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The Curse of Caster

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Brakin80

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Our 1960 BN7 has had this 'problem' since we got it. Positive camber on the passenger side. Negative on the drivers. Once the car is rolling, both tyres stand at attention, and no uneven wear. Have been paying close attention to other Healey's at shows, and have seen the same thing on many a car. What is the cause, and where is the problem? We've had the alignment done several times. The camber is fine and the car is running straight. Concerns, solutions? My naive assumption is that engine torque over the years has 'tweaked' the front end of the frame, throwing the caster off...thoughts?
 
Have you checked for worn suspension parts? How about the shock mounting? The front shocks are mounted to the frame with four bolts, that thread into a threaded plate. This is a ripe area for rust and the attendant loosening of the shocks. The bolt holes in the shock bodies will elongate over time, allowing slop. Try pulling on the mounted wheel while the car is securely on jack stands. Any movement anywhere, other than steering movement? Check everything from the spindle nut inward, and all shock and control arm nuts and bolts. Of course check control arm bushings. The camber shouldn't change when driving, as far as I know. If everything is tight and within specs, you can suspect, I guess, some prior frame damage through collision, or internal rusting.
 
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