[TR] Ehat is the proper rear camber setting for the TR4A?

spamiam at comcast.net spamiam at comcast.net
Fri Apr 3 06:19:33 MDT 2015


Over the winter I installed the Goodparts rear axles in my TR4a. I also replaced the springs with the "stock" type Moss sells made by Suplex. It is not clear to me if these are actually the "stock" spring rate for a 4A. In one of the Moss catalogs it is listed as "stock" and in another it is listed as an "upgrade", but both have the same Moss part number. The uncompressed spring length is identical to the old springs, but I am not sure of the spring rate. I also installed some poly spring buffers at the same time. 

I did have one interesting, unexpected, finding as I was doing this. I had a broken coil spring on the driver's side! I never knew!! And the ride height seemed OK, as did the camber: a little negative (top tilted inward) sitting unladen. I found that the spring had broken near the top with about 1 turn broken free. The broken piece had shifted a little and the remaining intact spring mostly articulated in its proper seat. I think I know when this happened. About 2006! I was driving spiritedly, and crested a hill, and got more lift than I expected (no actual air, though!), and as I came down hard, I heard a metallic clank in the rear. I was also hitting the brakes fairly hard and thought it was the brake cylinder hanging up and then centering itself. the broken coil was invisible until the spring is about to be removed. 

Anyway, after the upgrade this winter, the car looked to have a lot of positive camber, but I could not get the car out to drive it around to let the suspension settle fully. I did get it out this week, and the suspension DID settle, but there is still some positive camber, with no extra weight in the car, and about 1/2 tank of gas. I am not sure how much camber: It is just enough for me to say it its definitely not perfectly vertical. Both sides seem to be symmetrical. By eye I'd estimate the camber as 1 degree positive. 

I have looked in the Haynes manual , and the factory service manual, and I do not see the rear camber specs. I think I will let the suspension settle more, and drive the car a bit before making any changes. I may have to get the Goodparts adjustable brackets. It is a MAJOR PITA to remove the trailing arms with the Goodparts axles in place, btw. I should have installed them this winter, in retrospect, but I hoped to keep it simple and not require a full rear alignment job. 

I google searched and found 3 different camber settings for the TR6. Nothing specifically for the 4A. One reference says +1.0 to -0.25 degrees. Another says -1.0 +/- 0.5 (IOW -0.5 to -1.5). And the third says +0.5 to -1.0 degrees. None of these specifically state if these are laden or unladen settings. And maybe that is the reason for some of the differences. Maybe it is assumed that ALL settings are ALWAYS with laden conditions (150 lbs in both seats)?? 

What settings should I use? Laden or unladen? How much lading? 

-Tony 
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