Casbar Posted May 7, 2001 Share Posted May 7, 2001 Just upgraded my 91 live axle front wishbones with a double adjustable wishbone and new arb, went from a 1/2 to 5/8 roll bar. All went on ok. After a test drive, it seemed to me that the steering was stiffer than before. Could this upgrade make the steering stiffer? If I have too much camber, would that effect the steering? The car handles fine, and doesn't wander as much as it did before the upgrade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Mupferit Posted May 7, 2001 Share Posted May 7, 2001 Increased negative camber will certainly make the steering heavier. Have you measured the angle? Brent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EFA Posted May 8, 2001 Share Posted May 8, 2001 Castor will have the biggest effect on the weight of the steering. Did you change the washer spacing on the bottom wishbone??? Arnie Webb The Fat Bloke blush.gif in a Fast Temporarily Indisposed Vauxhall wink.gif See the R500 eater here See the Le Mans Trip Website here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casbar Posted May 8, 2001 Author Share Posted May 8, 2001 Bent, Arnie Didn't touch the bottom wishbones. They don't have any adjustment. I haven't measured the camber, set it up by measuring the wishbones I took off. The camber is quite noticeable, I'll get it checked. The top wishbone bolt, was quite a tight fit, with not a lot of movement around the pivot. If I have set up too much negative camber, would that make the pivot at the top of the wishbone tighter, due to the angle the bolt goes through. If that makes sense!! Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Mupferit Posted May 8, 2001 Share Posted May 8, 2001 Robert, I think it is definitely the increased camber causing the heavy steering. Too much camber shouldn't cause the pivot to be tight though so perhaps that needs to be looked at separately. Good luck with it thumbsup.gif Cheers Brent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Ranson Posted May 8, 2001 Share Posted May 8, 2001 Is the steering still stiff if the front wheels are off the ground? I'm wondering if the trunnion thing is binding. Or does this upgrade involve new uprights? Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanteam Posted May 8, 2001 Share Posted May 8, 2001 Following on from Paul's thought, I understood that later suspensions had more castor built-in. Did you have to push the top of the upright further back? If you do have trunnions this may be putting more side load onto the thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Mupferit Posted May 8, 2001 Share Posted May 8, 2001 Robert, Just a thought, would you describe the 'stiffer steering' as a reluctance for the steering wheel to turn both when applying lock and releasing it or is it heavier to turn coupled with an increase in the self centering effect, i.e. the front wheels want to straighten out when you apply lock? If it is the former then I would say something is binding, if the latter then this is most likely due entirely to the increased camber. Brent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casbar Posted May 8, 2001 Author Share Posted May 8, 2001 Paul, I tried the steering off the ground, and nothing seems to be binding, although its tighter than it was, but I put that down to the new ball joints on the top of the wishbones. I didn't have to move the uprights any further back, only in and out to alter the camber at the top of the wheel. As I measured the new wishbones against the ones I took off, I wouldn't have thought the camber was far out. On the steering stiffness front, the steering just feels heavy, thats the best way to describe it, it doesn't take any force to straighten it, after turning. I'm going to have another go at it tonight Robert Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casbar Posted May 8, 2001 Author Share Posted May 8, 2001 Just spoke to Caterham Tech dept. Apparently all is well. They would expect the steering to be heavier than before. The new top wishbones put more caster on, therefore, when the wheel is turned, there is an element of arb resistance. Hmmmm! Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clivemac Posted May 8, 2001 Share Posted May 8, 2001 you told me you liked it a bit stiff" and not to floppy ;my only worry is i could be sharing a tent with you in "le man" Go AND GET YOURSELF A "K" YOU YOU WANT ONE Clive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Sewell Posted May 9, 2001 Share Posted May 9, 2001 To re-iterate someone else's comment, if there is more caster angle does this cause problems for the trunnion. When I went over to the new upper wishbone, I also replaced the lower wishbone with one containing a ball-joint in place of the trunnion. This meant also replacing the uprights, but meant that there could be no binding because of castor angles.... Cheers, Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casbar Posted May 9, 2001 Author Share Posted May 9, 2001 Graham, Had another look at it last night. There is no binding at all with the trunnions. I asked the Caterham Tech department if I needed to change the bottom wishbones and get new uprights, they assured me that the setup I already had would be fine. Clive, Didn't realise that the front suspension had anything to do with having a x-flow and not a "K". Thats obviously why you have a car body shop and I work in IT!!!! Don't you mean, you maybe sharing a tent with me in Le Man, if you can get your car to start. Robert Edited by - casbar on 9 May 2001 14:15:59 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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