Frame / Springs: Camber.

[nibbs53]

I am putting a late model GT suspension on my 53.

Question. The top a frame. Do I Orientated it to the inside or outside.




Thank you. Patrick. P.S. sorry about the picture size photo bucket is not cooperating.

[BobPalma]

The simple answer is that you won't know what's right until it is finished, driven a bit, and can then be aligned.

However, it would be best to push the upper A-frame out, away from the center line of the car as much as possible, given that our cars tend to produce too much negative camber as the suspension wears. You might have to flip the bar once the car is on the road, if there is too much positive camber.

But that is less likely than having too much negative camber if you put the A-frame in, toward the center of the car.

So, to answer your question, the "arrow" [bottom] side in your photograph should be installed toward the inside of the car. BP

[PackardV8]

As Bob says, impossible to know. New springs, old springs, spacers; all make a huge difference in camber.

jack vines

[Mike Van Veghten]

My experience with a few Studes..
Nothing...makes a huge difference in the Stude suspension dimensions .
But as they've said above, assemble everything put a coupa miles on th car and see where you need to go from there.
In the four Studes I've adjusted, I'd give most anything for some "negitive" camber..! The cars are set (most from the 20's/60's) with positive camber. That does nothing to help cornering capibilitys.

I'd eyeball it for the most negitive camber, positive caster you can get. The book setting for toe-in works fine. Drive it a little, then head for your local front end shop. But be awair, they are abliged these days to set everything by the "book".
That's why I learned to do this myself, so I could set things the way I want them. It isn't that difficult.

Mike

[RadioRoy]

I agree that setting things is not that difficult. Where I have had trouble is measuring where they are so I could determine where to move them.

[JoeHall]

I have learned a few short cuts: mount the pin so the arrow above is pointing outboard, to "throw" the upper 'A' arm max distance outward (for more positive camber). If you are setting up an older Stude, with the pins that have centered holes, swap them out with later ones like yours, which provide an extra 1/8" of of outward/inward throw. Next, before mounting the tire, with the spring still compressed, adjust the eccentric outer pin to throw the king pin max outward (still more pos camber). This will max out pos camber adjustments, and bring the tire close to zero, but probably still be a bit negative.

The above applies unless you are setting the car down like a low-rider. Stude ride height affects camber, due to geometry between the upper & lower 'A' arms. The lower it sets, the more it moves toward positive, OTOH the higher it sets the more it moves toward negative. Also, as the suspension settles in, it shifts increasingly toward negative camber. (Look at the direction the upper bushings have shifted on a high mileage car, when in need of replacement; always inward, never outward.)

Set up this way, you save time of dialing it in, and you'll eventually arrive back to this setting anyway. Also, the car will handle great, and will not wear out the inboard tread on the tires; too much negative camber will wear them out in less than 5000 miles. Of course, if you do not intend to drive the car much, whatever looks coolest will be OK.

As for toe in/out, set it at 1/16-1/8" with radial tires. With poly tires, follow the manual.

If you also replaced the upper & lower 'A' arm bushings, come back in about 500 miles and re-tighten them. About 90 percent of the time you will find some have came loose.

[bezhawk]

[QUOTE

If you also replaced the upper & lower 'A' arm bushings, come back in about 500 miles and re-tighten them. About 90 percent of the time you will find some have came loose.[/QUOTE]


Joe is absolutely right. And use new lock washers, and loctite on the threads. And also on the control arm to frame attaching points. They too come loose quite often. Always put a wrench on them when you grease your car, and check them for tightness.
Also if your grease fittings won't take grease, replace them, or unscrew them, and screw the grease gun directly into the outer bushings, and force grease in until you see it ooze out. Every fitting should be greased every time.