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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Front wheel camber

Advice would be appreciated, I have finished replacing both front and rear suspension on my 1979 midget 1500. The front suspension has had every part replaced including wishbones all bushes reconditioned kingpin set springs shocks etc !

My car has a fault which has carried forward from when I purchased it, I notice the front nearside wheel is at a greater camber i.e. inwards towards car than the offside and once you know about it can easily be seen !

Can I adjust this? or is it something I will have to live with ?

The car now drives beautifully and this cannot be felt.

The only explanation I can think of is the car has for years been sitting low on the offside rear spring, in effect taking the load off the front nearside ? could this have had any effect ?

Many thanks.

Paul.
P Bromley

Was the car built on a heritge shell

Most Spridgets more so those on heritage shells have the suspension just not quite right. Your problem is that the top shocker pad is not welded into the same place as the other side and therefore the one side has more camber than the other

How to fix?
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

Thanks this is what I was beginning to think, the car has been re built at some time and has little corrosion so may be not set up correctly .

Is there a realistic fix ?
P Bromley

Paul,
You can buy adjustable camber top trunions. I think they work by having the hole offset and you rotate them to set the required camber angle. I also recall that there may be problems in getting them to stay at the chosen setting!

The only other possibilities I can see would be to get the mounting bolt holes for the damper re-drilled, or the plate cut out and repositioned - both sound unrealistic to me!

You could I suspect get the top trunion modified by a machine shop to fill and re-cut the bolt hole.

Or you could just forget about it! Mine is like that too. Shawn (Perth) pointed it out to me several years ago. I worried about it for a few hours, decided that there wasn't an easy fix and have ignored it ever since!

Guy
Guy Oneandahalf Sprites

With the adjustable off-set trunion bush you can compensate for app 1,5 to 2 degrees. Most Spridgets (not only the heritage shells) have differences between left and right. I found out the off set bush will stay in its position when placed in 1 of the 2 max positions. So they arent that adjustable. But if 1,5 to 2 degrees is what you want its a good way to compensate for differences. The Camber should be neutral or slightly negative (ie tilted inwards at the top of the wheel).
Bas Timmermans

Can anyone point me where to get the adjustable trunion bushes it could be something I would try otherwise I will follow guy and try and forget it !

Thanks to all for help.

Best wishes

Paul.

P Bromley

Paul
There is a fair bit of optical illusion connected with wheel alignment
Step one is to measure your ride heights ( centre of hub to wheelarch ) and make sure the car is sitting square. Any differences side to side will effect camber
Then after you are happy that it is sitting square get it on a wheel aligner and get it measured so that you know exactly what you've got----it's the only way to go
Willy
WilliamRevit

>>>>>>>You could I suspect get the top trunion modified by a machine shop to fill and re-cut the bolt hole.<<<<<<<

I was thinking this same thing off and on over the spring and summer for my near future front suspension upgrade and modification instead of off set bushings that would wear and move around as people claim.

aside from the off set bushings I think this would be the easist, least costly, and most permentant solution (as long as you dont lose it)... Id have a good front end shop measure your set up 1st exactly so you have a starting point to work from

infact i was thinking about having like 4 sets made if the cost wasnt to high, and I doulbt it would be..just make them in 1/2 degree incerments so id have more versatility for differant conditions

the only draw backs are finding someone that can actually do the work with great accuracy, the cost, and weather this would create faster wear on bushings and if so how much.

Prop
Prop

If you need the max 1,5 or 2 degrees you can also buy Peter Mays off set toptrunion set. No more worn rubber or poly bushes. It has bronze bushings.
Bas Timmermans

Paul, had this problem on my heritage shelled car. I bought a pair of nylatron offset trunnion bushes from Moss and fitted them to the offending side. They had just the enough adjustment to compensate. The other side I just left as standard. Once I had determined they needed to be in the max negative position I used a decent adhesive (I think I used araldite) to hold them in place. There was no difference in ride quality and when I took it apart 4k later the bushes seemed as good as new. I think I might have drilled the trunnion and added a grease nipple to keep it well lubed. Worked for me and they only cost about £5 each.
John Payne

Thanks John, may try this did you have ordinary i.e. non offset nylatron at the other side too ?

Thanks

Paul.
P Bromley

The other side (nearside) I had with standard rubber bushes then replaced with poly bushes at a later date. Didn't notice any problems.

John
John Payne

This thread was discussed between 10/10/2010 and 12/10/2010

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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