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Ackerman, brakes

To: <tigers@Autox.Team.Net>
Subject: Ackerman, brakes
From: "Tom Ballou" <TBallou@LANMAIL.RMC.COM>
Date: Thu, 6 Feb 97 9:12:57 EST
Jim Parent is right on about the brake hoses.  I went through this problem 
myself.  Earl's sells a complete Tiger brake hose kit with AN fitings and 
Teflon/Steel hoses.  Not concours, but I converted about 15 years and 50k ago 
and never looked back (I use silicone fluid with this setup also and have 
never had the reported fade problem).  The other problem is the cylinders 
themselves with the Girling fluid.  Unless you have been religiously flushing 
the system at least annually, you have water in the system (the fluid will 
look dark).  Girling fluid is Hygroscopic and sucks water right outta the 
air.  The water forms something between a suspension and an emulsion, but is 
free enough to corrode anything it touches.  Otherwise, it is excellent 
fluid.  You have to change it frequently!

The steering system was, indeed called the Anderson Accurate Ackerman 
Steering conversion and was put together by Lou Anderson who has had a number 
of better ideas for Tigers over the years (tubular sway bars was another).  
The system worked well in a single plane, but had some problems with jounce 
and rebound (the geometry changed rapidly and the shorter links would bind 
(or so I am told).  It also had trouble with corrosion on the Heim joints 
which are exposed.  Not a severe problem in Southern California (where it 
probably only requires occasional cleaning and lube), but elsewhere I suppose 
it could be a real challenge.  Bob Palmer in San Diego did some additional 
development work on his kit and worked out the vertical geometry problem a 
good bit (that may be the "blue car someone mentioned).  I drove his car with 
the improved kit installed and it was nice!  Tighter turn radius, much lower 
low speed effort, no scrubbing sounds, no clunking in reverse.  I don't know 
about the corrosion challenge as the Heim joints are still exposed (and my 
recollection is that he had also experience some direct ball surface erosion 
from sand/dirt impact which was still bothering him).  I think a more 
practical solution is the the one Dale has worked out.  He modifies (and 
reinforces) the crossmember to move the rack rearward about .75" (the limit 
before you hit the crankshaft pulley).  That helps but is only half the 
solution.  Then you switch to slightly modified MGB steering arms (you have 
to elongate the rear bolt hole a little bit) which as someone else mentioned, 
helps, but is only half the solution.  Together they pretty much lick the 
problem. You cannot, however, use 13" wheels with  the MGB arms, and you 
won't make it in the concours.  It does, however make the car handle much 
better, gets rid of the scrub and reduces the stress on the fulcrum pins 
(remember the fulcrum pin thread?). 

Idea:  there might be a way to use the Alpine (or a similar system) system, 
use a 5.0 oil pan and run the drag link through the slot in the pan (as in 
the Mustang.  

Later.

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