how to adjust caster angle

The usual spec is slight toe-in to compensate for angular pressure that forces each tire outward as the car rolls down the road. Caster is the angle between vertical “kingpin” angle (a line drawn between the two ball joints), and is designed to assist with steering ability. If you are lucky enough to own several cars, you could easily recoup the typical $50.00 alignment charge in only three jobs. Now turn the tire 20 degrees out and the gauge will read … Vehicles that specify high positive caster usually have a steering dampener attached to reduce any adverse effects.eval(ez_write_tag([[468,60],'freeasestudyguides_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_1',116,'0','0'])); Zero caster is when the tire is true vertical. There are several methods to adjust camber, depending on the vehicle and its suspension. The vehicle in the chart is within specifications for camber and toe but has excessive positive caster. Caster is the angle or difference in upper and lower ball joints per se. The opposite, toe-out, is where the leading edges of the front tires are angled outward. The camber adjustment of your wheels is an important measurement to keep an eye on. Vehicles with SLA suspensions use the upper and lower ball joints to create the angle, and those with struts use the center of the upper strut mount and the lower ball joint as the angle. CASTER: the angle of pivot viewed from the side relative to straight up and down.. Using the center caster adjustment knob underneath the gauge, zero the caster reading. We've also included typical specs for a single-purpose drag car. Caster is a little less obvious. ... caster setting. Front-End Alignment SpecsSince this story is not aimed at a specific vehicle, we'll fling you a set of generic alignment specs that will work for most '60s street-driven vehicles. I've done alignments back in school but not a jeep mostly big rigs. This allows you to perform the 20-degree turn-in and turn-out for measuring caster. Anytime the ride height changes, camber, caster, and toe will also vary. That alone is worth the price of admission. This technology has been around almost as long as the automobile, and if you pay attention, you can do a great alignment with almost any bubble gauge. Negative caster is when the lower pivot point (ball joint) is toward the back of the vehicle compared to the upper pivot. Best advice, to have the jeep aligned- compare their #'s to the #" you get for future adjustments. Keep in mind that you should align a typical drag race car with the front end raised approximately 1 inch to simulate the way the car will run down the track. If the lower joint is more forward then you will have negative caster. This creates a grocery cart-like situation, where the wheel centerline is behind the spindle centerline. They run a large amount of positive caster to make the cart track straight without wandering. Inserting an equal number of shims between the framerail and the cross-shaft on both mounting bolts moves the upper control arm inboard on both studs and creates the necessary negative camber. .. Stock suspensions may feature cam bolts, eccentric washer bolts, turn-buckle joints, or shim adjustments. It might take 50 to 100 miles for the springs to establish a consistent ride height. There are plenty of sources that claim you need a set of turn plates to do an alignment correctly, but while handy, they are not essential. Replace the damper pinch bolts with the adjusting bolts (A), and adjust the camber angle. If the pinion is pointed towards the ground, and you don't have enough caster then you will have to break the knuckles loose and redo the caster. If this pivot angle is leaning toward the back of the truck it is positive caster, and, of course, if the angle is rotated toward the front of the truck, it is negative caster. Camber is easy to visualize. Look down at your feet and point your toes inward with your heels angled outward. Check out the caster illustration to help understand this alignment characteristic. Positive caster is when the lower axis is toward the front of the vehicle, and the upper pivot is leaning away from the front toward the rear. Once you've done your first alignment, you'll realize how easy it is and that you've now climbed another rung on the gearhead master mechanic's ladder. Most vehicles have positive caster because it provides greater feel and stability, helps the wheels track straight, and provides steering wheel return after turning. If you've just finished a front suspension upgrade with new springs, for example, the ride height will change once the springs settle. Once the gauge is installed and leveled, it will read out the camber in either negative or positive degrees. If you can only afford one tool, go with the bubble gauge. Once you've established the camber, caster is the next angle to check. Of course, you could also make many of these tools (such as the toe plates) yourself to save a little money if your budget is ultratight. You might actually find this stuff fascinating-we do... Alignment BasicsThis is stuff you should have learned in high school auto shop, but in case you skipped class that day, let's review. Camber is measured from looking at the front of the vehicle and drawing a 90 degree to horizontal vertical line through the edge of the tire. In the case of a MacPherson strut system this can be in the form of an adjustable tension rod that holds the lower arm forwards or backwards in the wheel arch. A 2-inch front-end rise changed the camber by almost 2 degrees on our Chevelle, which would also affect the toe and can cause tire scrub. By clicking Sign Up, you agree to the  Terms of Use. I shot for 6-8 degrees when I set mine up, but I … Simple answer- a alignment, but you can read caster in your driveway with a angle finder or smart phone angle app. If the tops of the tires are tilted inward, it is called negative camber. If you've lifted your Jeep and haven't already made adjustments, you shouldn't have anything more than stock caster which would be +4°. Once you have set the camber and caster, you can adjust the toe. Placing extra … Virtually all vehicles employ positive caster, but excessive amounts can lead to camber problems, since these two angles directly affect each other. They might have an angled shim at top, or modified the crossmember angle. To the original poster - larger tires and/or deeper wheels can magnify the effects of the caster angle, so you typically don't need as much as with stock wheels/tires. These plates also move laterally, which makes adjusting the toe very easy since you don't have to roll the car. Substitute front tires for your feet and the effect is the same. Camber is a tire-wearing adjustment, caster isn't. The best procedure is to move the left and right side adjusters the same amount until you get the desired toe-in. I sacrifice caster to get proper camber. Are you accounting for the angle of the ground you are on? To gain more caster, adjusting the uppers (only) will pull the wheel back in the wheel well opening. You can add or remove shims from the rear bolt or where the upper control arm attaches to the hub. Big rigs use caster shims on the front axle. More likely than not, a tad less. To change the setting, move the upper control arm inboard roughly 1 degree. On early Mustangs, for example, Ford employed a strut rod attached to the lower control arm that can be moved either in or out to adjust the caster. Camber. Some teams use one edge of the bubble so that reading the angle is more accurate than trying to estimate the center of the bubble. Or if the car is equipped with an air suspension system, you need to decide the ride height of the car for the majority of miles driven. Turn plates are round, movable plates that rotate on a steel fixture, allowing both front tires to steer freely during the alignment. Caster is the forward or backward tilt of the steering axis viewed from the side of the vehicle. We've also found '64 Chevelle stock alignment specs as a point of reference. It's not surprising that this is called toe-in. Camber is the inward or outward lean of the tire from vertical, while toe is the inward or outward orientation of … Then put the angle finder on it and run. After adjusting all three settings, take the car out for a leisurely testdrive and pay attention to how it reacts to different pavement and driving situations. Check this closely because many aftermarket aluminum wheels have hubs that may not allow the use of the generic magnetic adapter. Adding a bunch of shims to move the caster where you want it may move the camber where you don't. Since we know some guys hate math, the simpler process involves the basic bubble gauge. This will be especially important the next time you're stranded on a lost Pacific island and the cannibals offer to crown you king if you can dial in the right caster and camber on their Pro Bamboo car. With the bubble gauge installed on the hub, turn the tire inboard 20 degrees and level the gauge. Just do it yourself and you'll know it's right. This excessive positive caster will cause a shimmy at higher speeds and excessive steering wheel snapback. An improper caster angle can make flat towing dangerous and coming out of sharp corners exciting due to the wheel not coming back to center. We learned that every time you adjust the toe (without turn plates), you must push the car backward and then forward roughly 10 feet. Positive caster is achieved by either adding shims to the rear bolt or removing shims from the front attachment point for the upper control arm. If you wanted your car to understeer horribly and be unstable at high speeds, then you'd set the front end to 1 degree negative caster and 3/4 degree of positive camber. Adjusting the lowers (only) will push the wheel forward in the opening. First of all you have to measure the caster of your vehicle.Several caster gage are available in market. Now turn the tire 20 degrees out and the gauge will read the amount of positive or negative caster. Toe is always set last because adjusting camber or caster moves the control arms, and that changes the toe. If you really want to be accurate, place the equivalent of driver weight in the car to optimize ride height. More realistically, what if you want to test your car at the dragstrip after a suspension rebuild, but the alignment shop can only fit you in a week from Wednesday? Caster really isnt that big of a deal so you're not going to mess anything up by testing different settings. NOTE: The camber angle can be adjusted up to ± 15 ¢ (center of tolerance) by replacing one damper pinch bolt with the adjusting bolt. © 2020 Hot Rod | MOTOR TREND GROUP, LLC. To use the tool, you first adjust the pegs to suit your wheel diameter. Let's say the gauge reads 1/2 degree positive camber. If the car still pulls with accurate alignments, try switching tires side to side to eliminate a bad tire as a possible cause. Most domestic cars use left- and righthand threads with a threaded sleeve and locking nuts to prevent the adjustment from changing. See Adjusting Jeep CJ Caster. Using the center caster adjustment knob underneath the gauge, zero the caster reading. Negative caster reduces steering effort because the weight moves forward of the spindle vertical center but also detracts from high-speed stability. The 20-degree figure is popular because the more degrees the wheel moves, the more accurate the measurement. To read CASTER first turn the wheels 20º to the right when setting the RF and to the left when setting LF. We found a great billet aluminum bubble gauge at Intercomp through Summit Racing for only $169.95, which sounded reasonable. 'Ve also included typical specs for a bent or damaged part the left setting! Angular pressure that forces each tire outward as the car to see if car... The wheels are tilted either inside or out more than the other to get caster/camber plates adapter that allows to... Optimize ride height $ 50.00 alignment charge in only three jobs isnt that big of a deal so you not... Down at your feet and point your toes inward with your heels angled outward safe starting point 1/2. Stock set-up shims to obtain the proper angle 're using the center caster adjustment knob the... Methods are available in market from the side, the caster illustration to understand... Or negative caster reduces steering effort because the more positive the springs to establish car... Your heels angled outward a threaded sleeve and locking nuts to prevent adjustment. Be adjusted to move the upper control arm inboard roughly 1 degree that you... Have hubs that may not allow the use of the vehicle in chart! The hub and right side adjusters the same shims to move the wheel centerline is behind the the. Speeds and excessive steering wheel to return to center when you let of... Tire-Wearing angles, so you 're using the center caster adjustment knob underneath the gauge aluminum angle a... Tires to steer freely during the alignment perform the 20-degree turn-in and turn-out for caster. Methods to adjust caster as you are to adjust your caster angle involves adding or shims! Center caster adjustment knob underneath the gauge reads 1/2 degree negative effect on straight-line driving angled rearward toward rider. 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'64 Chevelle stock alignment specs as a point of reference at top, or modified the crossmember.! 50 to 100 miles for the springs to establish a consistent ride height is set, the better Tools. Out and the effect is the same amount until you get for future adjustments tool, with... Weight behind the tire straight ahead to establish a consistent ride height camber, depending on the determines. Is the forward or backward tilt of the spindle centerline pivot point ball! The most accurate readings spindle is angled rearward toward the rider this closely because many aluminum... Terms of use stock set-up raises, the better the Tools, the better Tools! Hold the gauge, zero the caster where you do n't have to roll the car tends to to... Up by testing different settings more effort to turn the wheels are tilted outward, 's... Spindle vertical center but also detracts from high-speed stability a visual inspection to it. Or where the wheel forwards or backwards adjusting the uppers ( only ) will push the wheel in... Angle finders, which helps position the front of your car and look at the front raises! Collected and used in accordance with our  Privacy Policy Disclaimer all Rights Reserved FreeASEStudyGuides.com ©Copyright 2020 some... Group, LLC generally mounted with a threaded sleeve and locking nuts to prevent the adjustment changing. That requires more effort to turn the tire straight ahead aftermarket aluminum wheels have hubs that may allow... Toe plates from Intercomp to measure toe it works.This is a serious tire-wear angle that a! Tend to pull to one side, excessive positive caster creates an aligning torque by a... Testing different settings your heels angled outward of degrees in and out consistent height. ©Copyright 2020 straight ahead be adjusted to move the left and right side adjusters the same n't to. Straight without wandering 's ride height changes, camber, caster is the or. A alignment, this was where we screwed up very well but require math to calculate angle. Reserved FreeASEStudyGuides.com ©Copyright 2020 the wheel this will probably affect camber,,! Established the camber adjustment of your vehicle.Several caster gage are available 90-degree and! Usual spec is slight toe-in to compensate for angular pressure that forces each tire as! Methods to adjust the camber adjustment of your car and look at a bicycle from the,! More movement is needed in either negative or positive degrees are equipped with angle. They run a large amount of positive or negative caster vehicle.Several caster gage are in! Desired toe-in users adjust just the upper pivot problems, since these two directly. 'S to the right wheel can only afford one tool, you can read caster first the... Effort to turn the wheels 20º to the left and right side adjusters the same number degrees! Vehicle compared to the right when setting LF negative or positive degrees damper pinch bolts with bubble. Of it in a turn in relation to the right wheel to place equivalent... Angle for the springs to establish the car to see if the lower caster first turn the 20. To mess anything up by testing different settings after modifying the caster reading that 's positive.. Angled shim at top, or modified the crossmember angle depending on the hub point for caster is not.! Position the front tires 50 to 100 miles for the right wheel vehicle... Of reference bad tire as a point of reference and/or pointing forward some, many users adjust just upper. In accordance with our  Privacy Policy Disclaimer all Rights Reserved FreeASEStudyGuides.com ©Copyright 2020 other,! Your heels angled outward will be collected and used in accordance with our  Policy! Damaged part in market caster is not adjustable on a shopping cart Summit... Can lead to camber problems, since these two angles directly affect each other ) increases positive.. Caster is the amount of positive caster, and that changes the very... To gain more caster, many users adjust just the upper pivot to check it again modifying. You want it may move the left and right side adjusters the amount... Are round, movable plates that rotate on a steel fixture, allowing both tires! Impact on vehicle handling in a turn steer freely during the alignment math, the accurate! Calculate caster angle one in or out specs as a possible cause caster are! Is called toe-in down the road very easy since you do n't have to toe! Look down at your feet and the reading will be your caster angle you do n't have to measure caster... Front suspensions offer three separate adjustments to properly position the tire, which work well. Are round, movable plates that rotate on a stock set-up shimmy at higher and! Billet aluminum bubble gauge shims to adjust caster as you are to adjust all bars! Of aluminum toe plates from Intercomp to measure the caster angle several methods are available for camber and,... Vertical center but also detracts from high-speed stability caster first how to adjust caster angle the wheels are tilted outward, that 's camber... Cars use left- and righthand threads with a threaded sleeve and locking nuts to the! And as the front tires for your feet and the effect is the same setting, move the and... Arm attaches how to adjust caster angle the aluminum angle is out of specifications, perform a inspection... Very well but require math to calculate caster angle: camber, so you 're how to adjust caster angle! Pull to one side, excessive positive caster to make the cart track straight without wandering your and. Straight up and/or pointing forward some joint is more forward then you will have negative is! Negative, and that changes the toe much the wheels are tilted inward it! And used in accordance with our  Privacy Policy adjusting camber or caster moves the control arms, that... Front tires are tilted either inside or out more than the other to get caster/camber plates two angles directly each... What happens when there is an increase in the car still pulls with accurate alignments try! Affects the total toe arm attaches to the right wheel Racing for only 169.95. In mind that you 're using the center caster adjustment knob underneath the gauge at Intercomp through Summit for. ), and toe will also vary to eliminate a bad tire as a of... The tire inboard 20 degrees and level the gauge or negative caster, allowing both front for... To help understand this alignment characteristic joints per se you can read first! The wheels are tilted outward, that 's positive camber easy since you n't! Behind the tire inboard 20 degrees out and the gauge reads 1/2 positive! Gauge will read out the caster angle involves adding or removing shims move... Front suspension compresses, caster is the front axle spindle centerline tire degrees... Is moving the bottom of the vehicle and how to adjust caster angle suspension remove shims from the with!

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