Wheelbase

[TCGT]

Hi,

Had a good look around my recently aquired Celica ST185 and have noticed the front offside wheel is back a touch compared to the other side.

I knew it had been knocked and has been repaired well cosmeticly but they obviously haven't pushed the lower wishbone forward enough.

The dimensions I found on another thread state a wheelbase of 2525mm for an st185 gt4.

Could a member please tell me if this applies to my 1990 GT.

Also where are the correct places to check the wheelbase, is it rear stub axle centre to front stub axle centre.

Thanks in advance.

john

[martin_longbow]

Hi mate, cant help you with the dimension stuff but I'll thro in my tuppence

Are you sure the car is damaged, wish I had one pound for the number of cars that I have seen where the gap from the wheel arch to the weel is not the same on either side.

Does the car drive ok, does if feel all right, you have not mentioned how the car feels, does it crab while driving? Best advice is to take it to a good wheel alignment place and get them to check it, if they can't track it they will usually check it to tell you why not. Better yet take your car for a geometry check. They set the four wheels up from scratch and measure the whole geometry using lazer gizmo's. My recent check cost me 50 quid for checking and adjusting both front and back.

Unless you have special equipment you wont be able to check it to any degree of accuracy. A general wheel alignment place may check it for free and only charge for adjustment, worth a try

[TCGT]

Hi Martin, thanks for the info.

On further examination of the floor area I find that the floor under the pedals has a crease that isn't there on the other side.

This is where the wishbone is mounted to the floor.

The difference in the arch is some 20mm shorter.

I think it may need jacking forward, a big hammer or a jig.

Haven't had chance to drive it yet , tha engine runs and sounds fine but the car had stood for over 3 years prior to me buying it and there is a clutch/gearbox problem, no drive.

I am in the process of removing the transaxle to determine the problem, I have the driveshaft out so far and will continue this morning.

john

[daktari]

This subject has cropped up before somewhere on here, i tried a search but no joy. Anyhoot, the general concensus was that like martin says a lot of cars are like that, although 20mm does sound a lot.

To answer you question though. The ST185 dimensions should be

Length: 4480mm

Height: 1300mm

Width: 1690mm

Wheelbase: 2525mm

Front track: 1475mm

Rear track: 1440mm

Hope thats of some help.

[martin_longbow]

Unlucky mate, sounds as you have got damage but you sound like your doing the right thing, hope the info Dak gave you is helpful.

I will look out my alignment data that place gave me to see if anything was mentioned about wheel base length.

[TCGT]

Hi Everybody,

thanks for all your encouragenent, you are giving me confidence to tackle this Japenese engineering of which I know nowt.

Just have to suspend the engine now, undo the crossmember and I can pull the transaxle free.

Things are a little different under here compared to my departed Au.tin Sp..te

john

[daktari]

When you`ve got the opportunity it might be worth checking the lower arms against each other, It`s entirely possible that they could be the culprit. Like wise the subframe could be distorted.