Measuring Camber

[RigMan]

Folks, I need to measure the camber of my front wheels, which are visually out. It is easy to do if you have the right tool. Does anyone have a clinometer accurate to minutes of a degree or know where I can pick one up cheap? Failing that, any suggestions will do. All my local garages can do tracking, but camber and castor seems to be witchcraft to them!


RigMan.

Could you make up a rudimentary one?, using a triangle of ply and a plumbline, you'd have to work out the scale for yourself,but if the long side of the triangle is about 24" long it should be readable.Its largely a matter of personal pref, but I would start at 1-1.5 degrees pos (in at top)
Course you must bear in mind that most types rely entirely on the floor/car being level to begin with.
Alternatively is there a rally type prep shop near you?

RIGMAN

I had mine done by Cheng at Thunder Road in Waltham Abbey.
I also drive a Focus (dont Laugh) that I lowered and got the Geometry checked by STS in Hitchin. I think any major Tyre depot should be able to do it with a computer allignment system. If they can get the car on the ramp

Good luck Steve G.

PS car looks Great. Will you be at Braintree this weekend If I'll look you up.

[RigMan]

Unfortunately I do not know of any 'rally type' places to take it to. I have rung around a bit and I have even tried to hire some! DAX will of course do it, and they are about as close to me as Thunder Road Cars so it's 6 of one, half a dozen of the other.

I think DAX recomend 7/8 of 1 degree positive so any scale I make will have to be accurate! Another thing I have noticed with garages, is that they will check all alignement on their lazer mchines, but they will only adjust tracking which is no use!

Love to go to Braintree but I am on my Rig at the moment!

Thanks for your help anyways


RigMan.

[paul]

Hi there re your camber settings I assume you have the MkIV chassis and you are running 17"rims according to the Dax manual I have it states 1 deg neg on the fronts and 1/2deg neg on the rears
The 7/8 measurement is for chassis prior to March 1995
Also do the camber and then the tracking as camber can alter track not visa versa
cheers
Paul

[Bob]

I've got a digital spirit level that is spot on its not one from your lacal DIY center. I use use it for checking machines that make Cobras look like big boys toys and the reference levels can be pre defined. When your ready you can borrow it or if you want I will lend a hand. The best way to set camber is to drive the car on a circuit consisting of both turns and then measure the temperature of inside and outside edges of he tyre. When the temperature is even then you are presenting the biggest tyre patch to the road and getting best grip. Having said that for road use the level will work fine if the Dax setting are right. Dont forget that the most importnat setting is Toe and it will always be a trade off between tyre wear and handling. If your car is set up for SVA ,well high to meet 350 indicator height then don't set final toe until you are running at your normal ride height. Phone me if you want the level.

[Mole]

I rarely find that garages, tyre fitter etc use their gauges accurately enough. The cheapest way to do it is to get the car on a LEVEL surface and make sure you roll it on to that surface. Do NOT jack it up and lower it don because the suspension will need to be re-settled if you do that.

Set up a vertical face (I've used the back of a polished granite tomb stone before now -but I'm a bit sick like that!) a convenient distance from the wheel. Make sure it is absolutely level by using a good quality spirit level against it.

Measure horizontally from the top of the wheel rim to the stone and from the bottom of the rim to the stone. You're best off doing this with a pair of Vernier calipers to +/- 0.1mm if possible but you'll get a reasonable idea if you're within 1mm of the truth. You will then have the three dimensions of a right-angled triangle. The difference between the top reading and the bottom reading will be the height of the triangle, and the distance from the top to the bottom of the rim will be its hypotenuse. The camber angle of that wheel is the angle whose Sine is the height of the triangle divided by the length of its hypotenuse. Get a scientific calculator and find out what inv sin (diference / diameter) is. If you e-mail me I'll scan a sketch and send it to you.


Good luck,

Mole.

P.S. Remember that adjusting the camber on some cars can alter the tracking so do the camber first!

[wilf]

Rigman - sure I saw a camber and castor measuring guage the other night in a catalogue I was thumbinmg through - think it was Europa or Demon Tweeks??? Cost was around £42 - it used a plumbline hanging across a calibrated chart I think.
If I can remember where I saw it I'll post again if you want the info.

Wilf

[wilf]

Rigman - thanks for the congrats on making V8, lets see if the big bad moderator lets me keep it!
I did look up that camber gauge - it was in Europa for £41.7somethingpence. Same thing £51 plus in Demon Tweeks!

Wilf