odd number of shimplates - Caster adjustment

[LotusFella 61]

hi I have an odd number of shimplates on the top of the wishbones.  Drivers side has 1x3mm at back and 1x3mm (parts 40) and 2 x 1.5mm(parts 39) at the front.  The passenger side has 1 x 3mm at back with 2x3mm and 2x1.5mm at front.  So not the same side to side.  That seems wrong to me. Is it correct or poor maintenance,

Thx

[Sparky 1,825]

You really should be condensing all these into a single thread.

It's quite normal; it's how asymmetry is dealt with. Just make sure you put them back the same way.

And get the car geo checked when it's back together.

[LotusFella 61]

3 minutes ago, Sparky said:

You really should be condensing all these into a single thread.

 

ok apologies, how do I do that?

[sailorbob 130]

It is wrong on the drivers side, the total thickness of the castor shim plates should add up to 12 mm in total.  For future reference, the inboard castor shim washers should add up 9 mm.

PS I'm happy for your item specific queries to go into new threads, it helps other people find them when searching.

[LotusFella 61]

13 hours ago, sailorbob said:

It is wrong on the drivers side, the total thickness of the castor shim plates should add up to 12 mm in total.  For future reference, the inboard castor shim washers should add up 9 mm.

PS I'm happy for your item specific queries to go into new threads, it helps other people find them when searching.

Thx for the info. Anyone know where I can get a 3mm Shim?

[Chillidoggy 3,281]

1 hour ago, LotusFella said:

Thx for the info. Anyone know where I can get a 3mm Shim?

SJ sportscars, but it might be better to buy 2 x 1.5mm to give you more leeway when setting the geometry.

If you do nothing else, get yourself a copy of the Lotus Service Notes for your car.

[Sparky 1,825]

Why do you want one?

[ramjet 841]

I know that when I removed both fronts on my car that both the RHS and LHS differed from each other as well as the front to rear side of the balljoint. I put them back the exact same way as I took them out.

[Steve V8 1,098 1 Vehicles]

15 hours ago, sailorbob said:

It is wrong on the drivers side, the total thickness of the castor shim plates should add up to 12 mm in total.  For future reference, the inboard castor shim washers should add up 9 mm.

PS I'm happy for your item specific queries to go into new threads, it helps other people find them when searching.

Derek, could you elaborate a bit, all my shim plates were forward of the ball joint both sides and nowhere near 12mm on the near side, which I thought was a bit odd, is there a section on preliminary setup of castor angle?

[sailorbob 130]

The 12 mm and 9 mm total shim and washer thickness is required to keep the upper wishbones arms parallel to each other. There isn't anything on castor setup other than what's in Service Notes section CF. There is a warning about having at least 5 mm clearance from the upper wishbone to chassis so I'm guessing Lotus expect some fore and aft rotation of the wishbones in use.

Pre S4 the castor setup is slightly different; for example on the S and SE and the castor adjustment is done solely with the shim washers (minimum total washer thickness of 6 mm) and the shim plates are solely used to maintain a 6 mm difference between the total thickness of the the shim washers and the shim plates.

Edited July 31, 2018 by sailorbob