Wheelbase problems

[STE VR]

Hello all!!! i have been a new owner now for 6 months and enjoying every minute of!!! however i have had a problem with my 4 ltr 1995 since i've owned and that is it is pulling to the left and after having (admittedly only front) tracking done it is no different. i have just measured the wheelbase and the right is the stated 2282mm but the left is only 2270mm!! i have looked at all the welds etc.. and it does not show any signs of being front ended at any time. thanks in advance........

[The AJP Griff]

i would have a 4 wheel alignment done if i were you.How do you know your wheels were optimum straight ahead when you measured the wheelbase?

[spend]

Can you get under the car & check your rear wishbones? 1/2" is not a lot.. Have a look at the rear track adjusters (on the inside front of the lower wishbone) ~ its not uncommon they seize up & may have been butchered.

Dave

[STE VR]

Hello the AJP griff, thanks for such a prompt response! to be honest i only had the wheels set by eye which i dont think were far out but even so would this really account for 12mm (approx) and why would it pull to the left. do you think it could be out that far just due to alignment?? please go easy as i am not up on my tvr's as much as i would like just yet!! just to add it does become a little frightening after the 90 mark (on a private road of course) and seems to turn much easier into left hand bends than right

[STE VR]

hi spend. i have had inclinometers on the rears and they are showing both neg camber of 1.2 deg. i think they should be 3/4 deg but even so if they are both the same should this account for such a difference?

[mgaut]

spend said:

1/2" is not a lot

cue Podie

[spend]

Camber is adjusted on the upright to top wishbone clamp? I was talking about the track adjusters on the lower wishbone & generally if your wishbones were straight and all bushes intact.

That camber is ok in my book.

Dave

[STE VR]

sorry spend, the tracking at the rear i can only check by eying up the spaces between the wheel and bodywork! i know this is not a good judgement by any means but they do look pretty much the same. would i actually see 12mm difference by eye or would it look bugger all? i think i should find a decent place to get it 4 wheel aligned and then see whats what.

[spend]

If you look on the inside of the rear lower wishbone at the front there is the tracking adjuster. It is a big threeded sleeve ~ should be approx equal thread showing on each side all things being equal. Wishbone distortion I would have thought should be visually apparent. Bushes can be checked with pry bar / by hand.

Dave

Edited by spend on Thursday 22 February 23:02

[The AJP Griff]

STE VR said:

.....i think i should find a decent place to get it 4 wheel aligned and then see whats what.

.from this you will get a proper picture of whats going on,a starting point.

[STE VR]

Thanks v much for the advice Dave, will check all this weekend and post back.

[andy-w]

STE VR said:

even so if they are both the same should this account for such a difference?

If your front wheels were out of alignment then that 12mm will only be 6mm in reality...if they were slightly to the left then you could have had 6mm less one side and 6mm more the other side...?

4 wheel alignment check is the way to go!

[STE VR]

Cheers the AJP griff, by the way does anybody on here know of a good 4 wheel alignment place on the wirral who wont say 'sorry mate not touchin that'!!!!!

[Griffter]

So either the rear wheel's moved forward, or the front wheel's moved back?
Camber shouldn't have any effect on that. Castor might - only adjustable at the front. Check the upper balljoint and look for the spacer between the balljoint mount and the wishbone. Check the spacer is present and in the same place on both sides.
Check the location of the bush housings on the wishbones for being central between the wishbone mounting lugs on the chassis. They'll move about if the bushes are badly installed or worn.
After that check the wishbone mounting lugs on the chassis are undamaged.
Have any of the components been changed on one side only? eg steering knuckle or rear upright? Different parts to different tolerances might account for it.

As suggested, a 4 wheel geo check is a good starting point otherwise.

[spend]

Griffter said:

Castor might - only adjustable at the front. Check the upper balljoint and look for the spacer between the balljoint mount and the wishbone.

I thought there was only about 5mm max (sorry I have a different set up) at the top wishbone - which really rotates around the wheel pivot point. Wouldnt have thought castor would affect wheelbase (apart from miniscule measurements.

Dave

[Griffter]

spend said:

Griffter said:

Castor might - only adjustable at the front. Check the upper balljoint and look for the spacer between the balljoint mount and the wishbone.

I thought there was only about 5mm max (sorry I have a different set up) at the top wishbone - which really rotates around the wheel pivot point. Wouldnt have thought castor would affect wheelbase (apart from miniscule measurements.

Dave

I don't know Dave - I'm just head scratching really. If the bottom ball joint is lower than the wheel bearing centre then it would affect it - but only by a small amount as you say. You're right there is adjustment on the ball joint rotation as well, but that must affect camber/castor together I'd have thought, whereas the spacer (which isn't adjustable - it's a single spacer, not shims) shouldn't adjust it at all - but CAN be put in the wrong side of the ball joint mount.

We seem to be discussing a lot of things together these days!