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  • camber angles

    I have a Marina based roadster.

    The nearside wheel has more camber that the offside ie the bottom of the wheel is further out.

    The chassis appears to be straight, with no signs of accident damage or repairs. The car currently sits dead level - 25in ground to the wing front on either side.

    I had been assuming that I could simply adjust the nearside torsion bar at its rear mounting to correct the issue, but it occurs to me that this would lift that side of the vehicle.

    Before I start playing around with it, have I missed something?

    Any observations would be welcome.

  • #2
    Re: camber angles

    One of the downsides of the Marina is there is very little you can do to adjust the suspension because of the torsion bar arrangement. You may be able to make some small adjustment to the camber by shiming the bracket that locates the lower arm. But nothing very significant I would have thought.
    I am sure others on here may know better!
    Cheers Robin

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    • #3
      Re: camber angles

      Is there any play in the bottom trunnion? You're correct about the torsion bar - adjusting affects the ride height.

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      • #4
        Re: camber angles

        I have considered the shimming option, although as you say, any adjustment would be minor, and it would have to be on the other side to push that wheel out. I could then at least raise both slightly.

        I will check the trunnions for play tomorrow. Thanks for the help so far!

        I still can't figure out why it should be like that - the only cause that I can come up with is that the chassis was misaligned in the first place, but that seems very unlikely.
        Last edited by yellowbelly; 08-10-22, 02:57 PM. Reason: add an afterthought

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        • #5
          Re: camber angles

          There were changes to the Marina front suspension over the years in an attempt to improve the handling. It would be worth checking that both sides are the same!
          If the trunions are worn there is a repair kit available from the Marina owners club. Walford trunions they are called as I remember.
          Cheers Robin

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          • #6
            Re: camber angles

            Accurate measurement is suggested before you do much else
            DC

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            • #7
              Re: camber angles

              Years ago I noticed that my Roadster had this problem and like you I was worried about it but someone who knew more than me said that the chassis jigs weren’t exact enough to make both sides the same. My discrepancy was quite significant but I corrected it with home made shims. It was easy to do and cost me nothing. Hope this doesn’t sound too simplistic but I could send a photo if you wish. My contact details are in Pitstop under SEMS in the local groups/meetings section. Franklin Woodcock.
              Last edited by FranklinLeicester; 08-10-22, 04:41 PM. Reason: Missed a word out
              Franklin, Leicester

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              • #8
                Re: camber angles

                Franklin - thanks for that. It had occured to me but seemed unlikely. Having thought it over, the geometry is such that a shim at the bottom link would have a magnified effect at the wheel, so may be a solution.

                Robin - the components certainly appear the same on both sides, but I will check more closely, ( I had a Mini with one mk1 and one mk2 track control arms; it took a while to work out why it had limited right lock...)

                The next thing is to jack it up, and apply a pry bar to find any play.

                Once again, sincere thanks to everyone. Several heads are much better than one.

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                • #9
                  Re: camber angles

                  Two thoughts from me from what is now the dim and distant past:-
                  Marinas could have one of two types of standard trunnions, so it may well be wise to check that both sides are the same. The spacing between the two axes was less on very early cars, with later trunnions having more of a web between the two borings together with other changes in geometry - the changes being made to improve handling.
                  Builders of Roadsters often used to shim out the lower pivots from the chassis - 6 mm comes to mind - as this seemed to help with the self-centering as well as looking better.
                  My car was not typical, but fitted with Walford trunnions (which are of the later type) on the early type suspension with the shims then no longer required.
                  Hope this helps,
                  John
                  Footnote - Walford trunnions provide a machine-cut thread in metal superior to the cast iron thread of the BMC original - important as the upright turns whilst also carrying the weight of the car.

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                  • #10
                    Re: camber angles

                    Thanks for all of that, John.

                    I will check that both trunnions are the same, and then decide what to do.

                    The car seems to drive well enough, but having spotted the difference, it would be good to sort it out.

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                    • #11
                      Re: camber angles

                      If you’ve not made your mind up yet as to how to proceed maybe these 2 pics may help. Like you, once I’ve spotted something amiss then it’s got o be fixed. I assume you are referring to a wheel leaning out at the top (positive camber). My solution is very basic and easy to do. I jacked the front up and undid the big nut that secures the lower wishbone to the chassis about half an inch and gave it a few whacks till it was up against the bracket and exposing half an inch of free space on the other side. I was not sure at this point how much packing I was going to need but I made 6 or 7 spacers out of thin alli sheet as per illustration and pushed them into the gap with the open mouth facing backwards. The total thickness was about 9mm. I then nipped the nut back up and took the car for a run to settle the suspension. On looking at the car from the front on level ground it was showing the same reading on a spirit level as the other wheel, almost vertical. Like your’s there was nothing wrong with the handling but it looked wrong, now it looks right and cost me nothing.
                      Attached Files
                      Franklin, Leicester

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                      • #12
                        Re: camber angles

                        Excellent Franklin, well done and very easy to do.

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                        • #13
                          Re: camber angles

                          If you look at the eyebolt you will see that it is shouldered to c.11mm, with about 5-6mm serrated for grip...by pushing it out so far there is very little positive engagement left and no room for the quite substantial top hat washer required on the inside of the chassis rail. Given this is the only location point for the lower arm personally I've elected to live with the incorrect camber!

                          20221010_183844.jpg
                          Marlin Roadster, LWB...1860 B Series + Ford Type 9
                          Renault Espace 54mm front calipers, vented discs, cycle wings and adjustable tie-bars.

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                          • #14
                            Re: camber angles

                            Very good point made there!

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                            • #15
                              Re: camber angles

                              Yes I agree and if I’d seen this photo 12 years ago I may not have proceeded as I did. My alli spacers which form a block in compression will have the spline forced into them to make a firm solid fixing. I have just checked the big nut and it is still rock solid and having been the equivalent distance as the circumference of the earth with it I’ll leave it alone.
                              Franklin, Leicester

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