Lowering the front end of sd1

kokkolanpoika · Post by **kokkolanpoika** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 6:43 am

Hi..

I just lowering my front end of my Rover sd1 (30mm lower than vitesse)
And i just notice that front tyres wear out inside..
I just order an time to wheel aligment (Wednesday)..
Its looks like the tyres are in toe out position?

I just wonder if also my camber is too big. Is there any cheap kit to adjustable camber? Or I can drill the top end holes bigger, and weld the old holes stuck..?

Has anyone got camber proplem with 30mm lower kit that std vitesse?
Or i´m only one?

Thanks..

Post by **Coops** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 9:55 am

have you tried adjustable lower track arms?

kokkolanpoika · Post by **kokkolanpoika** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 1:31 pm

thev8kid wrote:have you tried adjustable lower track arms?

What do you mean? Std items are not adjustable?
Or do you mean track rod ends in steering rack?

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 2:51 pm

If you lower most cars, by shortening springs, you will mess up the static camber if you do nothing to correct it. Further you will ruin the bump steer and camber gain charictoristics as well. From what I remember the SD1 is another mcpherson strut set up and this set up is probably least able to take lowering without ruining the handling (see gavs thread below this one) you can move the strut tops out to compensate for the excess static neg camber, but then you will not have enough at full bump, also the rack is now in the wrong pace height wise and when you move the tops out you will also need to correct the track rod length.
What you actually need to do is move the radius arm, ARB mountings and sterering rack vertically up relative to the chassis the same amount as you have lowered the car this should correct the geomitry (or pretty close). the other way is to put it all back to the factory static ride height and use droped spindles to lower the car, then you will only ruin the scrub radius of the set up.
Mike

kokkolanpoika · Post by **kokkolanpoika** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 7:54 pm

Thanks kiwicar..

Just one question more, what is this droped spindles?

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 8:15 pm

Dropped spindle is where the spindle or stub axel is attached further up the strut than standard, so as to lower the ride height of the car while keeping nearly all the suspension geometry standard. You probably would have to design your own, or modify a standard item but at least you wont wear out tyres and it would be easier than moving everything else and design your own mac' strut front end.

worth a read as it explains alot about suspension design.
best of luck
Mike

kokkolanpoika · Post by **kokkolanpoika** » Wed May 02, 2007 1:51 pm

I just come with 4 wheel aligment testing. Toe out is -6mm. and std is +0-3,1mm. We asjusted toe in at +2,2mm..
Camber is left 1deg/09´ and right is 1deg/44´ std is 0deg/48´
I think i must to adjustable right hand camber slightly..?

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Thu May 03, 2007 9:00 am

reset the toe, to straight ahead (or what is recomended by rover) I would live with the static neg camber as unless you move the inner radius arm mounting and ARB mounting up you will not ain enough -ve camber gain with suspension travel. If you are running very low profile tryes you might want to reducing the static negative camber to -.5 deg by moving the strut tops out a bit but tou will start a whole chain of adjustment here and may never get back to a good compromise. I can only repeat my advice above.
Mike