disc brake conversion/track rod ends

[sagalout]

Hi again, it has been suggested that when i convert to a disc set up i will need to put on longer track rod ends 'cos the track is wider and even more so if i get neggy camber bottom arms/track control arms.
Anyone else find this?

[TVR SLag's BiL]

If you are using Mini hubs then there is no piont in changing the track rod ends. If you are using Metro hubs then you will need to fit -ve bottom arms otherwise you will get +ve camber. But i dont thing this weill require new rod ends.

The only cars i know of with longer track rod ends are ones that are lowered to the deck.

Hope this helps!

[sagalout]

Hi, thanks TSBL, I am using standard 8.4 mini disc set up on a previously drum brake car and fitting -ve bottom arms. It was my friend in the garage that supplied the standard parts that reckoned that I would need longer track rod ends and he's done more than a few minis in his time.
Incidentally, and this one may be best answered by Peter, if I am raising the car, will I lose the effect of the negative camber, (as raising it will increase the angle to the horizontal of the bottom arm) and should I therefore go for 2degree or whatever?
Finally (for the moment) can anyone tell me the "safe place" that I left the brake light pressure switch, can't find that anywhere!

[phil hill]

Saga, when you say you're raising the car you mean going higher than standard, correct ?? If you are raising the height then there will be a positive effect on camber, if you see what I mean !! You have obviously grasped the concept that 1.5 degree neg arms don't give you an actual 1.5 degrees negative, but 1.5 degrees more negative than you had to start with......... So if you are going for a significant increase in height then it might be worth going for 2 deg arms. I don't have a ratio of height vs camber angle, maybe Peter does ??

[Cooperman]

I'll get my son (Cooperlad!?) to work out the ratio using his CAD system at his work (would you believe Ilmoor-Mercedes).
That should get it right - spot on in fact.
One of the problems is the tolerance on the sub-frames. It is not unusual (as Tom Jones might have said) to find you have at least one degree different camber from one side to the other before you even start to look at the geometry. I think the Mini is quite forgiving in this respect, and when I first put neg-camber arms on a rally car I didn't notice any real difference in my speed along the road, which, in the end, is what it's all down to.