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Alignment Specs Needed!

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BJ7archaeologist

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I’m having my BJ7 aligned today at a shop. I need the tow-in specs. I realize that the camber is not adjustable. I don’t know if the castor is either. Thanks!
 
BJ7archaeologist said:
I’m having my BJ7 aligned today at a shop. I need the tow-in specs. I realize that the camber is not adjustable. I don’t know if the castor is either. Thanks!
Click to expand...
I believe the original specs were for the bias-ply tires and you'll have different specs if you have radials. I "think" toe-in for radials is "0"?? Someone can chime in if they know for sure.

There are special bushings available that can be installed so you can adjust "camber".
https://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=105130
 
Tech service update sent to the dealerships in OLD days said. Toe in should now be set to as close to 0 degrees as posible plus or minus a 1/16. That is what we have set them at for over 12 years now and it works fine. The old books all said 1/16 to 1/8 but there was a revision sent out to the dealerships. Wheelguy
 
Agreed! Most old cars had toe in to help with awful Cross Plies (I know but I'm a Brit!), but manufacturers recommended none for radials because they travelled in a straight line without help!

Parallel it should be if you're using radials.

Ash
 
BJ7archaeologist said:
I’m having my BJ7 aligned today at a shop. <span style="font-weight: bold">I need the <span style="font-style: italic">tow-in</span> specs</span>. I realize that the camber is not adjustable. I don’t know if the castor is either. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Freudian Slip, no doubt!

Shoot for 1/32"-1/16" toe in. If you set the wheels at exactly O" you will be very busy keeping the car in a straight-line; it will wander mercilessly!

This is born from experience, as I set mine to 0" toe just prior to driving up to Shreeveport, Louisiana, from Lafayette. Before I-49 was finished, it was a 6-7 hour drive, and I was worn out! I was trying "a new setting" to do better at one of our "major autocrosses" and was looking for any little bit that would shave off a hundredth of a second (should've meant less drag, right?). Ultimately, I went with 1/16" toe out, but with 1-1/2* negative camber, this will soon start "cupping" the tires.

Nowadays, I'm using 1 to 1-1/2* negative camber, and 1/32-1/16" toe-in. It's working...
 
I've said this before, but again: If the car has been jacked up it needs to be rolled forward (not backward) several feet to reset the suspension so that it (toe) can be measured and adjusted if necessary.
 
Randy, is 1-1 1/2 neg camber and 1/32 - 1/16 toe in good for all Healey's (100-4 - BJ8) or just BJ's.

Thanks
 
TodE said:
Randy, is 1-1 1/2 neg camber and 1/32 - 1/16 toe in good for all Healey's (100-4 - BJ8) or just BJ's.

Thanks
Click to expand...
To clarify, the only Healey I own (approaching 34 years now) is a BN6. All the BJ8 pictures I've posted in the past few years are of a couple of MKIIIs that I've worked on (both are BRG, to further confuse things).

But yes, all Healey chassis being created equal, the settings would work across the range of models (100s are 2" shorter wheelbase @ 7'6" vs 7'8" for the 6-cylinder models).

I doubt that very many people who actually <span style="font-style: italic">drive</span> their cars are running bias-ply "tyres" these days (not just getting mileage driving on & off the trailer onto a show field...) so with radial tires and some mildly (to wildly...) agressive driving, it's appropriate to modernize the alignment settings. Moss Motors makes this pretty easy and economical with their offset upper trunion bushing sets.
See: https://www.mossmotors.com/graphics/products/instructions/282-308.pdf

A lot easier than making your own (there weren't any on the market when I was making them for my car, 1985 & again in 2003)

bush14a.JPG


bush18a.JPG


IMG_0203.JPG


IMG_0204.JPG
 
I got the Healey toe-in adjusted last week. Indeed, tow-in was a Freudian slip. The total toe was out by a whopping 2.42 inches! The current toe is set at 0. Camber is 1.1+ and .8+. The car drives great now. The steering is still a little loose, most likely the box needs adjusting. I may opt for negative camber bushings as described above, but everything is fairly straight now. Thanks to all.

Randy
 
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