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RE: Handling problems

To: "'Tigers@autox.team.net'" <Tigers@Autox.Team.Net>,
Subject: RE: Handling problems
From: "Richard Atherton (Entex)" <a-richat@MICROSOFT.com>
Date: Sat, 25 Jan 1997 02:54:29 -0800
        Interesting.  I hadn't herd of that before.  So basically they were
defeating the simplicity of Rack & Pinion Steering by adding idler arms
on some new mounting location.  I wonder if they were just Alpine idler
arms moved forward for use with the rack.  Does ANYONE have a picture or
drawing of this?  Or is there anyone currently using this system?  If
there are any pictures of this, could someone either send me these in
mail (one at a time please) or have them posted up on the web.  That
would be great !!

Rich


>----------
>From:  Ray Bridenbaugh[SMTP:briden@norcross.mcs.slb.com]
>Sent:  Friday, January 24, 1997 6:54 AM
>To:    Tigers@autox.team.net
>Cc:    Richard Atherton (Entex)
>Subject:       RE: Handling problems
>
>Rich,
>
>The Tiger has an "ackerman" problem where the inside tire does not turn into
>the turn as much as it should.  I really don't know if the outside tire
>turns in "more" then the inside, my understanding was that they turned the
>same (which isn't enough).  
>
>Anyway, To fix this problem the rack did not need to be moved!  The kit in
>question required that the arms coming out of the rack needed to be cut and
>a new spherical rod-end, connecting to a new linkage, is put in place to
>correct this ackerman effect.  There are "pivot arms" (I don't recall the
>exact mechanics) of some form to manage the new linkage.  The result is that
>as you turn, one of the arms are shortened (as required) to properly
>position the tires in the turn.  It may sound strange but it worked
>extremely well!!
>
>To correct a few details from my previous e-mail, the kit was purchased from
>the CAT club in the mid seventies, and was installed at a local restoration
>shop.  Also the car with the modification was judged legal in the SCCA's
>"Prepared" Solo II Class (not "Stock") and was successfully campaigned in
>the Atlanta area Solo II for many years.
>
>Maybe some others on the Tiger Net have experience with this kit or other
>like it.
>
>Best regards,
>
>Ray
>
>
>
>At 09:20 PM 1/23/97 -0800, you wrote:
>>      Didn't that kit involve the relocation of the rack.  Basically any car
>>with a forward mounted rack will have this problem.  Most of the cars
>>today have trailing racks to avoid this problem.  This is a BIT hard to
>>do with a tiger though.  I have never seen one with this kit
>>installed....
>>
>>Rich
>>
>>
>>>----------
>>>From:        Ray Bridenbaugh[SMTP:briden@norcross.mcs.slb.com]
>>>Sent:        Thursday, January 23, 1997 5:33 AM
>>>To:  Richard Atherton (Entex)
>>>Subject:     RE: Handling problems
>>>
>>>Yes, the Tiger's toe-in was incorrect, but a steering modification kit was
>>>available to fix this.  The modification required extensive work to the
>>>tie-rod area.  I know of a MKI Tiger that had this mod applied back in the
>>>late '70s.  After the mod the car could turn on a dime (still fairly heavy
>>>though).  
>>>
>>>I believe the kit was available from LAT, someone else may know if it is
>>>still available. 
>>>
>>>Oh, by the way, at the time the mod was done, the kit was approved by the
>>>SCCA as a stock improvement under their SCCA Solo II rules.
>>>
>>>Best regards,
>>>
>>>Ray
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>At 03:18 AM 1/23/97 -0800, you wrote:
>>>>    One obvious thing, is tire pressure.  Make sure that it is at or very
>>>>close to max for your tires.  When looking at the car, from the front
>>>>with the tires point directly ahead (no turning), the appearance of the
>>>>tires should be perpendicular to the road (90 degrees), or at least VERY
>>>>close to that.  When the tires are turned all the way to one side, the
>>>>top of the tires should be leaning in towards the center of the turn.
>>>>The toe in on Tigers will look wrong, because it is, and there's nothing
>>>>that can be done about it.  The outside tire will be turning sharper
>>>>than the inside tire.  Its the reverse of what you would want but that's
>>>>the way it is.
>>>>    If you are seeing something completely different than I described here,
>>>>then something is very wrong.
>>>>
>>>>    Suggestion:  Jack up the front end (both tires off of the ground), and
>>>>place the jack stands under the suspensions lower a-arm so that the
>>>>suspension is compressed about the same amount as it was sitting on the
>>>>tires.  Now turn the wheel easily from full left to right.  There should
>>>>be no binding, and the wheel should turn easily.  You should be able to
>>>>do this with only one finger.  Now put the wheel straight again, and go
>>>>to the tire.  Grab the tire at 9 and 3, and push at 9 and pull at  3.
>>>>You should be able to spin the steering wheel from full lock in both
>>>>directions.  While there, you can check for any thing looses by trying
>>>>to move the tire back and forth real quick.
>>>>    If the steering is too tight to do these tests this way, you can remove
>>>>the tierod end from the steering arm which will disconnect the steering
>>>>from the suspension.  NOTE: make sure you don't turn tierod end on the
>>>>rack's tierod.  If you do , you will have to have the alignment re done.
>>>> Just removing the end from the steering arm, won't change the
>>>>alignment.  You will now be able to determine which part is too tight.
>>>>Grasp the tire again, and move it back and forth (left turn, and right
>>>>turn).  It should move easily and with little effort.  The same
>>>>procedure for both tires of course.  Now carefully turn the steering
>>>>wheel from lock left to lock right.  It should also turn with very
>>>>little effort.  If one doesn't,  you'll know where to start looking, and
>>>>where you don't have to look.  If the steering wheel is stiff, you can
>>>>remove one of the U-joints (mark it first with a white crayon or paint
>>>>stick so the it's position will be the same when you put it back on.  If
>>>>the steering wheel is still stiff, the problem is in the column.  If it
>>>>easy now but wasn't when connected to the rack, then the rack is the
>>>>problem!  If the tires were stiff, then the problem is with the ball
>>>>joints, or tire clearance.
>>>>
>>>>    Good luck, I hope its something simple...
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Sorry for so long... I always write too much... 8-)
>>>>
>>>>Rich
>>>>
>>>>>----------
>>>>>From:      CoolVT@aol.com[SMTP:CoolVT@aol.com]
>>>>>Sent:      Thursday, January 23, 1997 12:04 AM
>>>>>To:        Tigers@autox.team.net
>>>>>Cc:        Tigers@auto.team.net
>>>>>Subject:   Handling problems
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>  I'm having handling problems with my Tiger and am looking for
>>>>>suggestions.
>>>>> The car has almost no return on the steering wheel after a corner or any
>>>>>curve.  Also, it seems to bump steer somewhat.  Therefore, when making
>>>>>almost
>>>>>any correction in near normal driving the wheel has to be constantly
>>>>>turned
>>>>>or the car just continues in the direction of the last turn  (because the
>>>>>wheel hardly returns).
>>>>>
>>>>>   The front end has been completely removed and torn down, the parts all
>>>>>checked and the upper and lower ball joints replaced, tie rod ends
>>>>>replaced
>>>>>and springs and shocks replaced.  The steering column was torn down,
>>>>>checked
>>>>>and relubed.
>>>>>
>>>>>   An allignment was done twice and according to the machine it is right
>>>>>on.
>>>>> In looking at the car though it appears to have visible  positive
>>>>>camber.
>>>>>
>>>>>   It was suggested to me that possibly the ball joints are defective and
>>>>>causing a drag.  The steering rack has not been torn down completely, but
>>>>>the
>>>>>adjustment are correct and I've also tried fooling with less tension and
>>>>>it
>>>>>doesn't appear to be binding.
>>>>>
>>>>>   The springs were replaced with parts from C.A.T. which are 1 1/2 "
>>>>> shorter than original , but it seemed to have the same symptoms before
>>>>>the
>>>>>new springa went it.
>>>>>
>>>>>   HELP ! !
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>___________________________________________________________________________
>>>__
>>>
>>>                                 Ray F. Bridenbaugh, Jr.
>>>    _/      _/  _/_/_/_/  _/_/_/_/  Marketing Manager of Systems and
>>>Software
>>>   _/_/  _/_/  _/        _/         Schlumberger MCS
>>>  _/  _/  _/  _/        _/_/_/_/    3155-B Northwoods Parkway
>>> _/      _/  _/              _/     Norcross, GA 30071-1576    USA
>>>_/      _/  _/_/_/_/  _/_/_/_/      Phone: (770)662-1821  Fax:
>>>(770)263-8104
>>>                                    bridenbaugh@norcross.mcs.slb.com
>>>___________________________________________________________________________
>>>__
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>_____________________________________________________________________________
>
>                                   Ray F. Bridenbaugh, Jr.
>    _/      _/  _/_/_/_/  _/_/_/_/  Marketing Manager of Systems and Software
>   _/_/  _/_/  _/        _/         Schlumberger MCS
>  _/  _/  _/  _/        _/_/_/_/    3155-B Northwoods Parkway
> _/      _/  _/              _/     Norcross, GA 30071-1576    USA
>_/      _/  _/_/_/_/  _/_/_/_/      Phone: (770)662-1821  Fax: (770)263-8104
>                                    bridenbaugh@norcross.mcs.slb.com
>_____________________________________________________________________________
>
>
>

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