Rich,
The Tiger has an "ackerman" problem where the inside tire does not turn into
the turn as much as it should. I really don't know if the outside tire
turns in "more" then the inside, my understanding was that they turned the
same (which isn't enough).
Anyway, To fix this problem the rack did not need to be moved! The kit in
question required that the arms coming out of the rack needed to be cut and
a new spherical rod-end, connecting to a new linkage, is put in place to
correct this ackerman effect. There are "pivot arms" (I don't recall the
exact mechanics) of some form to manage the new linkage. The result is that
as you turn, one of the arms are shortened (as required) to properly
position the tires in the turn. It may sound strange but it worked
extremely well!!
To correct a few details from my previous e-mail, the kit was purchased from
the CAT club in the mid seventies, and was installed at a local restoration
shop. Also the car with the modification was judged legal in the SCCA's
"Prepared" Solo II Class (not "Stock") and was successfully campaigned in
the Atlanta area Solo II for many years.
Maybe some others on the Tiger Net have experience with this kit or other
like it.
Best regards,
Ray
At 09:20 PM 1/23/97 -0800, you wrote:
> Didn't that kit involve the relocation of the rack. Basically any car
>with a forward mounted rack will have this problem. Most of the cars
>today have trailing racks to avoid this problem. This is a BIT hard to
>do with a tiger though. I have never seen one with this kit
>installed....
>
>Rich
>
>
>>----------
>>From: Ray Bridenbaugh[SMTP:briden@norcross.mcs.slb.com]
>>Sent: Thursday, January 23, 1997 5:33 AM
>>To: Richard Atherton (Entex)
>>Subject: RE: Handling problems
>>
>>Yes, the Tiger's toe-in was incorrect, but a steering modification kit was
>>available to fix this. The modification required extensive work to the
>>tie-rod area. I know of a MKI Tiger that had this mod applied back in the
>>late '70s. After the mod the car could turn on a dime (still fairly heavy
>>though).
>>
>>I believe the kit was available from LAT, someone else may know if it is
>>still available.
>>
>>Oh, by the way, at the time the mod was done, the kit was approved by the
>>SCCA as a stock improvement under their SCCA Solo II rules.
>>
>>Best regards,
>>
>>Ray
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>At 03:18 AM 1/23/97 -0800, you wrote:
>>> One obvious thing, is tire pressure. Make sure that it is at or very
>>>close to max for your tires. When looking at the car, from the front
>>>with the tires point directly ahead (no turning), the appearance of the
>>>tires should be perpendicular to the road (90 degrees), or at least VERY
>>>close to that. When the tires are turned all the way to one side, the
>>>top of the tires should be leaning in towards the center of the turn.
>>>The toe in on Tigers will look wrong, because it is, and there's nothing
>>>that can be done about it. The outside tire will be turning sharper
>>>than the inside tire. Its the reverse of what you would want but that's
>>>the way it is.
>>> If you are seeing something completely different than I described here,
>>>then something is very wrong.
>>>
>>> Suggestion: Jack up the front end (both tires off of the ground), and
>>>place the jack stands under the suspensions lower a-arm so that the
>>>suspension is compressed about the same amount as it was sitting on the
>>>tires. Now turn the wheel easily from full left to right. There should
>>>be no binding, and the wheel should turn easily. You should be able to
>>>do this with only one finger. Now put the wheel straight again, and go
>>>to the tire. Grab the tire at 9 and 3, and push at 9 and pull at 3.
>>>You should be able to spin the steering wheel from full lock in both
>>>directions. While there, you can check for any thing looses by trying
>>>to move the tire back and forth real quick.
>>> If the steering is too tight to do these tests this way, you can remove
>>>the tierod end from the steering arm which will disconnect the steering
>>>from the suspension. NOTE: make sure you don't turn tierod end on the
>>>rack's tierod. If you do , you will have to have the alignment re done.
>>> Just removing the end from the steering arm, won't change the
>>>alignment. You will now be able to determine which part is too tight.
>>>Grasp the tire again, and move it back and forth (left turn, and right
>>>turn). It should move easily and with little effort. The same
>>>procedure for both tires of course. Now carefully turn the steering
>>>wheel from lock left to lock right. It should also turn with very
>>>little effort. If one doesn't, you'll know where to start looking, and
>>>where you don't have to look. If the steering wheel is stiff, you can
>>>remove one of the U-joints (mark it first with a white crayon or paint
>>>stick so the it's position will be the same when you put it back on. If
>>>the steering wheel is still stiff, the problem is in the column. If it
>>>easy now but wasn't when connected to the rack, then the rack is the
>>>problem! If the tires were stiff, then the problem is with the ball
>>>joints, or tire clearance.
>>>
>>> Good luck, I hope its something simple...
>>>
>>>
>>>Sorry for so long... I always write too much... 8-)
>>>
>>>Rich
>>>
>>>>----------
>>>>From: CoolVT@aol.com[SMTP:CoolVT@aol.com]
>>>>Sent: Thursday, January 23, 1997 12:04 AM
>>>>To: Tigers@autox.team.net
>>>>Cc: Tigers@auto.team.net
>>>>Subject: Handling problems
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I'm having handling problems with my Tiger and am looking for
>>>>suggestions.
>>>> The car has almost no return on the steering wheel after a corner or any
>>>>curve. Also, it seems to bump steer somewhat. Therefore, when making
>>>>almost
>>>>any correction in near normal driving the wheel has to be constantly turned
>>>>or the car just continues in the direction of the last turn (because the
>>>>wheel hardly returns).
>>>>
>>>> The front end has been completely removed and torn down, the parts all
>>>>checked and the upper and lower ball joints replaced, tie rod ends replaced
>>>>and springs and shocks replaced. The steering column was torn down,
>>>>checked
>>>>and relubed.
>>>>
>>>> An allignment was done twice and according to the machine it is right
>>>>on.
>>>> In looking at the car though it appears to have visible positive camber.
>>>>
>>>> It was suggested to me that possibly the ball joints are defective and
>>>>causing a drag. The steering rack has not been torn down completely, but
>>>>the
>>>>adjustment are correct and I've also tried fooling with less tension and it
>>>>doesn't appear to be binding.
>>>>
>>>> The springs were replaced with parts from C.A.T. which are 1 1/2 "
>>>> shorter than original , but it seemed to have the same symptoms before the
>>>>new springa went it.
>>>>
>>>> HELP ! !
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>_____________________________________________________________________________
>>
>> Ray F. Bridenbaugh, Jr.
>> _/ _/ _/_/_/_/ _/_/_/_/ Marketing Manager of Systems and Software
>> _/_/ _/_/ _/ _/ Schlumberger MCS
>> _/ _/ _/ _/ _/_/_/_/ 3155-B Northwoods Parkway
>> _/ _/ _/ _/ Norcross, GA 30071-1576 USA
>>_/ _/ _/_/_/_/ _/_/_/_/ Phone: (770)662-1821 Fax: (770)263-8104
>> bridenbaugh@norcross.mcs.slb.com
>>_____________________________________________________________________________
>>
>>
>>
>
>
_____________________________________________________________________________
Ray F. Bridenbaugh, Jr.
_/ _/ _/_/_/_/ _/_/_/_/ Marketing Manager of Systems and Software
_/_/ _/_/ _/ _/ Schlumberger MCS
_/ _/ _/ _/ _/_/_/_/ 3155-B Northwoods Parkway
_/ _/ _/ _/ Norcross, GA 30071-1576 USA
_/ _/ _/_/_/_/ _/_/_/_/ Phone: (770)662-1821 Fax: (770)263-8104
bridenbaugh@norcross.mcs.slb.com
_____________________________________________________________________________
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