Front alignment

[dandog]

Really pleased Gilbern passed it's MOT, had to replace a track rod end, and needed alignment. Track rod ends are wound fully into the track rods and won't pull the wheels in any further. Tracking is sitting at 5.5 degs toe out, and wont adjust in any further. Anyone know the tracking settings? and hopefully a solution. PS can I get access to the full site, got my club number through.

[Fareham GT]

Hello Dandog,

I seem to recall that you have a Mk.1, so the toe in is 1/8" of an inch. This is the figure listed on the clubs car data sheet that was produced in 1978. Good to have another car back on the road.

Fareham GT

[Gavin McArdle]

Hi dandog
Welcome to the club
Is the problem because someone has fitted full nuts to lock the track-rod ends instead of half nuts?

Gavin, Spares

[dandog]

Hi everyone, It's sitting 5.5 deg toe out, so way off 1/8 in, any idea what that is in degrees?
Hi Gavin, it only required one track rod end on nearside, standard MG. the offside has been untouched and has a
similar track rod end with a full nut. I also fitted a set of poly buses to front, tightened up nuts with no weight on joints, would it be worth loosening everything off putting weight of car onto suspension and then tighten up?

[Greybags]

HAs the steering rack been replaced???

The only reason I ask is that I am sure that I have read somewhere that the Gilbern MK2 rack is a Modified MGC unit, and that when I did all my front suspension the steering arm end looked like it had been attacked by a hacksaw, and a new thread cut ..

So possibly the modified part of the MGC rack is that fact that the steering arms are shortened, which if yours has been changed at some point and has an unmodified rack, that might explain why you cant wind them in enough...

That is of course as long as the the Mk1 uses the same modified MGC rack.

Converting toe in inches to degrees is quite a complicated formula I belive ..My book of interesting things tells me this is the maths..

Angle = ASIN(toe/wheel diameter)
which is approximately =
angle in degrees = toe/wheel diameter * 180/pi

so for 15" wheels, and 1/16" toe per side

1/16" / 15" * 57 = 0.24* per side.

0.24* = 14 minutes

Every 1/32 of an inch of toe is 0.12 degrees or 7 minutes

But why bother??? Nearly everybody will use the 1/8" to set it up..

Normally it is suggested that Poly bushes shouldn't be tightened untill the cars weight is on the suspension, but I know of people who say there is no need to worry.

If you email Paul the administrator, he will arrange your full access...

Best of luck with the

[dandog]

Found the problem, the replacement track rod end was 5mm longer than the
replacement. Glad it's an easy fix.