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Adjustable camber plates

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Dogs4

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I am restoring a 1955 BN1. It was suggested to me that I put in Adjustable camber plates because I am using Hendrix 72 spoke wire wheel(radials) and it would be better to have the adjustable plates. Is this something I should do and will it effect the value of the restoration? Thanks
 
As far as value if your goal is a 100 point concourse car then don't do it, if you are looking for a nice looking nice driving car I don't think it will effect value much.

As far as should you do it, depends on what you want to use the car for, if it is pleasure driving and touring I don't see the point, if you want to compete in local autocrosses, track days, or get the maximum handling from your Healey then go for it.

As far as using the 72 spoke wires, I suppose the suggestion relates to the slightly wider tire you may be using with the slightly wider wheel, which may be more sensitive to camber adjustment. In theory a possibility, in practice I will defer to others as to whether that is an issue.
 
Hello Dogs, Generally speaking i don't think you need them. There are alot of people running around with 72 spoke wheels that don't have them. the only practical sense is that if your wheel width is somewhat wider than stock, your steering might feel a tecsh heavier and adjusting chamber might change that. But I know people with wider tires on their Healey and never heard them complain, but I haven't driven those cars either.
If you wanted to race you car, maybe the adjustment might be something to have.
Now here is one I have wondered about. If you look at the adjustable shock mount, the ones I have seen have one bolt to slide the shock position laterally. I just wonder how well that bolt stays put. Months and years of street and road miles just might change its adjustment. Then the only way to make sure your car is still in alignment is to put it on an alignment machine. With the factory set up, you never have to set castor and camber.
 
On the adjustable plates, the four (4) shock bolts work to clamp the assembly in place; it doesn't rely on just the bolts (the bolts really are an aid to get the plate to slide in small increments.

If you want some range of camber adjustment, but don't want to permanately alter your chassis, there are alternatives. I made these as a "getting to know my new lathe" project.

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Does anyone have drawings of these plates please? I can get them made locally in NZ whereas shipping is a fortune to these parts!

Thanks
James

BTW I have adjustable trunnions but its not enough! I've still got +ve camber on one side
 
I don't have drawings of adjustable camber plates but I can show you a picture. I got them from a gentleman in Australia a few years back, but they have recently been added to the Moss Cat. The adjust by bolts on both sides of the plates....they replace the original shock mounting plates.

Cheers,
Steve
 

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Dougie, do you have any pics of this installed on your car? I can't get a visual of how this adjusts.

Cheers,
Steve
 
HealeyPassion said:
Dougie, do you have any pics of this installed on your car? I can't get a visual of how this adjusts.

Cheers,
Steve
Click to expand...
As a rule, I don't have much trouble figuring out how something works, but I'm with you (I'm just glad YOU ASKED first)!
 
:savewave:
Me too Handy-----------------------------Keoke-- :frown:
 
Ok guys this is how they work. First of all I think these were originally design to solve the problem of a stripped shock nut or one that broke loose of the factory weld altogether.

To install you cut the lower horizontal chassis weld on the outward shock mount and fold it up. With a chisel knock all or the remaining welded nuts loose. The plate slides inside this new exposed area.

The factory shock bolt holes are about 1/8" oversized and allows the shock/bracket to slide in and out.
You can drill out the holes further, but you can usually achieve close to 1 degree negative camber using the stock holes.

I totally removed the chassis fold on my racer so you can see the shock plate in the picture. On a show car you could refold and re-weld it back in place for a total stock look.

To adjust, loose shock bolts, put a camber gauge on the tire, pull in or out, tighten bolts and go racing.

Dougie
 
OK Dougie, Thanks much, Thats cute. it is similar to the method we use to repair stripped threads in the stock shock plate. Of couse we weld evey thing back up so nobody will know ---Keoke- :laugh:
 
One of the problems I have with my weld nuts is on both shock towers they seem to be slightly off - I think because of slight dips in the sheet metal and what not. This makes it VERY hard to bolt new shocks on the shock tower.

It looks to me this will be a much better solution.
 
zblu said:
JCSH
I believe Kilmartins on the east side of OZ have been making these for a long time.

Yes but what I have seen is the mutts are not welded perfectly flat on the plate. Having the nut skewed makes installing a good shock difficult. So check them closely before you weld them up.--Fwiw--Keoke
Click to expand...
 
Steve,

No problem with the caster. If your looking to get over -2 degrees camber you might start having a problem.

Dougie
 
I have my race tire shop check the alignment, camber and caster with me in the car during every new tire change. It's about 2-3 times in a 6-7 weekend race season. Camber doen't change much but alignment can.

Dougie
 
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