408 With Negative Camber

[jeff02740]

Has anyone had a problem with negative camber on their v8 cars?
I noticed that the camber was negative, I have since replaced all wishbone bushings and cleaned everything up. There is no play in the ball joints and everything is tight. Still have negative camber especially on left front. Any suggestions?

[AndrewA]

Is it a lot out?
I went to great lengths to get it spot on on mine and got hold of some camber shims from Bristol Classic Car Parts. They call them caster shims but they don't do anything to the caster!

[jeff02740]

Right side is close, about a half degree, but left side is 2 degrees negative camber.

[Kevin H]

The 408 was originally set up with:
Toe-in 1/8 inch
Camber angle 0 degrees
Castor angle 1 degree nominal

Ten years ago I wrote the following in another discussion thread - I'm pretty sure the information came from Brian Marelli who was head of the service dept.

The 411 was originally set up with zero camber and generally speaking it is not adjustable. At least not without disassembly of the front suspension and drilling new holes for the fulcrum brackets, which are bolted to the front crossmember and govern the camber. Castor is 1 degree and "toe in" one eight of an inch.

I believe there was very little difference between the 408 - 411 suspension.

[AndrewA]

The camber is adjustable by using shims plates behind the top joints.
They were developed as some of the new top joints are thinner and need shims to make them the same size as the old ones. You can go a little way using the standard bolts - if you're packing them out a long way then you'll need longer bolts. It's really a job for an alignment shop IMHO as it's trial and error - shim it , measure it, go again etc
Hope this helps.

[jeff02740]

Thank you for your response, but I think you are talking about the shims (washers) that are used with the 1/2 inch bolts on the inner top wishbones that pivot on the subframe and plates that are bolted to the subframe. To my knowledge, those shims do indeed adjust the caster, be it ever so slightly. Other than elongating the 1/2 inch holes on the subframe and moving the inner mounting plates, which are attached by 4 bolts to the subframe, I see no way of adjusting camber. Seeing that this is set from the factory, I do not understand how it could go out of adjustment.

[AndrewA]

You're right - have just looked at diagram again - apologies.
As regards the cause I can only think of potholes or kerbs.

[Kevin H]

Originally Posted by jeff02740

....Other than elongating the 1/2 inch holes on the subframe and moving the inner mounting plates, which are attached by 4 bolts to the subframe, I see no way of adjusting camber. Seeing that this is set from the factory, I do not understand how it could go out of adjustment.

jeff02740, I believe the "inner mounting plates" you refer to are what Bristol call the "fulcrum brackets" which you can see numbered 2&3 in this diagram .

In the diagram it's hard to see why the fulcrum brackets are required, given the neat holes in the subframe which the 'upper wishbone bolts' pass through (see Resources - Front suspension wishbones ).

However, in some cars I believe those holes in the subframe are in fact elongated. I think they are on my 411 but I can't find the photos from when the front end was rebuilt 20 years ago.

If your subframes do not have elongated holes, it is hard to see how the camber could change. Maybe it's always been like that.

[jeff02740]

Thank you for your response, the fulcrum brackets are required to support the inner part of the 1/2 inch diameter bolt that goes through the wishbone and bushing. I have had it apart and the holes are not elongated. You may be correct when you state that it could have been that way from the start. I am new to Bristols and have no idea what their quality control was back in the day.