How do you determine caster angle?

How do you determine caster angle?

Caster is the measure of how far forward or behind the steering axis is to the vertical axis, viewed from the side. This is measured by drawing a line between the top and bottom pivot points of the front upright. The angle between the drawn line and vertical is the caster angle.

What do you use to measure steering axis inclination?

It has been determined that this caster-camber gauge can be used to measure steering axis inclination by mounting the gauge to the wheel hub or spindle so that the pivot axis of the level is orientated parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheel, rather than perpendicular thereto, as when measuring caster and camber.

Is camber good for off road?

Positive camber reduces steering effort and provides greater stability in a straight line. This makes it great for off-roading or agricultural vehicles, as turning can sometimes be more difficult in these cases.

How do you find camber angle?

Divide the horizontal measurement by the vertical one with a calculator then take the inverse tangent (usually denoted by “Tan” with a small “-1,” or by “Arctan” or “Atan”). Make sure the calculator is in degree mode and not radian mode. The result is the camber angle.

Can you adjust steering axis inclination?

Steering axis inclination is set by the dimensions of the upright and therefore not adjustable once defined. Steering Axis inclination is usually kept below 8° since too much SAI causes a lot of rising of the front axle when steering.

What is caster and camber angle?

Caster is the angle between the verticle line and kingpin centre line in the plane of the wheel when the viewed from the side is called the caster angle. Camber is the angle between the centre line of the tyre and vertical line viewed from the front of the vehicle is known as the camber angle.

What is a good caster angle?

Positive caster angles run between 3 – 5° on modern vehicles. This gives a good mix of highway stability and steering feel. For a more performance oriented setup on a MacPherson strut you can add a degree or two to have more favorable camber gain at high steering angles.

How does caster affect steering?

Caster angle settings allow the vehicle manufacturer to balance steering effort, high speed stability and front end cornering effectiveness. Increasing the amount of positive caster will increase steering effort and straight line tracking, as well as improve high speed stability and cornering effectiveness.

What is caster and Camber in an alignment?

Factory alignment specs for basically all vehicles call for a certain degree of positive (shown) caster. This ensures good stability, helps maintain straight-ahead direction and promotes steering wheel self-centering. Camber is the inward or outward tilt of the front tires as viewed from the front. Inward tilt is negative, outward tilt is positive.

What is a center caster on a steering axis?

Caster is the slant of the steering axis as viewed from the side of the vehicle. The steering axis is the imaginary steering pivot line which in some vehicles runs through the center of the king pin and on other runs through the canters of the upper and lower ball joint.

What happens to the camber when the steering wheel is turned?

Since the wheel rotates about a tilted axis, the wheel gains camber as it is turned. This effect is best visualized by imagining the unrealistically extreme case where the steering axis would be horizontal as the steering wheel is turned, the road wheel would simply change camber rather than direction.

How do you measure caster angle on a steering wheel?

If the steering axis tilts backward—that is, the upper ball joint or strut mounting point is behind the lower ball joint—the caster angle is positive. If the steering axis tilts forward, the caster angle is negative. Caster is not measured for rear wheels. Caster affects straightline stability and steering wheel return.