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MG MGA - Adjusting Front End Camber???

For months my car has been up on blocks. Now that the body is on I have put tires on the car so it can be more easily moved around the garage. However my front end appears to have negative camber. The top of the tire tilts away from the car.

How do I adjust the suspension so my tires are perpendicular to the ground?
gerard hutchinson

You will have to unbolt the top or bottom trunnion fitting to your A arm and turn the unit one complete turn and bolt it back on. Check to see how it lines up before tighting it up.
jeff becker

Gerard:
If your tires are tilting away from the car at the top and closer at the bottom, you have a positive camber issue. The MGA has static camber which is not adjustable without changing suspension pieces. I doubt you will need to do that. You mentioned that the body was on, maybe an obvious question here, but do you have the engine in place with all other suspension pieces mounted?
If so and you still have an issue, I would be looking at the trunnions and the A-arms to be sure they are installed properly.

Clayton
C. Merchant

I have always described the camber that Gerard has as negative camber. Out at the top and in at the bottom, like an old Volkswagen Beetle.
If the engine, gearbox, and radiator etc. are fitted and you have "bounced" the front of the car a few times to settle it, and still have excessive camber, I ask whether the nuts retaining the bushes of the inner pivot of the lower A arms were loosened.
These nuts must be tightened with the full weight on the front wheels.

Mick
Mick Anderson

Clayton,

It seems that you are correct. If the wheel is out at the top and in at the bottom the camber is positive.

Mick
Mick Anderson

The engine is not installed, but the additional weight would not change anything. I believe the trunions are not installed properly. Unfortunately the shop manual doesn't have the best instructions.
gerard hutchinson

Turning the trunnions surely causes a gross change in the camber, not a small adjustment. How far out is it (degrees from vertical, or inches top over bottom ?
Art

The weight of the engine and trans will greatly affect what you are seeing. To pull the wheel in at the bottom the bottom trunion would have to be reversed and I don't believe it will fit backwards. Did you take the car apart or get it in the current condition, you may have some wrong parts.
It's too late now but it is much eaiser to put an "A" together by assembling the rolling chassis with drive train before putting on the body.
John H

After looking at the assembly images, I've discovered that the upper trunion is backwards. Hopefully the 180 degree turn will correct the problem.
gerard hutchinson

The upper trunnion should mate to the bump stop to indicate that you have it the right way round
dominic clancy

YES!!! I fixed it! Thanks to all for your advice...
gerard hutchinson

This thread was discussed between 15/10/2006 and 23/10/2006

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