fbekholden.com

Hi Guys.

I checked the front tyres on my ute. they are scrubbing out on the outside edges.
It is a HR disc front end with 205/60/13s and dragway wheels.
I took it down to Joe bloggs the wheel alignment/tyre service mob and got them to check it out and give it a wheel alignment. I mentioned the car is pulling to the left slightly as well.
They used one of them alignment setups that use a clamp with wires running from all 4 wheels. It was explained to me as " Thrust alignment".
This apparently takes in to consideration the angle of thrust from the back end which can effect the steering etc.

I thought to myself "Might be Ok on late model shit, but where is the old style wheel aligners that we had back when our cars where new??"
When i mentioned that maybe he should check camber and castor angles " he just blinked at me and said that all cars have a few degrees tolerance and without the manufacturrs specs he cant do much else but check that the wheels are tracking straight forward with no toe in.

I shook my head and shut my mouth. I watched while he twiddled knobs on the so called "wheel aligner" and he never touched anything under the car. He lowered the hoist, wiped his ungreasy hands and said it is all good..that will be $50.... I told him to G#t F$%K@d and drove off ( with the car still pulling to the left).


So.. without a manual . I need to know what the correct settings for .. camber, castor, toe in or out is on a HR Front end.
I will then go in search of a Wheel alignment Co that actually use spanners and maybe old fashion know how to set up an early Holden front end so that i can drive down the road without the car wanting to head off left into the bush and also get decent mileage out of a set of radials
Can anyone that has had work done on their front ends in the Newcastle district recommend someone that can do a "proper wheel alignment"

Reddo

you sure the pulling to the left is not a sticky brake ?

Reddo, Also, if you load ya slabs on one side and not in the centre you'll get drift to that side as well!! lol lol
Cheers Theo Z..................

Hi Reddo,
ya gunna think I'm nuts with this ................
In 1983 I had Computalign do the wheel alignment on mine just after putting in the disc front end.............. he had a lot of trouble getting the shim bolts out - they had to be replaced with longer ones - apparently when a HR f/e is fitted to FB/EK - either the castor or camber (I don't remember which) is out quite a bit and requires a pile of shims to correct it.............

This is the "nuts" bit - I haven't had it aligned since - some twenty five years later - do not have a problem with tyre wear and have told tyre fitters to leave the alignment alone - I am of the opinion that 30K out of each set speaks for itself.................

frats,
Rosco

Ok Reddo, you asked for it!!

From Gregorys workshop manual.

HR Caster angle 1 degree + or - 1/2 degree

Camber angle 1 degree + or - 1 degree

Toe in 1/8 inch.

Doesn't mention toe out on turn for HR but mentions Angle of turn- maximum HR series 22 1/2 + or - 1/2 degree.

Steering knuckle inclination 5 1/2 degrees + or - 1/2 degree.

Don't have a genuine GMH workshop manual for HR to give you the Holden specs but the Gregory's specs are better than not having any at all.

Hope that helps,

Terry.

Had the same problem reddo, with d#$%@ that don't know what they are doing. You should have between 1/2 to 1 degree positive camber, which requires adding or removing shims. And you should have 2-3mm toe in. A good alignment shop will give you before and after readings.

Thanks for the replys and info fellas
At the risk of being banned for life from this forum.. i feel i better come clean and tell you this is a a HR front in a HR....... Shock horror.. what sort of nut case would consider such a conversion.

I had a set of near new 195/60/13s on 7" rims stashed away down the shed that i picked up ages ago from a blokes backyard. so i took 2 of em down to the tyre service yesterday. Told em to pull the 2 - 205/60/13s with outer shoulder wear off the front dragways and fit the 2 - 195s on the rims . I thought that i would try this first. Thinking maybe the wear on the 205s was causing the run off to the left.
They fiitted one of the old 195s and inflated it to 30 psi.. cracks started appearing in the walls oooooo bugger . One pair of good radials ( Le Mans) stuffed due to old age .

There is more than one way to skin a cat so In the end i got them to reverse the tyres on the rims so the shoulder wear was on the inner side of the rim. The car seems to track better now without any run off left or right. The shoulder wear is noticeable but there is still visible legal tread on the shoulder
Tyre service is searching for 2 new 205/60/13s for me. Getting hard to come by. But i aint in no hurry. There is plenty of "meat " still on the two i reversed.

I will still hunt around to find a decent wheel aligner here in Newcastle.. One that understands Old Holden front ends. When the 2 new tyres eventually go on i will get another wheel alignment.

Reddo