Caster/Camber Questions?
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Caster/Camber Questions?
Can someone help explain how caster affects the steering on a 4x4 truck? I understand how Camber (The inward or outward tilt of a wheel assembly) works. But, I don't understand how Caster (Forward or backward tilt of steering knuckle) would affect anything when the tires rotate in the same direction as the steering knuckle would be rotated. Please help explain...
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From: CA
Caster/Camber Questions?
Put very simply, among other things (and there are other considerations) caster is an adjustment which helps the vehicle to track straight when you're not turning. It also causes a weight imbalance during a turn, which helps force the wheels back to straight after the turn.
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Caster/Camber Questions?
OK, round two. Hope this goes were it belongs. If not woops
Camber, Caster, and Toe are the three most well known and usually adjustable angles of geometry on the front end of any vehilce be it 4x or escort. Keeping in mind that all these angles work to accomplish a couple of things. Steering ease. tire wear and vehicle tracking.
STEERING ANGLE : part of the geometry which causes directional stability.
WEAR ANGLE : part of the geometry that causes tire wear.
Keep in mind that tire wear and steering stabilty are excatly oposite meaning that it's a give and take situation between them and the goal is to align a vehicle so as to have the lowest scrub or rolling friction yet be stable to drive in all situations
Caster is a steering angle ONLY. Think of it like this
If your riding a unicycle the fork is 90 degrees to the ground or straight up and down. If your riding a bicycle the fork is slightly raked back. When riding the unicycle many directional inputs are required. Where as the bicycle can be road with no hands on the bars and only minor inputs to maintain directional stability. Hopefully your getting it here the stability is due to the back tilt of the fork.
The farther back the fork is the easier it is to turn the bars against the wieght of the truck bike what ever to a certain degree when it is harder because the wieght is too far back. Conversly when the tilt is to far forward, especialy past 0 degrees (straight up and down) to the negitive upper BJ ahead of lower, the vehicle becomes unstable and requires constant input... as is the case with many lifted 4x4's. Lift goes up pinion angle increases and caster decreases.
Camber is a wear and a steering angle which is used in combination with caster to develop stability and low rolling friction.
Toe is a steering and wear angle and will cause a pull if camber and caster are right on. It is utmost important that toe, throughout suspension bounce and jounce (up and down), does not change or bump steer will result as in the case of a bad idler arm or tie rod end. incorrect tie rod lengths with respect to each other will cause this and is refered to as the ackerman angle.
hope this cleared it up some.
Irench
Camber, Caster, and Toe are the three most well known and usually adjustable angles of geometry on the front end of any vehilce be it 4x or escort. Keeping in mind that all these angles work to accomplish a couple of things. Steering ease. tire wear and vehicle tracking.
STEERING ANGLE : part of the geometry which causes directional stability.
WEAR ANGLE : part of the geometry that causes tire wear.
Keep in mind that tire wear and steering stabilty are excatly oposite meaning that it's a give and take situation between them and the goal is to align a vehicle so as to have the lowest scrub or rolling friction yet be stable to drive in all situations
Caster is a steering angle ONLY. Think of it like this
If your riding a unicycle the fork is 90 degrees to the ground or straight up and down. If your riding a bicycle the fork is slightly raked back. When riding the unicycle many directional inputs are required. Where as the bicycle can be road with no hands on the bars and only minor inputs to maintain directional stability. Hopefully your getting it here the stability is due to the back tilt of the fork.
The farther back the fork is the easier it is to turn the bars against the wieght of the truck bike what ever to a certain degree when it is harder because the wieght is too far back. Conversly when the tilt is to far forward, especialy past 0 degrees (straight up and down) to the negitive upper BJ ahead of lower, the vehicle becomes unstable and requires constant input... as is the case with many lifted 4x4's. Lift goes up pinion angle increases and caster decreases.
Camber is a wear and a steering angle which is used in combination with caster to develop stability and low rolling friction.
Toe is a steering and wear angle and will cause a pull if camber and caster are right on. It is utmost important that toe, throughout suspension bounce and jounce (up and down), does not change or bump steer will result as in the case of a bad idler arm or tie rod end. incorrect tie rod lengths with respect to each other will cause this and is refered to as the ackerman angle.
hope this cleared it up some.
Irench
Last edited by irench; Jan 20, 2003 at 10:24 PM.
