Caster Axle Shims - stock truck
#1
07-26-2018, 11:19 AM
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Caster Axle Shims - stock truck
Hi Everyone,
While replacing the kingpins on my 1954 F-250 I removed the axle and noticed that a PO put a shim on one side of the axle (I guess to increase caster).
Any reason that they would have only used a shim on one side of the axle? Should I try to chase down the reason they used this shim or should I just put it back together without the shim and see how it aligns? I was under the impression that you only needed to add shims to change the caster on lowered trucks.
Thanks for all of the help!
Chris
thanks for all of the help.
Chris
While replacing the kingpins on my 1954 F-250 I removed the axle and noticed that a PO put a shim on one side of the axle (I guess to increase caster).
Any reason that they would have only used a shim on one side of the axle? Should I try to chase down the reason they used this shim or should I just put it back together without the shim and see how it aligns? I was under the impression that you only needed to add shims to change the caster on lowered trucks.
Thanks for all of the help!
Chris
thanks for all of the help.
Chris
#2
07-26-2018, 01:20 PM
That shim was most likely installed during an alignment sometime in the truck's life. The single shim was probably installed to compensate for a road crown. Shims are commonly found and used on many straight axle vehicles, not just lowered ones. I would install it just like I found it. BTW, this far in, it is a good time to check spring center bolts.
#3
07-26-2018, 01:48 PM
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#4
07-26-2018, 09:13 PM
Mountain Pass
My experience with bent axle caster is that the right side has more castor built in for crowned roads. So...
If single castor was installed on left, maybe the PO was equalling castor for flat roads, like city streets and Highways.
If single castor was installed on Right side, maybe your axle had no built in difference between left and right, and PO wanted to compensate for Crowns
If your are happy with the way the truck goes down the street, AND the steering wheel returns to center quick enough for you after a very sharp slow turn, then put shim back where it was and take to alignment shop to see what left and right castor is measured at. Most computers have recommendations that go back to 1954, but not earlier.
General factors for old Ford trucks, which tended to come without much caster:
More caster needed if you add rake (lower in front, higher in back
More caster needed if you have radials
More caster (may be) needed if you do not go straight down road with hands off (could be other problems like excessive toe-in, or other better solutions)
More caster (may be) needed if potholes bump you around (could be other problems, or other solutions may be better)
More caster (may be) needed if steering wheel does not return to center quick (could be other problems)
More caster makes it harder to steer at slow speeds
Power steering eliminates the hard steering effort
If single castor was installed on left, maybe the PO was equalling castor for flat roads, like city streets and Highways.
If single castor was installed on Right side, maybe your axle had no built in difference between left and right, and PO wanted to compensate for Crowns
If your are happy with the way the truck goes down the street, AND the steering wheel returns to center quick enough for you after a very sharp slow turn, then put shim back where it was and take to alignment shop to see what left and right castor is measured at. Most computers have recommendations that go back to 1954, but not earlier.
General factors for old Ford trucks, which tended to come without much caster:
More caster needed if you add rake (lower in front, higher in back
More caster needed if you have radials
More caster (may be) needed if you do not go straight down road with hands off (could be other problems like excessive toe-in, or other better solutions)
More caster (may be) needed if potholes bump you around (could be other problems, or other solutions may be better)
More caster (may be) needed if steering wheel does not return to center quick (could be other problems)
More caster makes it harder to steer at slow speeds
Power steering eliminates the hard steering effort
#5
07-26-2018, 09:49 PM
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