Recommendation for Corner Weighting and Geometry Setup
Discussion
Just seen this.
Try Bubble and Kick. Based in Basildon.
They are a proper race team, and have a great set up.
I was sent there by Derek of GAZ following an upgrade to the GAZ Mono's.
Seb and Nico, the two brothers who run it are knowledgable and enthusiastic.
They may give you a withering look when you drive in after having spent so long on my T350!!
Try Bubble and Kick. Based in Basildon.
They are a proper race team, and have a great set up.
I was sent there by Derek of GAZ following an upgrade to the GAZ Mono's.
Seb and Nico, the two brothers who run it are knowledgable and enthusiastic.
They may give you a withering look when you drive in after having spent so long on my T350!!
They did a great job.
It really does change the nature of the car.
It feels more neutral and controlable now (not that I ever let the tail slide on the roads of course...).
I had previously paid a well known Southern TVR garage to do it all for me, but having seen the state of it all once it was on a ramp, they clearly didn't do a proper job.
I warn you now though - be on your guard, my trip ended up being very expensive...
Not so much the tracking costs, but they talked me into racing their M3 next year! :-)
http://www.bubbleandkick.com/contact/index.html
It really does change the nature of the car.
It feels more neutral and controlable now (not that I ever let the tail slide on the roads of course...).
I had previously paid a well known Southern TVR garage to do it all for me, but having seen the state of it all once it was on a ramp, they clearly didn't do a proper job.
I warn you now though - be on your guard, my trip ended up being very expensive...
Not so much the tracking costs, but they talked me into racing their M3 next year! :-)
http://www.bubbleandkick.com/contact/index.html
I bumped into Seb from B&K, Basildon at Autosport in January and was going to take the T350 there for a geometry set up. However, decided to give it a go myself - so one camber gauge and a laser tracking kit later it's all done.
The car has done 16,000 miles and as far as I know and can see, the camber is probably as set at the factory (bolts and nuts don't ever seem to have been touch and judging by the condition of the top wishbone adjustment points, doesn't look like anyone has been there).
As found front camber was o/s -0.75degrees, n/s +0.45degrees !! - you could actually see this difference
As found rear camber was o/s -1.40degrees, n/s -1.25degrees
I set front to -0.75degrees both sides and rear to -1.6degrees both sides.
Front toe in was set to 7.5minutes toe in and the rear was left as is at 12.5minutes toe in.
Whilst the gear I bought can't check rear toe in alignment with front - this is easy with some strings, this confirmed that the rear toe in was divided equally on both sides.
The other mod I did was to fabricate two new steering arms from two sets of standard ones. The idea was to produce something with a step in like the Sag steering arms, but with the step to the track rod taper hole going downwards and not up. This way, leaving the track rods in the standard T350 orientation with ball joint pointing down, I got the steering arms dead parallel with the lower wishbone arm.
So waiting to check out on the road - snowing today.
C
The car has done 16,000 miles and as far as I know and can see, the camber is probably as set at the factory (bolts and nuts don't ever seem to have been touch and judging by the condition of the top wishbone adjustment points, doesn't look like anyone has been there).
As found front camber was o/s -0.75degrees, n/s +0.45degrees !! - you could actually see this difference
As found rear camber was o/s -1.40degrees, n/s -1.25degrees
I set front to -0.75degrees both sides and rear to -1.6degrees both sides.
Front toe in was set to 7.5minutes toe in and the rear was left as is at 12.5minutes toe in.
Whilst the gear I bought can't check rear toe in alignment with front - this is easy with some strings, this confirmed that the rear toe in was divided equally on both sides.
The other mod I did was to fabricate two new steering arms from two sets of standard ones. The idea was to produce something with a step in like the Sag steering arms, but with the step to the track rod taper hole going downwards and not up. This way, leaving the track rods in the standard T350 orientation with ball joint pointing down, I got the steering arms dead parallel with the lower wishbone arm.
So waiting to check out on the road - snowing today.
C
Thanks. It was pretty straightforward and the camber adjustment is easy - no shims to mess about with.
On a similar subject, I took my Lotus Cortina to a local alignment centre with the Hunter gear, following fitment of some adjustable TCAs. When they delivered the car back it was obvious that one side had far more camber than the other, even though the print out said they were the same. You just needed to put a level on the wheels to see. One was set at about half a degree neg and the other was one and a half neg. Also it was obvious that one TCA was screwed right in and one screwed half way out. Caster was also out - paid £138 for the privelige. So that's all been set up again at home with the gauges I bought and is now spot on. So I guess the lesson I learned is it's not just about finding a place with the right gear, but also people who know how to use it, and question what it's telling them when things are obviously not correct. The gauges have paid for themselves already.
C
On a similar subject, I took my Lotus Cortina to a local alignment centre with the Hunter gear, following fitment of some adjustable TCAs. When they delivered the car back it was obvious that one side had far more camber than the other, even though the print out said they were the same. You just needed to put a level on the wheels to see. One was set at about half a degree neg and the other was one and a half neg. Also it was obvious that one TCA was screwed right in and one screwed half way out. Caster was also out - paid £138 for the privelige. So that's all been set up again at home with the gauges I bought and is now spot on. So I guess the lesson I learned is it's not just about finding a place with the right gear, but also people who know how to use it, and question what it's telling them when things are obviously not correct. The gauges have paid for themselves already.
C
craigcaf said:
I bumped into Seb from B&K, Basildon at Autosport in January and was going to take the T350 there for a geometry set up. However, decided to give it a go myself - so one camber gauge and a laser tracking kit later it's all done.
So waiting to check out on the road - snowing today.
C
So waiting to check out on the road - snowing today.
C
Very well done. Make sure you get out as soon as you can; when you look out tomorrow, you can expect a queue of TVRs stretching down the street! Gassing Station | Tamora, T350 & Sagaris | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff