too much caster?
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 205
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From: South Florida aka North Cuba
too much caster? I recently just installed BMR upper and lower control arms. I did the best I could with making the lower control arm rod ends the same length as factory. One problem I ran into was waiting for the control arms on back order from BMR so during the month I waited, I ripped the whole front out and didn't mark where the alignment bolts were.
Now that everything is installed, I ordered the Fastrax caster/camber tool and did some checking today. I'm coming up with about 8.25 degrees positive caster with the aft bolts in the middle of the k-member slots. Now I know I could shorten the rod ends on the back of the A-arms but is this amount of caster possible with non-adjustable upper a-arms? Also, is it "too much" if I am indeed measuring it correctly and it doesnt seem to be binding the wheel in the front at all?
Thanks for any kinda insight in advance.
Dave
Now that everything is installed, I ordered the Fastrax caster/camber tool and did some checking today. I'm coming up with about 8.25 degrees positive caster with the aft bolts in the middle of the k-member slots. Now I know I could shorten the rod ends on the back of the A-arms but is this amount of caster possible with non-adjustable upper a-arms? Also, is it "too much" if I am indeed measuring it correctly and it doesnt seem to be binding the wheel in the front at all?
Thanks for any kinda insight in advance.
Dave
Last edited by Arcolog2; Apr 14, 2011 at 05:30 PM.
In the top sentence you said that you have 8.25 camber and in the bottom you refer to it as caster. I think you mean caster so I'll start by saying that I did my own alignment recently with an alignment machine and the most caster I was able to achieve was 5 on both sides. Granted, that was with stock control arms but I still don't think you would be able to achieve 8.25 with the bolt being in the middle. I may be wrong but I believe from what I read before most recommended 5+ caster. I think the measurement is wrong and if it's not I don't think you need that high of a caster unless you plan on doing 200+ MPH.
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 205
Likes: 0
From: South Florida aka North Cuba
**** sorry, editing for caster....duh...
Well the BMR lower a-arms have a rod end on the aft bolt. If I made it too long it would force more caster, but yea like you said I dont know for sure that I could really make it that far, hmm...I guess I'll have to check again.
Well the BMR lower a-arms have a rod end on the aft bolt. If I made it too long it would force more caster, but yea like you said I dont know for sure that I could really make it that far, hmm...I guess I'll have to check again.
I believe you might be able to get that amount of positive caster with the rod end but at the same time without having a front adjustable rod end you would have a ton of negative camber. I don't know but I'd be sure to check it again and if your unsure of the reading I'd get the car on a alignment rack just to check.
Staging Lane
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 74
Likes: 0
From: Temecula, CA
interesting.
seems 4th gens have funky caster issues.
mine is stock arms but camber bushings in upper A's. strano springs/konis.
i have enough neg caster that the tire rubs the fender liner in front of the firewall, on 17x9.5 wheels and 275/40's. those wheels arent aggressive enough imo to be having scrub radius issues. and when i look at the car from the side, the wheel is visibly pushed back in the fender arch towards the firewall. oddly, its only really noticable on the driver side.
the car has been aligned and drives straight as an arrow.
my biggest fear is the car took a hit to the nose and played hell somewhere in the front end... i might need adjustable lower arms to adjust it back?!
i mentioned this in another thread and soembody said myabe the upper arms got swapped when the offset camber bushings were installed and are now facing the wrong way.
not the case. i looked and they are correct.
i want this fixed so can run 17x11 up front!!!
seems 4th gens have funky caster issues.
mine is stock arms but camber bushings in upper A's. strano springs/konis.
i have enough neg caster that the tire rubs the fender liner in front of the firewall, on 17x9.5 wheels and 275/40's. those wheels arent aggressive enough imo to be having scrub radius issues. and when i look at the car from the side, the wheel is visibly pushed back in the fender arch towards the firewall. oddly, its only really noticable on the driver side.
the car has been aligned and drives straight as an arrow.
my biggest fear is the car took a hit to the nose and played hell somewhere in the front end... i might need adjustable lower arms to adjust it back?!
i mentioned this in another thread and soembody said myabe the upper arms got swapped when the offset camber bushings were installed and are now facing the wrong way.
not the case. i looked and they are correct.
i want this fixed so can run 17x11 up front!!!
