Tracking , camber and caster settings

[Tony]

Are the setting for 62 E type DHC with 205 tyres the same
as for a 185 tyre. If so what are they. Can I expect a decent tyre garage to be able to do it with all their wonderful high tech kit.


Tony

[mgcjag]

Hi Tony......the track, camber, caster details are in the service manual....but for original tyres.....i havent seen a set of different figures for 205,s......a tyre place can usually "check" your alignment and quite easily alter the tracking...................camber/caster is a lot more involves as it requires E type knowledge to dismantle parts to add/subtract shims....Steve

[abowie]

We use the settings in the manual on cars with "modern" tyres and they seem to work.

Your local wheel alignment place may struggle with the castor setting mechanism on the E.

I recommend that you make sure you understand how it works, present the car with the front splash shields off and take a handful of both front and rear shims with you.

Don't let them try to set castor by having unequal numbers of shims at the front and rear of the upper wishbone.

[288gto]

Are the setting for 62 E type DHC with 205 tyres the same
as for a 185 tyre. If so what are they. Can I expect a decent tyre garage to be able to do it with all their wonderful high tech kit.


Tony

Hi Tony, my car that was down at Angus's open day is running 205 tyres and like yours, Electric Power Assisted Steering. The caster and camber were set to the factory settings. Angus drove the car from his up to visit David without ending up in a ditch so it must be ok
As mentioned above, while measuring these should not present a problem with high tech equipment, the actual adjustment itself probably requires someone with E type experience.

Simon

[Tony]

Thank you everybody for your advice. I had a rough look at the camber and tracking today using very thin cord down either side of the car. The camber seems to a bit out using a plumb line and the tracking was out on one side. I adjusted the tracking to 2mm either side and the camber will need to be looked at again when I have read up on shimming in more detail.

I will investigate getting it set up properly when I can find a more local garage who knows about E Types.

Tony

[mach2andy]

Hi Tony
When I rebuilt my car, I replaced the upper fulcrum shafts with adjustable shafts that do away with the need for shims. Turning the shaft adjusts both castor and camber at the same time. The castor adjustment is very fine, and the camber adjustment is fairly coarse. So, you adjust castor until it's where you want it, and you then may have to rotate the shaft slightly one way or the other to get camber where you want it.
Just a thought.
ATB
Andy

[Fuel.inj]

Hi Andy, your modification for adjustable shafts is interesting. Are they a proprietary modification?
ATB,
Paul.

[rswaffie]

Hi
It may be this he’s referring to, from SNG. I’ve got them on my 3.8 but fairly sure they are just for shim-free camber adjustment, not castor.
https://www.sngbarratt.com/English/#/UK ... 20shaft%60

[abowie]

I’ve got them on my 3.8 but fairly sure they are just for shim-free camber adjustment, not castor.

They do both.

You adjust them as usual for castor, then you can adjust them a small amount to set camber as well.

[rswaffie]

I stand corrected.
Every day’s a school day, as they say!
Cheers Andrew.

[abowie]

I stand corrected.
Every day’s a school day, as they say!
Cheers Andrew.

Don't worry, I'm still learning too. Although I am beginning to wonder if, at my advancing age, that my brain may be full.