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MG TD TF 1500 - Caster angle -TF

The Workshop manual provides a caster angle spec of 2 degrees +/- 1/2 degree but no mention of how to measure this, and going back a few years i can find to thread on this. Have any members measured or adjusted this angle?

Also, I set the camber to 0 degrees and Toe-in to 0 as specified but have since seen Toe-in recommended as 1/8 inch in some threads. Where did the change come from?
Thanks in advance.
Rorry
Rb Harding

Toe-in to 0 was for bias-ply tires, radials need a slight toe-in, 1/8" is most common in my research.

How do you set camber and caster? Isn't that a design function?

Peter
P G Gilvarry

There is a tool available for measuring castor angle. It may be a matter of design, but after an accident or just a hard knock its something to check - and on a previously owned vehicle you never know what has happened to it.
Dave H
Dave Hill

Hmm
I would have thought the toe specs would have been round the other way Peter
Toe in for conventional Xply and 0 for radials

The camber and castor are built in to the chassis design
They can be measured acurately on a wheel aligner
Some modifications can be made to adjust camber but castor is basically set
Some minor differences to equal the readings side to side can be carried out by loosening suspension/shocker mountings and pulling things around and retightening in a different spot but usually if it's far out it means something is bent
A good wheel alignment check on a modern machine will tell the story as it will measure wheel setbacks and track misalignment etc
Worth having done just to check and you will get a readout showing where it's out ,,if it is out Shouldn't cost much just for a readout----Don't get too fussy though, they never were perfect
Basicaly if camber and toe are set and it steers straight I wouldn't worry about castor unless it's pulling to one side
Rorry, what method did you use to adjust your camber
cheers
willy
William Revit

Thanks for the answers; as I suspected the caster is probably not adjustable.
I asked about this as the mechanic doing the safety check said the steering does not return to center by itself when driving. I had set the clearances to tight on the steering box which I have since corrected, but wanted to check everything before going back for a re-check.
As suggested I will also dial in a bit of toe in.
To measure camber I made a small jig out of a piece of straight hardwood with 2 small threaded rods that contact the rim at 2 points at the top and bottom positions. The rods are long enough that the block of wood clears the knock-off. I cannot seem to upload photos as the files are always too large.
To measure the angle I used a free inclinometer app on my phone.
Rorry
Rb Harding

Everything I have read is toe-in for radials, 1/16 to 1/8"

Bias ply is Zero!
P G Gilvarry

Photos re-sized so they can be uploaded.

Rb Harding

On my TF1500 I have radial tyres and zero toe in, which has worked well for the last 14,000 miles without loss of self-centering or undue tyre wear (scrubbing of tread). In fact tyre wear has been minimal and even over that distance. Tyres are Michelin XZX.
N D Wallace

This thread was discussed between 03/09/2017 and 06/09/2017

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