Hi There,
My newly acquired Ruby has a problem with the steering geometry. Simply put, the nearside wheel has a very noticeable camber outwards from the bottom to the top. The offside wheel has no, or very little camber. As there is no adjustment for this, what could be the possible cause? The kingpin wear is minor and the bearings seem ok, although there is excessive end float on the hub on the wheel with the camber. Perhaps the off side wheel should also have a camber? Which wheel has a problem Not too many Ruby's in NZ to compare with! Help would be appreciated.

Colin

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Hi Colin, The camber angle should be about 2 3/4 degrees. Toe in is 1/8 inch. Have you checked carefully that there is no damage to the axle, radius arms or track rod? It is possible that at some time the wheel was hit hard against an obstruction such as a kerb. I would think that for peace of mind and safety you should strip down the axle. Have you any diagrams of the front suspension? I take it that you know the following A7 parts supplier in NZ.

PETER WOODEND
Address: P.O. Box 2245, Tauranga 3030, New Zealand
Phone: 0064 (0)7 571 5525
Fax: 0064 (0)7 571 5526
Email: classic_tyres@wave.co.nz
Products: New manufacture Head Gaskets, Aluminium Castings, Pistons, Rings, Liners,
Wiring Looms, Tyres. Send for Comprehensive Lists.
Also Big 7 and 8HP – 20 HP Parts.

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Hi Dave,

Thanks for your response. I have Doug Woodrows excellent Austin 7 manual (purchased recently from his wife Susan) to guide me, but in this regard, apart from showing the axle as it should be, no real help.
I have studied the axle closely and compared it with the RH axle and there doesn't appear to be any sign of damage or difference, apart from the quite apparent camber, wheel on or off, as you suggested. I did notice that it would appear something other than the correct cotter pin has been used to hold the kingpin in place on the axle although jacking the car and checking for kingpin wear in the normal way doesn't seem to indicate any substantial wear. Just by observation it doesn't seem that radius arm or track rod wear or mis-alignment would have an effect on the north/south position of the wheel (camber?) Am I wrong?
I appreciate yours and your friends input. I have a little experience with the Big 7 but none with the Ruby.

Regards

Colin

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Colin,
My friend's, a Ruby owner of many years, comments are as follows:-

There should be no camber and no end float in the hub.

May I suggest that the end float is causing the wheel to camber, perhaps the spacer is missing between the 2 bearings?

It's either that or the axle is bent.

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Hi Dave,

Thanks to you and your friend for the info.We currently have the axle stripped and will replace the bearings as a matter of course. The spacer between the bearings is there but is not identified in any way in the drawings or part numbers. When the hub is assembled with out the castellated nut fitted, there is a gap between the inside of the hub end and the outer bearing of about 3 or 4 mm. Perhaps the spacer length is incorrect or one or both bearings are of an incorrect width?
Do you have any info regarding the latter?
By calibrated eyeball the nearside axle, in comparison with the offside axle, does not appear to be bent.

Thanks and Regards

Colin

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