[Healeys] BJ8 Tractability

[Chris Dimmock [Healey]]

Yep. Loose rear axle location, and what Joe said, plus car "rake" has a lot
to do with weight distribution & corner weight balancing - i.e. is the car
lower at the front than the rear? Many healeys are lower at the rear =
WRONG! = too light under really harsh acceleration.
Of course, if you've ever driven a Healey with a Detroit Locker - you'd
think what is happening was quite normal....
A Detroit Locker makes the rear of the car "step out" 3 feet or so every
time you lift off.... on a dry road....
Which is nowhere near as much fun as it sounds on a wet public road......

Chris
www.myaustinhealey.com
(Quaiffe in the Black & white car now. Detroit Locker on the shelf. Quaiffe
is much easier to drive on the road, but give me the Detroit Locker on a dry
track anyday!!)

On Tue, Jun 30, 2009 at 12:17 AM, Joe and Lenore Armour <
sebring at illawarra.hotkey.net.au> wrote:

> James Sailer wrote:
>
>
>> A last question that relates to tractability, As I increase speeds over 80
>> -
>> 90 the front seems to lighten a bit.  Could this be an indication of
>> needing a
>> little more toe-in?
>>
>>
>>
>  James
> You may wish to consider the following comments remembering that a lot of
> handling characteristics are subjective ;
> different tyre brands have different characteristics and different models
> from the same brand have different characteristics.
> Toe-in  often  gives more stability under hard braking as the suspension
> deflects backwards under load depending on the compliance in the bushes, but
> may have a negative effect on initial turn-in and understeer. Some then
> compensate with using toe-out.
> Steering links ahead of the axle line may give more consistency alignment
> at higher speeds and loading as they are in tension ,not compression.
>
> On test and fine tuning almost never done on road cars is the setting of
> 'corner' weights. That is ensure each tyre is carrying the same load and
> therefore doing the same amount of work. Place scales under all 4 wheels and
> check ( with driver and normal fuel load) that the readings are the same. If
> using one scale place the other three wheels on a spacer the same thickness
> as the scales. These figures can be considerably different due to frame
> damage, different spring heights and rates, bent suspension arms or just
> plain weight distribution. I believe this effect is more important as your
> speed increases
>
> Joe