Alignment: Insufficient front caster?
#1
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Thread Starter
Alignment: Insufficient front caster?
Got the 00 S re-aligned today to a mix between the UK specs and what another local member reccomended.
Came up with:
Front-
-1.3 Camber (UK calls for -1 but we added a bit more)
0 toe
5.5 driverside caster, 5.7 pass side caster
Rear-
-2.0 Camber
.25 toe in each side (.5 total)
My question is this: Why were we not able to get the caster all the way out to the reccomended 6.45? The passenger side would go as high as we wanted but the drivers side caster seemed to be limited by the amount of - camber dialed in. When the front camber was -1 degree on both sides we could get the driverside caster to about 5.9 but when it was increased to -1.3 it would only go as high as 5.5 before starting to go down again.
The mechanic suggested that a higher neg camber limits the adjustability on the caster. Any ideas on why the drivers side wouldn't go above 5.5? Car has not been wrecked so everything should be straight. The bushings also looked to be in good shape. Car has the Mingster X brace and Muz whiteline front sway bar if that makes a difference.
Came up with:
Front-
-1.3 Camber (UK calls for -1 but we added a bit more)
0 toe
5.5 driverside caster, 5.7 pass side caster
Rear-
-2.0 Camber
.25 toe in each side (.5 total)
My question is this: Why were we not able to get the caster all the way out to the reccomended 6.45? The passenger side would go as high as we wanted but the drivers side caster seemed to be limited by the amount of - camber dialed in. When the front camber was -1 degree on both sides we could get the driverside caster to about 5.9 but when it was increased to -1.3 it would only go as high as 5.5 before starting to go down again.
The mechanic suggested that a higher neg camber limits the adjustability on the caster. Any ideas on why the drivers side wouldn't go above 5.5? Car has not been wrecked so everything should be straight. The bushings also looked to be in good shape. Car has the Mingster X brace and Muz whiteline front sway bar if that makes a difference.
#3
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Thread Starter
Originally Posted by RACER,Feb 9 2006, 05:14 AM
Try a different alignment tech for an answer.
We spun the bolt all the way around once and it went to 5.5 before going down to 3. something. I just wanted to know if everyone else actually was able to get 6.45 caster on each side with more than 1 degree of negative alignment or if the drivers side always has less max caster.
#4
Registered User
I don't think I've ever had over 5.5 degrees caster in my car. I'd have to go back and look at my alignment results to be sure, though. But I think that's pretty typical for our cars.
#7
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Thread Starter
Originally Posted by RACER,Feb 9 2006, 09:56 AM
OEM spec for USDM is 6 degree's plus or minus .75 degree's.
Minimum is 5.15, normal is 6 and maximum (optimal) is 6.45. I guess 5.5 and 5.7 isn't too bad. We set a .2 split to account for the roads all crowning towards the right so it will actually steer straight on the street.
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#8
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Originally Posted by CosmosMpower,Feb 8 2006, 10:58 PM
My question is this: Why were we not able to get the caster all the way out to the reccomended 6.45? The passenger side would go as high as we wanted but the drivers side caster seemed to be limited by the amount of - camber dialed in.
#9
Registered User
In the rear, are you running 0.5" total toe or 0.5 deg. total toe? I hope degrees!
Also, the caster values look about right. I could get close to 6.0 deg., but never much more than that. And yes, increased camber reduces the ability to dial in more caster.
Also, the caster values look about right. I could get close to 6.0 deg., but never much more than that. And yes, increased camber reduces the ability to dial in more caster.
#10
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Thread Starter
Originally Posted by CoralDoc,Feb 9 2006, 11:01 AM
In the rear, are you running 0.5" total toe or 0.5 deg. total toe? I hope degrees!
Also, the caster values look about right. I could get close to 6.0 deg., but never much more than that. And yes, increased camber reduces the ability to dial in more caster.
Also, the caster values look about right. I could get close to 6.0 deg., but never much more than that. And yes, increased camber reduces the ability to dial in more caster.