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MGA MGA - Wheel alignment

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Rick D

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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..
 
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
 
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??
 
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.
 
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?
 
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
 
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