Data point on tripod corner balance

[Elombard]

I was finally able to try this method today. I had a hard time figuring out how to add my weight to the driver seat. Coercing family members just has not been an option :-))

I had some bags of quick crete laying around from another project and they work quite well as seat ballast. Where else can you get 60 lbs of dead weight for $2.

Any way.....initially put my jack on the back of the motor case (near the end of the car) because its a nice big lip. I was shocked how far out the front was. adjusted...put tires back on...WTF the front was like a truck it was so high up.

I let that stew for a while and checked the rear. I used my Jack with out the plate and used a 3/4" drive socket extension as my pivot on the metal cover right below the bottom suspension cross member. It was very close in the back, not worth messing with. Put the front wheels back on and re dialed the front ride height, it just could not be right that high!!

Then it hit me why the front was so far out. I was using the pivot too far back on the car. The T bars provide the up ward force vector right in front of the axels, so if you jack too far back the moment is too large and you get too much weight transfered to the front. I re measured using the seam on the tranny right about where the T bars are. I had to fuss with the front a tad.....and wah lah!! Its really close. I went for a drive and it feels super. I was having problems with the right front locking under threshhold braking - not any more.

I am going to borrow some scales in a few weeks and I will see how close this gets.

Executive Summary.

It apears Jacking/pivot points need to be close to where the T bar force is acting through the car


In previous posts on this subject some one talked about using the seam on the engine as a pivot. I believe using the Tranny provides a better result. Hopefully it is safe to briefly jack the car there?