Front Suspension error

[IOM42E]

My local motor engineers reset the torsion bars on my S1 4.2 FHC 67 (owned 39 years) to the correct height but now the inside back edge of both the front tyres (correct size) are fouling the bottom edge of the inner mudguards - ie the steering rack is turning the tyres onto the bottom of the inner mudguards at full lock.

Obviously the change in ride height also changed the geometry and the set up will be checked using professional tracking but I am keen to know if anyone has had a similar issue. Any suggestions welcome so at least I can contribute to the inevitable discussion with the engineers.

Grateful thanks to all.

[mgcjag]

Hi....notice this is your first post....all quite friendly on here.....whats your name.......first thing would be to check the tracking......what wheels/tyres are fitted......how much out was the ride height..what height is it now set to..are the mudguards still fixed tight....

[christopher storey]

I have never known this to be a problem unless 205/70 tyres are fitted, when it is very common - particularly if 6 inch wheels are used. When you say " correct size" what size is fitted?

[IOM42E]

Hi Steve

Thanks for speedy response and queries. The tyres are 185 R15 Avons and the mudguards are tight to the frame. The ride height was 4.5" too low before the torsion bar reset and is now at 9" at the measuring points with some load.

It was a surprise to me as well as I can't see how a minor adjustment of toe in is going to clear it.

Cheers Nigel

[IOM42E]

Hi Christopher

Thanks for your interest. I just posted to Steve and can confirm that the tyres are 185 R15 Avons on standard wire wheels. Any ideas welcome.

Cheers Nigel

[mgcjag]

Hi Nigel.....4.5in too low...supprised you could drive it......stupid question but we had someone on here a while ago with the same problem....but he had the car jacked up on the front with the wheels droped...his tyres then hit the mud guards...you are talking adout when you drive the car............could also be that the movement in the steering rack left to right wasnt centered when the trackrod ends were fitted thus giving more wheel movement when turning in one direction...so thats tne start point..center the rack and adjust tracking..then camber/castor ...if yuor hide hight is anything to go by then the other settings could also be way out

[IOM42E]

Thanks again Steve. Just for ref. the ride height is now 9" - it was 4.5" too low before the torsion bar reset.

The fouling occurs when driven and only during full lock manoeuvres eg parking. The fouling is fairly equal on both sides but it may well be the rack was not centred as they also fitted new track rod ends.

Tracking will tell a story so I will update this thread when it goes in.

Any other comments welcome. Cheers Nigel

[Duckham]

Nigel-
After 39 years you must know the car inside out !
Tracking being well out would cause your problem so if they changed the tack rod ends that is the probably the issue.
Otherwise, as said, 4.5" is a huge change - is it really just age that caused that or did it occur suddenly after other mechanical work, or even bodywork / accident that could have contributed?

If you are not aware, there has been a problem with some replacement track rod ends not having enough articulation - do have a search on this forum to check you have the right ones fitted.
Joe

[chrisfell]

My local motor engineers reset the torsion bars on my S1 4.2 FHC 67 (owned 39 years) to the correct height but now the inside back edge of both the front tyres (correct size) are fouling the bottom edge of the inner mudguards - ie the steering rack is turning the tyres onto the bottom of the inner mudguards at full lock.

Obviously the change in ride height also changed the geometry and the set up will be checked using professional tracking but I am keen to know if anyone has had a similar issue. Any suggestions welcome so at least I can contribute to the inevitable discussion with the engineers.

Grateful thanks to all.

Yup, I had this.
When I bought my car (from a dealer who claimed at the time to be the worlds largest retailer of E-Types) I asked them to reset the front ride height, which was a little low, causing grounding issues. The clowns reset the height by turning the torsion bar by one notch of the rear splines. As a result the car was about 2" too high at the front. And the tyres rubbed the bottom of the radiator frame.

I reset the ride height myself. It wasn't a difficult job, but I discovered that when the 'retailer' reset the height they had hammered some of the bolts into the reaction plate to force it in place. Ho hum, new bolts and nuts required.

The ride height is a compromise between having the wishbones as level as possible and having enough clearance under the exhaust that nothing clouts the road. The ideal setup is with the upper wishbones slightly higher at the fulcrum than the ball joint, giving the required clearance between the bottom of the frame and the road surface. Any higher and wishbone will drop in an arc resulting in the wheel being closer to the engine frame, hence the rubbing.

Another feature of too high a ride height is an increased propensity to under steer.

Re setting the ride height on my car was so much of an issue because at some time in its past it has acquired a large amount of series 2 front end. Uprights, brakes, and TBs are all S2 so setting using S1 setting bar would result in its nose in the air. These things are sent by POs to keep us on our toes.

[abowie]

My local motor engineers..... steering rack is turning the tyres onto the bottom of the inner mudguards at full lock.

Your wheel alignment or the TB settings are wrong. Take it to someone competent and get them to set it to what it says in the manual.

[IOM42E]

Thank you Joe, Chris and Andrew (and previous contributors). It is very reassuring to find there is such enthusiastic support out there.

As Joe says, I should know know the car inside out so resetting the TBs when the other settings were supposed to be as per manual should not have thrown up another problem - but hey.

As Steve said earlier, 4.5" was way out and so everything else is likely to be out. I can see from my old photos that the height was reasonable on the rebuild and assumed it had just slumped with age and use. I can't be sure that a well meaning engineer has not adjusted the TBs since the 1990s rebuild to manual settings.

Chris's comments about S2 front ends are intriguing - the 4.2 FHC RHD car was definitely S1 1967 and heritage checked so if the track rod ends, tracking and other measures prove ok maybe some more investigation is needed. There was never any sign of accident damage on purchase.

The recent TB adjustment was made with the correct gauge as per manual and they had the manual pages to hand to set it up. My new engineer promises an electronic tracking check so I will get that done and report the results and the actions taken to resolve the issue.

Safe driving to all. Nigel