Are the setting links necessary . why not just measure camber after driving and setting on a flat surface. Also taking out or adding shims affects camber in which direction.
I was told by someone whose professional opinion regarding Jaguars I respect to set the camber with the car sitting as it does when you drive it. You don’t drive the car with it sitting as it would with the setting links in position so why would you set it up that way.
I suspect that John’s answer results in the “ideal” setup. However, it isn’t the same as “measure camber after driving and setting on a flat surface.” unless you remain in the car with the right amount of fuel in the tank during the measurement… Setting links make it possible to simulate the LOADED position of the car. They also allow you to set the camber with the IRS on the bench during a rebuild if you want. I used large turnbuckles as setting links, which makes the job easy. If you don’t use links, you will need to load up the car to simulate typical driver/passenger/fuel load, and then move it around on a level surface to settle the suspension. I found using turnbuckles I had to hand from setting the front torsion bars a much more convenient method. YMMV.
There is no way that useing rear camber setting links represents a “loaded” car…you need an enormous amount of weight in the rear to get the car in a position to fit them…i had a friend sit in the trunk…couldnt get the links on…so resorted to the way John describes above…Steve
To answer the second part of the question, removing spacers increases camber
I.e. the top of the wheel moves towards the centreline of the car.
Not to pick nits, but the links put the suspension at the “mid-laden” position*. I’ve always thought that was half way between full extension and full compression of the suspension.
*Per the Service Manual page J.17
Obiously the gas level varies. Somtimes pasengers of different weights . and when cornering the outside and inside wheels are really throwing things off. Camber measured without links is 0 on left and minus 1 on right. Handling is what I’m after. Have the front set up at 1 degree negative and that really made a difference in surefootedness. Seems like a bit more negative camber would pay off in the rear
But that’s what we do here 
I would contend that if the “mid-laden” position was as you describe, it would be called something else - suspension “mid-travel” perhaps? Mid-laden presumably must have something to do with load. Mid point between maximum load and minimum? But then what is minimum load? One small person with an empty gas tank? Who knows? The factory and service facilities had to have some customer-independent loading to set up the suspension geometry. I suspect many E-Types today (mine for sure!) are “laden” more than was envisaged when the “mid-laden” spec was written
PS: I was a little unnerved, when I googled “laden” for this response to see the face of Osama bin … smiling back at me… 
If it does, that just raises more questions.
Looking at the tire data plate affixed to the inside of my glove box lid I see Jaguar says the car has a weight capacity of 360 lbs*. Is that with a full tank, half a tank or an empty tank of fuel? So Let’s assume that with a full tank, say about 108 lbs of fuel in the tank. Is mid laden a full tank of gas plus 92% of an average American male’s weight of 195.7 pounds? If so, just put the average American female adult in the car along with a Chihuahua and adjust the camber. 
*Think about that on the next road trip? How many of us are driving around with an “overloaded” car?
Hi Roger …just to give you some detail…as per the service manual one shim .02in (.5mm) alters the rear camber by 1/4deg service manual specifies -3/4 + or - 1/4
I’ve never used setting links when rebuilding the IRS. I assume that they enable you to get a reasonable starting point for camber with the IRS off the car.
I set rear camber with the the IRS in the car using a camber gauge.
If someone is currently reb uilding an IRS it would be interesting to set camber with the links and then measure the camber of the wheels on the car to see how accurate it is.
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Hi Andrew…I set my IRS on the bench with the setting links…when installed back into the car…driven and rechecked the camber was very positive. …cant remember the measurements but viewd from the rear it was very noticable…i have looked at many Es set with the links and viewed from rear is noticable pos camber…Steve
Andrew,
I’m rather confused by your comment. It reads like you consider the setting link as an alternative to using a camber gauge. All the setting link does is put the suspension in a known position. You then have to use some form of camber gauge to measure the resultant camber and adjust the shimming accordingly. The Service Manual shows the setting link being used with the IRS installed in the car to get the suspension in the mid-laden position. The setting link does not preclude then measuring the resulting camber, and adjusting accordingly.
I also set my rear camber on the bench. Had the almost rebiuilt IRS sitting level on horses, knocked up a pair of setting links and added/removed shims to achieve the factory spec. Worked very well and I never needed to adjust the setting in 17 years.
Exactly. I assume it’s for setting up the IRS on the bench to get you into some sort of approximate position, which is why I’ve never bothered making one.
You still have to actually set the camber with the IRS in the car. I always replace the same number of shims into the IRS on rebuild, or if I don’t do the disassembly I put 6 shims each side and work from there.
Actual rear camber on the car is going to be affected by a number of other factors apart from IRS geometry so to me it’s not seemed worthwhile.
I guess I’m still confused. What factors?
Hello Andrew,
I’m in David’s camp. Whether the camber adjustments is carried out with the IRS on the bench, or in the car, the setting link would be used in both cases to set the suspension at Mid Laden point. With regards to the relative geometry of the IRS components, its would be no different whether the IRS was on the bench, or in the car. Its simply easier with the IRS on the bench. The constant is the setting link.
Regards,
Bill
Hi Bill…yes agree with the above if useing setting links…however once you have set camber and removed the links and reinstalled shocks/springs and the car settled on the ground you will get a far more positive camber reading…becaus the distance where the link was fitted is now much greater…Steve
Camber is measured in relation to the horizontal of mother earth is it not? So if your IRS cage is for some reason not level either on the bench or in the car your setting link efforts will need to be corrected. So I’m with Andrew.
Hello David,
Jaguar and logic set level as a prerequisite for setting the camber. Whether the setting links are used, or not, the IRS needs to be level. Point 1. in the Jaguar Workshop manual for setting the camber is: Set car on level surface.
Regards,
Bill
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