Re: [T3] Caster adjustment

[Steven Ayres <comwest@well.com>]

PeterP=> special factory rubber bushing that was thicker on the front 
=> side and thinner in back (some pre '66 models had to have this 
=> special fix...).  I would seem pretty simple to partialy unbolt the 
=> lower beam, slip in some type of rubber spacer and bolt it back up.

I've thought a lot about this, particularly since my car is both lowered 
in front and experienced with front-end collision, so the frame horns 
are pushed back a bit. The spacer seems easy until you try to put the 
clamp back together -- there's a reason the caster rubber is thinner in 
front. Starts to get complicated. So I've been keeping an eye out for 
the caster adjustment rubbers. This would be a very useful repro item, 
but too few people know about it, I think.

Dave: your method seems practical, but then how do you adjust camber?

I agree with James that lowering is not a procedure tha|Tª be taken 
lightly. That said, I've been generally quite pleased with the results 
in my car. We do a fair amount of mountain driving up here, and I've 
found with a maybe 2" drop in front that it holds the tight curves much 
better without an additional anti-sway bar, and I like the additional 
road feel (until I get on a California concrete freeway, anyway). 
Another benefit peculiar to the Ghia is a better field of vision over 
the hood. The tradeoff is that steering is a little more delicate on the 
straights at high speed -- I can't lay back with one finger on the wheel 
like I can on my old American iron. I notice right away if anything's 
out of alignment or loose in the front end. But with both hands on the 
wheel it's a joy to drive. 

Steven Ayres, Prescott AZ
'66 343

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