhd/rhd.......personaly i dont use the setting links and prefer to just set the car up as is.......full tank of fuel.........note that a change to any of the settings will affect the others.....ride height, camber, castor, tracking........useing a setting link does not make it any easier/harder to add/replace shims........get your car on a good level surface to start with correct tyre pressures then take all your measurements.....Steve

[abowie]

All you're doing in using the tool is getting an approximation of correct camber.

This method doesn't take into account any of the other real world factors like weight distribution, engine frame differences and flex, tyres etc etc. when the car is on the ground.

There is no substitute for making proper measurements with the car on the ground and setting the shimming accordingly.

There is a comprehensive thread on how to do your own wheel alignment from 2019.

PS the shims have a hole at one end and a slot at the other (front have 2 holes at the top). If installed correctly the hole should be at the top. To add/remove shims you remove the top bolt and only loosen the bottom one. You can now slide shims on and off the lower bolt.

[Mich7920]

"PS the shims have a hole at one end and a slot at the other (front have 2 holes at the top). If installed correctly the hole should be at the top. To add/remove shims you remove the top bolt and only loosen the bottom one. You can now slide shims on and off the lower bolt."

After looking the Jaguar book - Plate 20 for confirmation, I think it's the reverse. In front the holes are at the bottom and at the rear the hole is at the bottom also.
You remove the bottom bolt or bolts and loosen the top.Them you can slide the shims.

[mgcjag]

Diagram from the service manual

[abowie]

I stand corrected. Haven't done a front end in a while...

[MT2+2]

Dear Steve, Andrew, Michel,
Many thanks for your advice.
Well I have done the job and the shims are in, but it was tricky until I discovered the knack.
The main problem I faced was that I could not open the gap enough to slide the new shims into place. Basically I was fighting against the vehicle weight &/or torsion bar.
Eventually I gently tapped a wedge in between the front wishbone bolt and the goal post frame and this opened up the gap enough for me to slide the new shims in. I used a couple of chisels as can be seen from the photos.
I am adding shims as the camber angle was different on left and right wheels (according to the read-out the professional alingment shop provided when they set the toe-in) and I also want to experiment with setting the front camber +1/4 degree for driving comfort. Its a Sunday afternon driver now and used gently.
Im running on 205/70 R15 tyres.

Regarding the setting tool mentioned in the service manual, I realise now that this isnt to help in fitting the shims, its to enable a more accurate measurement of camber angle to be taken.

Now onto the rear wheel camber adjustment! The manual makes it sound easy....

[abowie]

Good work. The rear is pretty easy. If you can do the front you'll be fine.

Don't forget to check and adjust your castor at the front as it will have changed with the change in camber.

[Mich7920]

HI martin,
About the castor angle.
Looking at photo 1and 3 I ask me a question.
I find that there is a lot of threading apparent your upper triangle shaft.
It seems to bumping against the washer of the front block.
Don't you have a very free steering with little or no natural return of the steering wheel to the center ?
I'm not used to an adjustment with the size of your tires which are known to "weigh down" the steering, but there shouldn't be much thread left in the triangle clamp anyway...
Mich

[abowie]

What Mich is saying is that normally, with all being equal and the castor set to stock, that the amount of thread on either side of the boss on the upper wishbone is roughly equal.

Yours seems to be set right to the back.

I found this on one of my cars after I bought it. I suspect what had happened is that the PO had tried to tighten one of the end bolts on the fulcrum pin, and in doing this had actually rotated the fulcrum pin, and screwed the adjuster out to maximum.

Anyway, it's worth double checking your castor and resetting it as appropriate.

Cheers et salut!

[abowie]

Voici!

[Mich7920]

Voici Mine

[MT2+2]

Thanks Guys. Its very reassuring to know that there is such a wealth of knowledge available, and so freely given. Hats off!
This is something of a Masterclass for me, Im amazed that you have picked up my possible Castor problem just from the photos. Ive been concentrating so much on Camber that Ive not consider Castor yet. From what you say, it looks like I should do that before moving onto rear wheel setup.
I'll take a look at the manual and review the Castor posts, then have a go at it!
Will keep you posted.

[MT2+2]

Hello again Steve, Andrew and Mich,
Well you were spot on, I swithed my attention to the front CASTOR and it was indeed way out on the LH side. It was relatively easy to adjust CASTOR but I found that doing so completely threw out all the good work I had done in reshiming the CAMBER.
So Lesson I was: Set the CASTOR first.
I reshimmed both sides several times, visiting the local alignment garage several times to check my CAMBER adjustments but finding I was going round in cirlces.
Im not quite sure when it dawned on me, but I had a AHA moment when I realised that my upper fulcrum shaft was - guess what - the SNGB adjsustable type, that simultaneaously adjusts CASTOR & CAMBER!
So I have wasted many many hours shimming the front wheels when all I had to do was loosen the fucrum shaft!
Lesson 2 - Check whether you have an adjustable fulcrum shaft before starting to shim the front CAMBER.

Anyway Im nearly there now and on first name terms with the guys at my local alignment garage.

Must say that on balance Id prefer the standard fulcrum shact and to set CAMBER with the shims.
The SNGB product is just not refined enough to get the CAMBER set accurately, in my option.

Now onto the rear wheels!

Best regards,
Martin Thomas

[mgcjag]

Hi Martin...great that you now have your front sorted......as i mentioned in my first post its quite normal that atlering one setting will upset the others.....are you sure that you have the sngb dual adjustable fulcrum......its strange that someone would go to the trouble to fit them and not set the front geometry correct. ......Steve