Progress on #782

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

Yes Dan, I approve but you can go a scoch more...

BUT-you don't want positive camber.
My specs:
CASTER CAMBER TOE
FRONT 4˚ NEG 1/2˚ POS 1/8"
REAR NEG 3/4˚ POS 1/16"
This was fine for the street and acceptable for some track work. Straight tracking above 100 MPH, excellent turn-in, and no appreciable tire wear before they were at replacement age anyway. Makes it very responsive to steering input without being 'nervous' on the highway.
Tucking the tops in will also aid any further lowering.

Chas - I was using ERA's specs - camber - 0 +/- 1/4, caster 4-1/2 +/- 1/4. Where did these come from? Actually, not to argue I was shooting for as close to 0 camber as I could get but I did get a bit more correction on camber from a certain dimension shim than the ERA manual indicated. The manual said a 1/8 inch shim F&R would change camber 1/4 deg. I started out with neg 11/16 deg and added 3/16 inch of shims and got 1/8 positive. It looks like I should have just added a 1/8 inch shim.

I plan to check ride heigth and re-run everything once I've had a chance to put a few miles on it and I'll pull a little of the positive camber out of it then. Not sure about 1/2 deg negative though??

Not sure I will want to go any lower - my mufflers hang down about 1/2 inch below the frame rails which comes out of my clearance also. I have them sucked up about as high as ERA's header collectors will let me without putting a bend in them. But, I'm not sure I want them much closer to the floor pan. So, I'm going to have to watch for speed bumps and curbs both on the nose and mid-way between the wheels.

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by DanEC

Not sure I will want to go any lower - my mufflers hang down about 1/2 inch below the frame rails which comes out of my clearance also. I have them sucked up about as high as ERA's header collectors will let me without putting a bend in them. But, I'm not sure I want them much closer to the floor pan.

I forgot about your undercar system so you're right to leave it where you have it now.
I probably used my car more aggressively than you intend. But the negative setting had no ill effects on street driving and definitely improved track and autocross cornering.
But at the very least, strive for zero or maybe 1/4 degree neg.

[DanEC]

I'll pull it back to a little on the negative side. Looks like my electrical charging problems are not solved so I guess that will be occupying my time for awhile.

[patrickt]

Then pull the plug on the voltage regulator, and on the alternator side of the connection, jump a wire across the field and power fields. This will be the first wire U/G and third wire Y/R. Then start the car and rev it to no more than 1500 RPM or so while you stare at the ammeter. Tell us if you have a charge condition on the ammeter.

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Then pull the plug on the voltage regulator, and on the alternator side of the connection, jump a wire across the field and power fields. This will be the first wire U/G and third wire Y/R. Then start the car and rev it to no more than 1500 RPM or so while you stare at the ammeter. Tell us if you have a charge condition on the ammeter.

Here is what I got when I did this last Feb:

"From orange wire terminal on back of alternator to ground for voltage regulator - 12.5 volts (battery geting a little low). No change when I reved it up. The regulator was plugged in.

Unplugging the regulator and jumping the two terminals the voltage from alternator to regulator ground was 14.5 volts and as I reved it, it was climbing to 17 to 18 volts."

Next warm day I guess I will start testing all over again. I may put the solid state VR back in.

[patrickt]

Hmmmm, maybe a faulty ground at the voltage regulator. Try a little jump wire from the casing wire to a known good ground.