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TR6 Rear Camber on a TR6

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jerrybny

jerrybny

Jedi Knight
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I have some questions about the rear camber on my 73 TR6. It looks like I have some negitive camber. I say this because I notice the tire is tilted in at the top. The passegner side seems more than the drivers side. When standing behind the car you can see that it looks like it is squating a little. Please correct me if I am wrong about my negative camber. I believe that there should be some negative camber on the rear to help with cornering. I'm just wondering how do you tell if you have too much or not enough.

Btw I am running 205/70/15's all the way around and I have the tube conversion kit with the kyb shocks from VB. Thanks
 
Yes, it's negative camber. You should have a little. I lowered my 6 and therefore have a bit too much negative camber myself. How do you tell how much is too much? Not sure. Richard Good sells a kit that will correct the negative camber situation. Do a google search on Goodparts.
 
How hard is the installation of the brackets? Are any special tools required. And last, should I replace the trailing arm bushings since I am under there? The springs were replaced last winter. Thanks
 
you can adjust your camber by changing your rearend brackets. There are notches on them, 1-3 or 0-2 I forget. They can be installed notch up or down. Each one's relative bolt position is different. By fitting different brackets you can change the camber. I tried diffent springs and a spring spacer and did not change it. I had some spares and worked it out. It's a bit of a pain. I believe Moss Motors catalog has it detailed.
 
I'd say if you are doing it get Mr Goods brackets and do the bushings at the same time. You'll save yourself a ton of time and trouble doing it this way as opposed to the Moss mix and match approach.

I have his brackets, nylatron bushes and lowered springs and could not be happier. The only thing I'd add is that if you don't have one, a small arbor press will make the job much much easier.

It's a pure wrenching job - about 3 hours per side taking it easy (or 6 hours if you try to remove the old bushes by hand - trust me). Good axle stands, a trolley jack (for releasing the spring), penetrating oil and 6 point sockets and you are all set. You will need to bleed the rear brakes though afterwards so don't forget the fluid...

btw: It's a really good opportunity to check out your u- joints on your halfshafts at the same time.
 
Question Jerry, if the rear springs were replaced fairly recently, why can you visibly see the tilt on the wheels? Is it possible that the wrong springs were put in, i.e., too short? I changed the springs on my 73 with some competition springs (slightly stiffer ride) and lowered the car by 1" (on purpose) and the geometry didn't change one bit. Typically the TR6 would show something called "Triumph Squat" when the springs were shot, but you say they are new! Hmmmmm, makes me wonder. A good alignment shop can check this all out. Mine has practically zero camber and with wide, flat-treaded tires, this works very well for me. (Michelin Hydroedge)
Richard Good's adjustable brackets are a very good product but a good alignment shop can set the alignment once and you are done. Taking the whole rear end apart is a weekend project and will allow you to check out many areas of potential problems all at once. Such as rust in body and frame, shocks (tube?) u-joints, emergency brake, cracks in the diff brackets, etc. Good luck.

Bill
 
Easily big enough. It doesn't require that much push, but you won't do it by hand. You can achieve the same effect with some big washers, bolts and a length of threaded rod, but given I bought a one ton press thru amazon for about $45 shipped why go to all the trouble.

You'll use it again when you do the U joints anyway. Just remember to bolt it down before you tug on the handle...
 
Bill, I am assuming that the right springs were put in. I got them Moss. I used the stock ones they list(675-045). It didn't mention anything about them being shorter. When I stand behind the car I can see the TR6 Squat. The passenger side seems worse than the driver's side. I even used the aluminum packing piece when I replaced the springs. I never really noticed the squat before I replaced the red line tires with the 205/70/15's. I'm not saying it wasn't there its just that I never noticed it. Thats why I was asking how much squat I should see if any. BTW I replaced the 4 u-joints about a month ago and I agree with Alan about the press. Them son-of @#$#4 were a bear to get out. Could replacing the ujoints have caused the negative camber to increase? I marked them before I took them and and put them back in the same position. Thanks to everyone for answering my questions and trying to help.
 
If you do not have an arbor press, a section of threaded rod, I believe 5/16 works, two nuts and two flat washers. This method is very easy to control and fairly fast. Your threaded rod needs to be about 10 inches long.
 
Jerry,

Assuming you did it all ok and the springs, spacers and packings are all correct, and that the camber was correct before you started, the only thing I can think of that could be causing this is that your bushings are shot, causing the trailing arm to move relative to the hangers.

Your U-joints ought not to be related - they carry no weight. If the slides on the halfshafts are binding I guess they *could* be compressing the springs, but that seems pretty unlikely.

My best guess fwiw without seeing it is that your trailing arm bushes are shot. I'd be happy to be corrected though.

Actually one other unlikely thing occurs - your hubs are ok, right?
 
Bad trailing arm bushings could definitely be causing your squat. I don't think that the tire size should have any issue either.

I've also got Goodparts Nylatron bushes and his adjustable brackets. Before these parts came along, save that of swapping different vintage trailing arm brackets, there was no way of adjusting the camber on a TR. My alignment guy absolutely loved them, he being an old Triumph guy himself, said they really make the alignment a breeze.

If the hubs are allowing that king of play... I wouldn't drive it.

My vote's for the bushings.
 
Another thing to look at is the fact that the hubs are bolted into an aluminum swing arm using fine thread steel bolts - a big area of potential problems. I would strongly suggest that you take all 10 bolts out of the swing arms and reinforce the holes with something like HeliCoil. Then you would be using a larger, wide-thread biting surface that grips soft metal much better than the fine thread and the inside mating surface would still be fine thread for you bolt. This is a big area of weakness in these cars. Mine were actually held in with J-B Weld by the PO. Amazing. This could actually be causing some of your camber problems. I got my springs from BritPartsNorthWest. Very knowledgeable when it comes to quality parts.

Bill
 
Ok thanks all. I've decided I have a nice winter project to do. I am going to replace the bushings and go with the goodparts brackets. The only question left is: Do I need to still use the aluminum packing pieces I installed when I replaced the springs? I believe they were used to help with the camber. Now all I have to do is take the wife out to dinner and let her know the ole Triumph needs a little more money. lol
 
Jerry,

I had a noticeable positive camber problem (tires closer at the bottom), and even the Goodsparts brackets were no fix. I finally traced it down to having the wrong springs in the car. I did a complete frame off and every suspension part is new, but the "original" springs Moss sent me were the wrong length. I ordered another set from TRF and instant fix. Just something to consider. Good luck,
 
Sounds like you need bushings anyway, but it might be worthwhile measuring the camber. The angles can look funny. My car has new everything back there, and looks to my eye just like you describe.
 
Thanks all. I'm in the process of ordering the parts from GoodParts. Hope to start the rebuild in the next couple of weeks. I'm sure I will have more questions at that time. Thanks to all who responded. Still looking for that elusive TR owner who lives in my area. I know there's once out there I'm just not sure they use this forum.
 
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