DIY Caster
#1
DIY Caster
Level car.
Sit car on turntable.
Take camber measurements at 20* right and 20* left.
Calculate caster w/ googled equation.
Caster (deg) = (180 / 3.1415) * [(camber1 - camber2) / (turnangle1 - turnangle2)]
Shortcut for Caster w/ 20* turns:
Caster = 1.432 x (camber1 - camber2)
Sit car on turntable.
Take camber measurements at 20* right and 20* left.
Calculate caster w/ googled equation.
Caster (deg) = (180 / 3.1415) * [(camber1 - camber2) / (turnangle1 - turnangle2)]
Shortcut for Caster w/ 20* turns:
Caster = 1.432 x (camber1 - camber2)
Last edited by 001mustang; 01-16-2011 at 03:55 PM. Reason: 1.432 short cut
#2
Road trip
I took road trip to test DIY alighnment.
67 mustang w/ manual unisteer rack.
DIY settings:
Camber = -0.7, -0.7
Caster = +4.2, +4.36
Toe = +0.11 toe in
Goal: 70mph stability
Test 1: grooved bridge I-75 MM 72 Loudon.
Car used to tram line over this bridge but did fine this trip.
Test 2: Straight line tracking at 70mph.
Car used to wonder but now firmly tracks straight ahead.
Had this car for decades; it has never tracked this well.
Result: The high speed stability and return to center is perfect w/ above DIY settings. Low speed steering effort is a bit hard but ok for me.
I would not run more than 4 caster w/ manual rack. Lower caster reduces low speed steering effort at expense of straight line tracking.
67 mustang w/ manual unisteer rack.
DIY settings:
Camber = -0.7, -0.7
Caster = +4.2, +4.36
Toe = +0.11 toe in
Goal: 70mph stability
Test 1: grooved bridge I-75 MM 72 Loudon.
Car used to tram line over this bridge but did fine this trip.
Test 2: Straight line tracking at 70mph.
Car used to wonder but now firmly tracks straight ahead.
Had this car for decades; it has never tracked this well.
Result: The high speed stability and return to center is perfect w/ above DIY settings. Low speed steering effort is a bit hard but ok for me.
I would not run more than 4 caster w/ manual rack. Lower caster reduces low speed steering effort at expense of straight line tracking.
#3
I did my own alignment also but "only" went to +3.0 caster on both sides. Car tracks and handles great at speed. At very low speed you will get Popeye arms trying to turn manual steering.
Write up and info here: http://chris66dad.tripod.com/id27.html
Write up and info here: http://chris66dad.tripod.com/id27.html
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