Scott-
The inside lower A-arm bushings are prone to wear out rather
easily. In most cases, the wear is on only one side of the bushing, so as
it gets worse, the suspension geometry will change as the Arms migrate to
their new locations.
I think you can make a rough check on the bushing's health by placing a
stout prybar in the gap between the bottom of the bushing's boss and the
top of the car frame. Apply a reasonable amount of force and watch for
movement of the arm as it wanders around the 'worn zone'. If your car
has more than 50,000 miles on the bushings, you'll probably see a fair
amount of play. When you indicated the car is currently pulling to one
side all the time, it kinda smells like you have a difference in geometry
between left and right. Unfortunately this is not usually a toe in/toe
out problem, as that shows up as 'darty' behavior that doesn't
consistently favor one side. The pitch of the road surface can fool you,
though, so evaluate the pulling problem on surfaces that pitch both left
and right. If the car still pull the same way, take a close look at the
bushings and especially at the places where the lower inside A-arm pivots
are mounted to the frame. These things are fairly weak, and have been
known to separate from the frame in a potentially catastrophic manner.
Good luck!
Bob Westerdale
59 3A TS36967
Scott Tilton <sdtilton@yahoo.com>
Sent by: owner-triumphs@autox.team.net
09/20/02 09:54 AM
Please respond to Scott Tilton
To: triumphs@autox.team.net
cc:
Subject: More TR4 front suspension questions
Well, it doesnt look like Ill have to try out the lists advice on
removing
the top A-arms just yet.
I took off the wheels and looked again at the suspension, and it looks
like the
top fulcrum / pivot is installed correctly.
Which leads to the question of whats causing the apparent positive
camber?
As an added bonus . . . I took off the stock wheels and tires and put on
the
Panasports with the fat Michelins from the TR-6.
Quite an amazing difference.
But now the car is pulling to the left constantly.
Ive rotated the tires to different positions, and it is still the same.
I guess I should find a place to take it and get the alignment checked on
it.
(Oh joy!)
But Ive got a question there too: Besides toe in and toe out . . . what
else
can be adjusted on a TR-4 front suspension? There arent any places to
shim it
are there? Are there some sort of eccentric pivots that Im unaware of?
Thanks for all the help.
Scott Tilton
63 TR4 Everyday
Leesburg, VA
New DSL Internet Access from SBC & Yahoo!
http://sbc.yahoo.com
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