MGA MGA - Wheel alignment

[Rick D]

Hello people;
I'm about to take the MGA in for a wheel alignment, and, truth be told, I don't trust handing it over to some generic front-end alignment shop to be worked on by someone who's unfamiliar with the car. For all I know, I could do it myself, but either way I need some info/confirmation on some things. Thanks. First off, I've been told that the caster/camber adjustment question on the MGA is unneccesary and dangerous to mess with or implement. Secondly, I've also heard that, although the manual calls for a parallel setup, that is, no toe-in or toe-out, the spec was meant to address the original setup (bias-ply tires), and that with today's radial ply tires taken into account, there should be a slight toe-in (1/16 inch maybe?) Let me know what you think, and thanks..

 

[PaulP]

Rick,

I have the same dilemma on my '74 MGB, although I think I'll end up taking it somewhere.

I read an article online about a diy procedure where you scribe a line on the tire and then use a plumb bob and string to project that line to the garage floor. Do this off the front and rear of the front tires and measure the distance between the marks.

I did a quick web search, but couldn't find the site. Perhaps someone else here has.

I have an old Clymer MGA/MGB manual that says all models of MGAs had parallel toe-in. I'm sure there are some MGA experts out there who can provide a better, more detailed answer than I can.

I'd also do a archive search over at MG Enthesiasts MGA board at https://www2.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgbbs

Take care - Paul

 

[Gary Lloyd]

Good question!! I am getting an alignment one tomorrow and I would really like to know the specs!! Anything wrong with parrallel?? How about 1/16 toe in??

 

[Rick D]

Paul, Gary,
Thanks for the feedback. Gary; I expect that, since yours is a '74, when radials were more or less common, you'd be ok going with whatever the manual calls for. Sorry I couldn't get back to you earlier.

 

[Rick D]

Whoops, sorry about that; got Gary mixed up with Paul!

 

[Gary Lloyd]

That's OK!! 1/16 in!! Runs great!! What a difference!!

 

[Rick D]

Gary,
Hey, glad to hear it! Well, that sounds like a pretty definitive answer to my original concerns. You didn't indicate as such, but it's an MGA that you had the alignment done on, right?

 

[Dave Russell]

Toe in was originally intended to compensate for the tire forces causing the suspension bushings to flex, thus moving the front wheels slightly back & causing toe out. The amount of toe in depends upon the amount of flex in the suspension & the amount of drag in the particular tires. Since toe out makes the car drive squirrely It is better to have a little too much toe in if in doubt. I think that radial tires have less drag & require less toe in. It is probably not very critical as long as the tires don't toe out at speed.
D

 

[Gary Lloyd]

No Rick, mine is a '66 'B!! It was built for bias ply tires too, so I'm sure it is the same!! GOOD LUCK BUDDY!!!!!