CHASSIS SETUP:
I decided to do the bodywork first.
First thing i did was to put the car on stands, so that the floorpan-level is app 350 mm above the floor. As a result the car is perfect in level without "kippling" ( i just don´t know the english experssion) over one of the diagonal axes.
Next i adjusted the right hand side front suspension like recommended. Lower wishbone shimmed to the very front of the car with 1 shim as reserve, top wishbone shimmed in mid position, This will give you a basic caster of app 5°. Top wishbone universal joints full in and lower wishbone joints equaly threaded out to achieve the desired negative camber of app 1,5°. I also took the spring of from the shock and adjusted the front suspension to the correct ride height (4,5")
Until know i measured it with my standard level which i had calibrated ( marked) before on the desired angles, but i ordered a digital eletronic level which enables me to do it on 0,1° exact.
LEFT SIDE SUSPENSION:
Caster app 5°
right hand side camber app -1,5°
in order to be able to measure it the wheel has to point straight forward parallel to the car longitudenal axxis. I achieved this with a second simple setup.
An aluminium bar along the front bulkhead. I referenced this with several measurements . The chassis is very true, so if the bar leans on the front bulkhead it is exact rectangular versus the car axxis.
Using this as a basis i used a long straight edge to reference the front wheel direction.
alu-bar with straight edge
right hand side toe in adjustment
Than i repeated exact the same shimming and universal joint and height adjustments on the left hand side front suspension and measured it.
The result was very impressive exact the same as on the right hand side, showing how true this chassis is.
Left hand side camber app -1,5°
I also adjusted the toe out to 0.5°.
With the front suspension adjusted to the correct height and angles i did the same with the rear suspension.
Ride height was adjusted to 5.25". Caster as a result according to the reco that the control arm axxis´s should run parallel with the chassis 90° cross brace.
Toe in was adjusted (neutral) by measuring along a long straight bar running along the chassis longitudenal axxis.
Also here i started with one side and repeated the exact same adjustments( radius rod lenghts´, control arm lenghts and universal joint adjustments) on the other side. The result was as impressive as on the front suspension. Both sides have exact the same resulting measurements.
rear left hand side camber app -1,5°
left hand side caster
right hand side caster
right hand side camber app -1.5°
After finishing that, i measured the dimension from front to rear wheel center. The result is exact the same (diviation less than 1mm) on both sides.
Next i established 2 longitudenal and one vertical reference lines for all future body allignement work.
I started with a alu-ruler accross the chassis and measured the dimension from there to the wheel centers, to put it exact in the middle and 90° to them.
alu-ruler
This line i marked with a pen and checked vs the fuel tank edge. which are exact 90° to this cross reference line.
Left hand side cross reference line fit
Right hand side cross reference line fit
Knowing that the fuelcells running exact parallel to the cars longitudenal axxis i drew a parallel reference line 100 mm inside the outer edge on both sides.
drawing the longitudenal reference line
Right hand side reference line
left hand side reference line
I than checked the dimension from on to the other reference line
rear reference line distance
front reference line distance
The exact the same dimension confirmed the chassis straightness.
As last step i measured
the left to rigth centering of the front and rear suspension, by running the long alu-bar along the chassis edges and measuring to the brakedisc surface ( always on the same spot).
right hand side left to right dimension ( 210 mm)
left hand side left to right dimension ( 210mm)
The same result also on the measurement fo the front suspension.
rear suspension with strap to adjust ride height
I knew that this chassis is of high dimensional quality, but i didn´t expect it to be on that level.
IMHO that´s very impressive and i´m very happy with my desicion to go with RCR.
Now as i have this done i will move on to the body parts alignement. The adjusted suspension will give me good reference points and with the weels on also allows me to check all kind of suspension movements and resulting tire clearances.
TOM
awh: 20 h