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tony betts
Jul 9, 2017 - 6:46PM
Re: Help, the rear wheel track is wider than the front!

do you have a standard axle, or a sports bowed axle.

tony

Location: huncote on the pig

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Jul 9th, 2017 - 6:46 PM
t
Tony
Jul 9, 2017 - 7:42PM
Re: Help, the rear wheel track is wider than the front!

Its a standard axle.

Location: Suffolk/Essex border

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Jul 9th, 2017 - 7:42 PM
b
Bob Culver
Jul 10, 2017 - 8:52AM
Re: Help, the rear wheel track is wider than the front!

This topic has been extensively covered in last few years. A Search should reveal all, including recurving, measurements.
I suspect "mechanics" deliberately spring the track rod to get desired toe, and the adjustments accumulate over the decades.

Location: Auckland, NZ

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Jul 10th, 2017 - 8:52 AM
d
Dennis Nicholas
Jul 10, 2017 - 1:36PM
Re: Help, the rear wheel track is wider than the front!

Tony
The title says it all really. Fitted the track rod to my Gould special and had to wind the track rod ends in all the way to get anything like a straight ahead position, but even so there is still plenty of toe-in still. Scratching my head I looked at the alignment with the rear. There would appear to be a problem. The front track width is a tad over 36" from backplate to backplate, whilst the rear is around 38 1/2". Don't think it's supposed to be like that.

I believe the chassis is a Ruby style. Any idea as to what might be going on?

Thanks!


just a thought...a big 7 front axle/track is wider than a 7....maybe you have track rod from big 7 in error. Big 7 front bolts strait onto 7 chassis and it is bowed like sports axle. It has bigger king pins too.........you would need to be expert to recognise the difference on a car.

Location: NW Devon

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Jul 10th, 2017 - 1:36 PM
Jim Holyoake
Jul 10, 2017 - 6:02PM
Re: Help, the rear wheel track is wider than the front!

The Big 7 axle has the track rod in front of the axle and is longer than the 7 axle. The question here is that the front axle is narrower than the back.
I should think the track you have measured is correct.
The track rods are fairly flexible and over the years can distort. It's possible that your rod has straightened out somewhat and so hasn't enough adjustment left.
My 1929 axle only just adjusts correctly with the track rod end screwed in as far as it will go.

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Jul 10th, 2017 - 6:02 PM
t
Tony
Jul 10, 2017 - 6:33PM
Re: Help, the rear wheel track is wider than the front!

Jim Holyoake
The Big 7 axle has the track rod in front of the axle and is longer than the 7 axle. The question here is that the front axle is narrower than the back.
I should think the track you have measured is correct.
The track rods are fairly flexible and over the years can distort. It's possible that your rod has straightened out somewhat and so hasn't enough adjustment left.
My 1929 axle only just adjusts correctly with the track rod end screwed in as far as it will go.


Thanks Jim, I was beginning to come to a similar conclusion. Reckon mine is at least an inch too long now.

Location: Suffolk/Essex border

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Jul 10th, 2017 - 6:33 PM
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Nick Lettington
Jul 10, 2017 - 8:02PM
Re: Help, the rear wheel track is wider than the front!

Pretty sure the big 7 track rod ends are ball joints... Do the levers attached to the stub axles point towards the centre of the car or outwards?

Location: Colchester

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Jul 10th, 2017 - 8:02 PM
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Alan
Jul 10, 2017 - 8:57PM
Re: Help, the rear wheel track is wider than the front!

If it's a Ruby chassis, the rear track is meant to be wider than the front. Track is correctly measured as the width between the centre point of the tyres, where the tyre hits the ground. For a Seven it's 3ft4ins front and rear for a short wheelbase car and 3ft4ins (front) 3ft7ins (rear) for a long wheelbase.

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Tony
Jul 10, 2017 - 10:34PM
Re: Help, the rear wheel track is wider than the front!

Nick Lettington
Pretty sure the big 7 track rod ends are ball joints... Do the levers attached to the stub axles point towards the centre of the car or outwards?


Hi Nick,

The track rod arms point to the rear and curve in and up. If I swapped them over the track rod would probably touch the chassis.

Location: Suffolk/Essex border

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Jul 10th, 2017 - 10:34 PM
t
Tony
Jul 11, 2017 - 8:47PM
Re: Help, the rear wheel track is wider than the front!

Hi,

Have I got the arms the wrong way round? I checked the red book and all it said was it was possible to get it wrong, without going on to say what was right. I chose what appeared to be the logical way, but maybe I got the near side on the off side?

Location: Suffolk/Essex border

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Jul 11th, 2017 - 8:47 PM
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Nick Lettington
Jul 11, 2017 - 10:30PM
Re: Help, the rear wheel track is wider than the front!

I was wondering that, but now don't think so Tony - they'd probably foul the back plates the other way round. I managed to half uncover a spare front axle on which the track rod measures approx 34 1/2 inches between the centres of the pivots. I have emailed you a couple of photos and a parts list which gives the part numbers for off and near side levers. Is the engine out of the car now? I wonder if with no engine, body, radiator full of water etc if the spring is not as flat as it would be under load?

If you want to come over again on Saturday, you're welcome to take a proper look at the yellow peril.

Regards
Nick

Location: Colchester

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Jul 11th, 2017 - 10:30 PM
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Nick Lettington
Jul 12, 2017 - 7:48PM
Re: Help, the rear wheel track is wider than the front!

Nick Lettington
I wonder if with no engine, body, radiator full of water etc if the spring is not as flat as it would be under load?




Which I realised this morning wouldn't make a blind bit of difference to your axle unless it's made of rubber... it isn't an IFS unit... I was tired...


Location: Colchester

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Jul 12th, 2017 - 7:48 PM
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