FRONT WHEEL ALIGNMENT

[philip jones 51]

Hi,
Trip to local tyre dealers, on foot, to ask if he could set my morris minor 1968 pickup front wheel alignment up but alas not due to no readings on his computer.
MORRIS MINOR 1968 PICKUP not standard set up.
TYRES 195\50R15 82H YOKOHAMA S306
FRONT STANDARD STRUTS WITH DISC BRAKE CONVERSTION FITTED
STANDARD STEERING RACK FITTED
REAR GAS STRUTS WITH DOUBLE TIE RODS AND PANHARD ROD FITTED.
FRONT TOTAL DISTANCE OUTSIDE WHEEL TO WHEEL BEING 157 CM
REAR TOTAL DISTANCE OUTSIDE WHEEL TO WHEEL BEING 157 CM
5 MM WHEEL SPACERS FITTED ALLROUND.
TYRE PRESSURES FRONT 24 AND REAR 28 PSI.

Standard front wheel alignment being 2.5 mm toe in to rear of front wheel.
Will this be okay for this set up as above.
Also rear wheel alignment using a plum line from front wheel tyre wall to rear wheel tyre wall as used on a motorbike, is it good enough or a more accurate way required.
Regards,
PHILIP JONES

[bmcecosse]

Check with a long length of straight timber (essentially same idea as using a 'string') that the rear wheels are pointing dead true down the centre line of the vehicle. Correct it if necessary! Check the camber angle of each front wheel - spirit level (or plumb bob) and a 6" rule will do the job well enough if you can find a flat piece of road to stand the car - in any case - turn it round on the same road and measure again. If not good (very slight negative) - correct with washers behind the eyebolt head. All being well , then just track the front wheels - I use a simple gauge made of Dexion (and the 6" rule again..) - it gives the same reading 3 times out of 3 , so can't be bad. Essential to check the track rods are SAME length in to the track rod ends on both sides of the car. And yes - 1/8" toe in... I don't understand your 'to rear of wheel' comment??

[MarkyB]

On a motorbike you need to check with a straight edge that the rear wheel is in line with the front one.
Adjustments are done on the rear swinging arm.

The only reason to check this on a car would be to check for accident damage, it's not the way to check the tracking.

[bmcecosse]

No - nothing to do with tracking - but it is an essential suspension set-up check! If the rear wheels are 'squinty' then there's no point going on till that is corrected.

[RosieT]

Hi All,
Just bought and fitted on my 1000 convertible a new set of 14" X 5.5 alloy wheels,( Minilite style), fitted with 175 X 60 HR tyres.
Question; Does anyone know the settings for alignment or do they have to just be level front to rear and square to road ?

Peter

[bmcecosse]

60 section is much lower than I would go on a Minor... Still want a tiny bit of toe-IN, basically to make sure they do not toe-OUT when running. And with wide tyres - dead upright or perhaps 0.5 negative camber at rest. Unfortunately the Minor suspension goes +ve camber on compression.......