Correct adjustment of front axle of BN6

[BN6_2197]

Gents,

what is the correct adjustment (Toe In ) of the front axle of a BN6. I measured the current settings of my car. It is 1 dgree, 35 minutes toe in. From my understanding of the workshop manual, that is too much toe in. Can anybody help?

Volker

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

Gents,

what is the correct adjustment (Toe In ) of the front axle of a BN6. I measured the current settings of my car. It is 1 dgree, 35 sconds toe in. From my understanding of the workshop manual, that is too much toe in. Can anybody help?

Volker

it depends on if your running radials or biasply tires. Radials, I'm told should be zero toein, but some people will argue that they run a little toein and the car handles a little better. I run a little toein myself. Toein increases with a person in the car.

 

[BN6_2197]

Patrick,

I am running Radials. Can you detail on "little toein" in terms of degree. As said, my current setting is 1 degree, 35 minutes. I have no idea if this is still "little" toe in ;-)

Volker

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

Patrick,

I am running Radials. Can you detail on "little toein" in terms of degree. As said, my current setting is 1 degree, 35 seconds. I have no idea if this is still "little" toe in ;-)

Volker

I believe mine was set at 1/16" degrees toein but it's been a while since it was done. A friend and a string did it with me helping somewhat and it worked good. Maybe a call to Allen Hendrix of Hendrix wire wheel will shed some light on this?

 

[DerekJ]

Volker

The workshop manual does not mention degrees it uses distance. Toe in is 1/16 inch to 1/8th inch. As you live in Germany I suspect that doesn't mean much at all! In metric it is 1.58mm to 3.17mm. You could calculate the angle by geometry. I would always run some toe in even with radials. Some front wheel drive cars have zero toe in and racers will even go to a very slight toe out to assist cornering grip. For road use I would stick to a small amount of toe in.

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

I believe mine was set at 1/2 degrees toein but it's been a while since it was done. A friend and a string did it with me helping somewhat and it worked good. Maybe a call to Allen Hendrix of Hendrix wire wheel will shed some light on this?

I corrected my original post. I meant 1/16" of an inch.

 

[BN6_2197]

Can anybody detail on the physical reference point at the front wheels for which the difference should be 1/8 to 1/16 inch? Is it the diameter of the complete wheel, the diameter of the rims or the contact area of the whells with the street. The workshop manual is not clear about that.z

 

[Randy Forbes]

I use these Longacre Toe Plates to get quick measurements. There is an identical plate against the opposite wheel with the ends of the two (2) tape measures hooked into it.

 

[BN6_2197]

Randy, that means that the B axis mentioned in the workshop manual is located at the inner border of the cmplete wheel and the A axis is located at the outer border of the wheel? In consequence, the distance (back to fromt) between A axis and B axis is the diameter of the complete wheel, isn't it? Hence the 1/8 to 1/16 difference between A and B is relativ to the diameter of the complete wheel and not the diameter of the rims?

If this is true Geometry will help me to calculate the angle I am looking for

Volker

 

[John Turney]

Randy, that means that the B axis mentioned in the workshop manual is located at the inner border of the cmplete wheel and the A axis is located at the outer border of the wheel? In consequence, the distance (back to fromt) between A axis and B axis is the diameter of the complete wheel, isn't it? Hence the 1/8 to 1/16 difference between A and B is relativ to the diameter of the complete wheel and not the diameter of the rims?

If this is true Geometry will help me to calculate the angle I am looking for

Volker

You are correct.

 

[Randy Forbes]

Randy, that means that the B axis mentioned in the workshop manual is located at the inner border of the cmplete wheel and the A axis is located at the outer border of the wheel? In consequence, the distance (back to fromt) between A axis and B axis is the diameter of the complete wheel, isn't it? Hence the 1/8 to 1/16 difference between A and B is relativ to the diameter of the complete wheel and not the diameter of the rims?

If this is true Geometry will help me to calculate the angle I am looking for

Volker

Wouldn't using a tape measure be easier?

 

[vette]

Volker, here is the quick and easy way that works everytime. I've been using this tool ever since my first MGA
way back in 1970. In the beginning I used one made from scrap wood. Some years ago I decided to make one from metal square tubing. Its a little more accurate made with metal. Take the square tubing, cut it to a length that it will fit between the tires. Make the vertical uprights a length that will allow the threaded bolts to point at a point on side wall of the tire at about the height of the spindle or the center of the wheel. for the threaded bolts, drill a hole in the tube at the spindle height large enough to pass the bolt thru. Weld a nut unto the square tubing to give the bolt something to thread thru.
You must measure your front wheels toe setting with the cars weight on the wheels. And the suspension must be at its normal geometry which means that if you have just set it down from a jack, you must roll the car at least 10 feet to get the suspension settled out.
the setting for the Healey is 1/16th inch to 1/8th inch toed-In. As far as I'm concerned I don't care what tires you have. So put the newly built gauge between the front wheels with the screws just touching the side wall of the tires out near the tread. Now move the gauge to the back tread area of the front tires and make the distance 1/16th to 18th inch larger. You don't even have to turn the screws, just let them at the position they were when they touched at the front and you can see the difference. See attached.

 

[BN6_2197]

Gents,

to make my under standing christal clear: the length of "C" in the attachment which is a modified version of the workshop manual figure equals to the diameter of the complete wheel and not the rims. Correct?



By the way: I am using this guage to set the correct angle of the toe in https://www.limora.com/en/warehouse...-suspension/suspension-tools/gauge-69990.html

Volker

 

[vette]

Yep Volker, I use as much of the complete wheel as possible. As I think you understand, a point on the diameter of the wheel rim and a point on the diameter of the wheel tire tread would/could make your measurement different. But the important thing is to set the pointer at the same relative position on the wheel when measuring from the front of the wheel to the rear of the wheel. I like to set mine to point to the center of the tire side wall, that is surprisingly consistent. (the widest part of the tire).

 

[BN6_2197]

Gents, thank you all for your contributions. I have all the information now to determine the toe in angle that is required for the gauge I have in use.

Volker