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Jan 04, 2010 9:07 am
Jan 04, 2010 9:07 am
Subject: Re: Front Axle Wedges?
Hi Folks,
Setting the castor angle helps the handling of a car by increasing or decreasing the self-centring action of the steering. Too little castor angle and you are continually correcting the steering, too much and you will have to fight the tendency of the car to continue in a straight line when you go round bends. Both can be exhausting.
With a well-set up vintage car, the steering is direct and intuitive - just like riding a motor bike - and just a little pressure on one side of the wheel will take you where you want to go and the castor will correct the line when you take the pressure off. Lovely!
I once owned a 1948 Triumph Roadster and it was a NASTY car to drive - it wandered al over the road - many 1950's cars with independent front suspension were the same. The geometry design was wrong.
When I went from the Triumph to driving vintage cars I was amazed how nice they were to drive in comparison, with the HC 2 Litre being one of the best!
So why are wedges needed? Vintage cars usually have beam front axles and cart springs, and over the years the springs can settle. The general view is that the springs should be flat and parallel to the road in the centre. However newly set up springs may not be so flat and this can change the handling characteristics. Another reason might be minor accident damage or misalignment. Wedges are needed to correct the castor angle in both cases. It is trial and error.
I once drove a 2 Litre which was not very nice to drive though I never got a chance to fiddle with wedges and castor angles and have subsequently lost track of the car.
The other fun-to-drive Lagonda (when the castor is properly set up) - is of course the Rapier, where 'tidy' cornering involves just the right pressure on the spokes of the steering wheel plus a dab on the clutch at the right time to change gear with the preselector box so the wonderful engine can rev and pull you round the corner...
So its all down to wedges...
Colin M34
Hi Folks,
Setting the castor angle helps the handling of a car by increasing or decreasing the self-centring action of the steering. Too little castor angle and you are continually correcting the steering, too much and you will have to fight the tendency of the car to continue in a straight line when you go round bends. Both can be exhausting.
With a well-set up vintage car, the steering is direct and intuitive - just like riding a motor bike - and just a little pressure on one side of the wheel will take you where you want to go and the castor will correct the line when you take the pressure off. Lovely!
I once owned a 1948 Triumph Roadster and it was a NASTY car to drive - it wandered al over the road - many 1950's cars with independent front suspension were the same. The geometry design was wrong.
When I went from the Triumph to driving vintage cars I was amazed how nice they were to drive in comparison, with the HC 2 Litre being one of the best!
So why are wedges needed? Vintage cars usually have beam front axles and cart springs, and over the years the springs can settle. The general view is that the springs should be flat and parallel to the road in the centre. However newly set up springs may not be so flat and this can change the handling characteristics. Another reason might be minor accident damage or misalignment. Wedges are needed to correct the castor angle in both cases. It is trial and error.
I once drove a 2 Litre which was not very nice to drive though I never got a chance to fiddle with wedges and castor angles and have subsequently lost track of the car.
The other fun-to-drive Lagonda (when the castor is properly set up) - is of course the Rapier, where 'tidy' cornering involves just the right pressure on the spokes of the steering wheel plus a dab on the clutch at the right time to change gear with the preselector box so the wonderful engine can rev and pull you round the corner...
So its all down to wedges...
Colin M34