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Tinster be house cleanin'

T

Tinster

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Where's Tinster been? Cleaning up messes is where!

I hate cleaning messes and Wendy's housekeeper refuses
all my requests to assist me with my chores.

BTW: There are 6 steel shims between the rear wishbone arm
and the mounting bracket to frame. Only one steel shim on
the front wishbone. Anyone know the purpose of these shims?
There were NO shims on the driver's side lower wishbones.

lowerwishbone.jpg
[/img]
 
Maybe Sergeant Schultz will help?

("I see nussing ... nussing ...")

Tom
Those of us of "a certain age" will remember that very well.
 
Alfred.jpg


What, me worry?

Me thinks the real Tinster.
 
Those shims are used to set up the wheel alignment. Camber and caster angles are adjusted by removing or adding these shims. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/hammer.gif If you take this setup apart make sure you put the same shims in the same position and location as you found them. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/driving.gif
 
Dale,

I'm happy to see that you're back and that you finally got a serious answer to your question.

How about a few progress photos to keep us in the loop??
 
Have you seen any signs of frame repair? welds, etc...

Usually, you will find similar number of shims on both sides of the car. But as you have alluded to before, the DPO could have removed them, when he replaced all the bolts with metric.

So, my suggestion, is when you get it back together, with the shims reinstalled, and your front end repairs are done. Take it to a front end alignment shop and have them do a readout. They will be able to tell you what the camber and caster, set back and toe is. toe is easily adjustable(tie rod end length) caster and camber use the shims. On flat uncrowned roads you should go with caster and camber pretty much the same(specs wise), with high crowned roads then there would usually be a little more caster on the left to keep the vehicle tracking straight.
 
RonMacPherson said:
So, my suggestion, is when you get it back together, with the shims reinstalled, and your front end repairs are done. Take it to a front end alignment shop and have them do a readout.

+1.

Additionally, if the specs are way off, it can play havoc on front end part longevity. Definitely sounds like something is fishy up there...
 
in the loop photos:

Really nice looking existing front suspension on the
passenger side. 50 mil thickness of black paint sprayed
over everything. Better than Loctite red for holding
bolts and nuts in place.

A-ArmShims1.jpg
[/img]

mess3.jpg
[/img]
 
Unless the car has been wrecked, I would be very tempted to remove all shims and put it back together and see what you have. Or at least minimum shims placed on both sides evenly.
 
Yeah, but what is minimum? Dale said there were none on the drivers side. mismatch number on the passenger side.

Something has been done improperly. On the passengers side, should have equal number of shims both front and rear, as caster is not something that you would alter if the frame hasn't been damaged. Usually on flat crown roads you will have the same shims, left to right(all my TR6's had two or three shims each pivot point). Then if you want to modify caster(on the left) shim placement front to rear posts, or just put in a XK120 upper ball joint.
 
My 73 TR6 has front to back on the passenger side none and three, on the drivers side, it has one and two. I have owned this car since '75, and it has had no frame damage.

If I were Tinster, I would put it back the way he found it, and get some spare shims for Moss, TRF, or other source so when time comes to have the front and rear alignments checked, he has all the parts the shop will need.
 
Did you notice any unusual tread wear on the tire from it being pushed home or dragged onto a flatbed?
 
DougF:

The car has seen so few few drive miles that the rubber
new tire "nubbies" have not yet been worn off. Most
of my drive time has been trips of 5 miles or less at
speeds 20- 25 mph in 2nd gear.

We determined in April, when the passenger's trailing
arm fell off at 40 mph, that at least that rear quadrant
of the car had been wrecked and then hacked back together
with cobbled parts.

d

Today? Leaving shortly for some sunrise tarpon fishing.
Evening report to follow.
 
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