64 A-H suspension

[midnight]

What should be the correct camber setting on a 64 BJ8 - MIdnight

 

[steveg]

See:

I see this is currently out of print, but they're available used on Amazon and abebooks.com.

 

[Bob_Spidell]

See:View attachment 35898

I see this is currently out of print, but they're available used on Amazon and abebooks.com.

Well, I'm not gonna dig mine out from the boot, but IIRC it's 1deg (one degree) positive for all Big Healeys (99.99% sure of this). I know because I've struggled to get close to this on both our BN2 and BJ8. Castor is, I think, 3deg (don't know the official term, but the the tilt is 'backward'). Toe is either 1/16" or 1/8"--I can't remember for sure--and some people running radials set less or even zero.

 

[midnight]

Thanks - The car I am looking at (restored?) must have at least 5deg positive - I don't understand how that can be? midnight

 

[Bob_Spidell]

Thanks - The car I am looking at (restored?) must have at least 5deg positive - I don't understand how that can be? midnight

My BJ8--bought with 64K miles and original except for paint--had excessive positive camber as well. My theory--and it's only a theory--is simply that the cars weren't assembled with the greatest of care and precision and if the jig was off on a given day cars left the factory with excessive positive camber. The shock mounting plates were welded to the chassis; it may be that the welder just 'eyeballed' the plates' location and intentionally erred on the side of positive camber. I attempted to correct the problem with offset bushings but they are only good for a degree or so of adjustment. I took the car to a reputable alignment shop and they bent the correct alignment into the front end, but in so doing the created a crack on one lower A-frame mount which I welded and it's been OK since (I keep an eye on it for sure).

My dad bought a BN2--which to my delight turned out to be an original, 'factory' 100M--and for some reason it had excessive negative camber. We could never figure out why--the chassis is otherwise straight--and we installed adjustable shock plates to solve the problem (the plates were built incorrectly, but that's another story). We used basic tools to set up the alignment--a digital level really helped--and though we haven't gotten a 'professional' alignment the car handles beautifully.

 

[johnea]

When I was investigating the camber settings on my BN6 I found out that the difference between left and right was in the shockabsorber arms.

 

[steveg]

I suggested the manual because I figured anyone who wanted to know something as obscure as the camber should have a manual anyway in case other interesting questions arise.

 

[BoyRacer]

If you are using the "correct" skinny tires that your car came with in 1964, then one degree positive would be fine. If you are using a modern tire then I would aim for zero degrees camber.