[Healeys] BN2 Caster Angle

[Bob Spidell]

Nope. For once, I'm NOT confused. I've acquired an interest in chassis 
geometry WRT to handling characteristics (and can't spend ALL my time 
correcting people on the interwebs ;).  I know Healey geometry is 
usually fixed; but my BN2 has Kilmartin adjustable camber plates, and I 
acquired a set of shock plate inserts for my BJ8. I believe I can remove 
the ends of the shock plates, remove the captive nuts and lengthen and 
widen the holes enough to allow a couple degrees of camber adjustment 
and maybe a degree or two of caster adjustment. I bought a 4-wheel 
alignment kit to do the measuring.

My BN2 is surprisingly hard to turn, and only got more so when I 
installed a smaller diameter steering wheel. It has 2-2.5deg pos. 
caster; I think lessening that a little might decrease steering effort 
(which may be normal, but I've only driven this one BN2). If it makes 
the car too 'squirrely' I can fiddle with it until I get the handling I 
like.

Bob

On 1/4/2021 1:36 PM, Neil Anderson wrote:
> Bob,
> I think you mean camber angle.  Caster is the forward/rearward angle 
> inclination of the swivel upright, which is permanently set on a 
> Healey.  Camber is the top inward or outward angle tilt of the wheel 
> when viewed front front.
>
> Not sure what the factory camber angle is, but what you stated is 
> probably close.
>
> Neil Anderson
>
> On Mon, Jan 4, 2021, 2:28 PM Bob Spidell <bspidell at comcast.net 
> <mailto:bspidell at comcast.net>> wrote:
>
>     Listers,
>
>     What's the recommended setting (my version of the shop manual doesn't
>     specify one)? I think the BJ8 manual recommends 1-2deg pos.
>
>     Bob
>

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://autox.team.net/pipermail/healeys/attachments/20210104/f11bcf49/attachment.htm>