Hi John, That is a very sensible suggestion and it removes all the verifiables and they will have peace of mind.
Do it once and do it right

Location: Tinopai NZ

To ask a silly question, are the radius rods on the correct sides-they are handed.

Roger,
I had a similar problem with my 29 chummy. I could see what was wrong, the front chassis crossmember was bent but as it was my only means of transport, the easiest mod was to make a 3/8" packer between the triangular radius arm ball bracket and the front crossmember. This wasn't enough to correct the steering wander so I made 2 off 5/16" slotted washers fitted between the axle beam and the rad arms. After this it steered fine. These "temporary "mods stayed on the car from 1969 to 2000 when I took the car off the road for a major renovation. It must have done many thousands of miles in that period.
Hope this helps.
Dave.

Location: Sheffield

Thanks Steve, I will wiggle them about a bit and see if I can get them off. - Roger.

Location: Esher, Surrey U.K.

I think you will still need to twist the radius arm ends to get a caster change, as you mentioned initially.
Packing the spring mount won't change this.

Tony

Location: Malvern, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Tony,
I have always had a problem about "Twisting the radius arms to increase caster"
Yes it does work but at what cost, by twisting the arms you are forcing the axle against the shackles which will accelerate wear in the bushes, is it not better in the long run to get the set up right first time?
J

Location: As far east in Kent as you can get

John,

You are right of course but in the short term setting the pins back a couple of degrees by rotating the arms will make a difference to steering and probably not cause too much problem with the shackles.

Tony.

Location: Malvern, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

I'm probably being extremely dim but I've never understood how twisting the radius rod affects the castor angle.
Does the twist slightly increase the effective length of the rod thus pushing the axle forward which then increases the caster angle behind?
I've often read the piece in the Austin Seven Companion but can't quite get my head around it.
Perhaps someone can describe what is taking place in a way I can see in my minds eye?

Thanks, Perplexed of Polegate, Steve V

Location: Polegate, East Sussex, United Kingdom

Stephen,

The two radius arms come from a point at the ball joint forward at an angle to the front axle where the ends are set at an angle to go through the two parallel holes in the axle.

The angle at the end means that when the radius arms are twisted anti clockwise on the offside and clockwise on the nearside, this causes the axle and therefore the top of the kingpin to tilt towards the rear.

Make sense?

Tony.

Location: Malvern, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Tony,
I was just thinking about my days as an apprentice, I had a kindly teacher by the name of George who insisted that we "got it right" can you imagine the scenario;
"Sir iv'e got an idea, if I twist it a bit and then hit it with a big hammer it might sort it" His reply would undoubtedly have been;" Lad I want a word with you" I would then have found myself cleaning every machine, and the floor, with a toothbrush for a week! As Colin said "Do it once and do it right"
J

Location: As far east in Kent as you can get

Hey everyone, it's an Austin 7 not a Mercedes. I am looking for a quick and dirty fix without perfecting or completely restoring what is a fairly grotty chummy. I did the twist and it is looking much better. I have just also discovered that one of my spring shackles is in 2 pieces. I wonder if that was having an effect on the steering? - Roger.

Location: Esher, Surrey U.K.

Hi Tony,
Yes indeed!
Thanks very much.
Steve V.

Location: Polegate, East Sussex, United Kingdom

Sorry everyone, used the wrong word. It's the front spring U bolt that is snapped, not the shackle. Would have spotted a broken shackle much more easily. May recondition the shock absorber at the same time as sorting the U bolts. Hopefully the handling will be transformed. - Roger.

Location: Esher, Surrey U.K.

Should be transformed Roger.
Steve V.

Location: Polegate, East Sussex, United Kingdom