Self centering

[cliffords]

Not on the road yet but when I shoot up and down the road I live in, I have noticed the steering is not too keen to self center. I does from a small lock but not from anything very hard. When I reverse off my drive it is keen when I turn to keep turning through to the lock , but this is when going back wards.

Do you think I have fitted something the wrong way around.

This is a pic of my car off side front. Are your shims in this way around ?

[craggle]

On the Dax the advice is to stick all shims at the front to increase castor angles to aid self centering.

With the wheel off turn the steering through full lock and make sure those bolts in the top pivot clear the brake disc. I used the standard Jaguar bolts in that position and they have a special rounded head to clear the brake disc on full lock.

Craig.

[Roy D]

Just flicking through here and noticed your post, you appear to have sealed ball joints as opposed to the ones with grease nipples on top it may just be that your ball joints have stiffened from lack of use or are they new parts (they don't look new in your pic). You would be amazed how times a good going over with a grease gun can make a real difference.

Good luck , Roy

[TonyD]

Originally Posted by cliffords

Not on the road yet but when I shoot up and down the road I live in, I have noticed the steering is not too keen to self center. I does from a small lock but not from anything very hard. When I reverse off my drive it is keen when I turn to keep turning through to the lock , but this is when going back wards.

Do you think I have fitted something the wrong way around.

This is a pic of my car off side front. Are your shims in this way around ?

Yep, the shims are the right way around so the top wishbone looks ok.

Have you checked the bottom wishbones, are they on the correct side, ie the "swans neck" bottom ball joint mounting points forward slightly. If you have put these on the wrong side the top wishbone camber won't make any differnece whatsoever, but your self centering in reverse would be great!!

Cheers,
Tony

[cliffords]

Originally Posted by Roy D

Just flicking through here and noticed your post, you appear to have sealed ball joints as opposed to the ones with grease nipples on top it may just be that your ball joints have stiffened from lack of use or are they new parts (they don't look new in your pic). You would be amazed how times a good going over with a grease gun can make a real difference.

Good luck , Roy

Yes they were new but now almost two years ago , damp in garage has got them.
not sure where I could grease these ?

[cliffords]

Originally Posted by TonyD

Yep, the shims are the right way around so the top wishbone looks ok.

Have you checked the bottom wishbones, are they on the correct side, ie the "swans neck" bottom ball joint mounting points forward slightly. If you have put these on the wrong side the top wishbone camber won't make any difference whatsoever, but your self centering in reverse would be great!!

Cheers,
Tony

Yep swan neck is forward .
Thanks for the replies.

[kayjayd]

What tony said. How many castor shims, 4? Mine didn't self centre too well pre sva but seems to be getting better the more I drive it. Sva man took this view on things too.

[cliffords]

Originally Posted by craggle

On the Dax the advice is to stick all shims at the front to increase castor angles to aid self centering.

With the wheel off turn the steering through full lock and make sure those bolts in the top pivot clear the brake disc. I used the standard Jaguar bolts in that position and they have a special rounded head to clear the brake disc on full lock.

Craig.

Craig
In my pic, offside front.
Castor angle needed is top of unit back to wards the rear of car , bottom forward ?
yes ??

[Purple AK]

David. Your picture is of the N/S not the O/S so the shims are at the back! They should be at the front

[craggle]

The swivels are the later, sealed types. The same on my car, and they can't be greased.

Still can't see why the shims are at the rear though? To increase the castor you need to move the top of the upright backwards so the shims at the front would do this.

Think Chris has just agreed with me. Swap the shims round and give it a try.

Craig.