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dwillie65
Samba Member
Joined: January 15, 2008
Posts: 52
Location: Prosperity, South Carolina
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 Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 2:35 pm Post subject: Caster Shims? |
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Just wondering if I need to install caster shims in the front if I just lowered with 2.5" drop spindles. It wants to pull pretty hard at slow speeds, but it hasn't been aligned yet. My front end alignment guru said that it could be the toe or possibly that with the new spindles and bushings that it may be just really tight. Just wondering if this may loosen up after driving a while? I will have it aligned Friday. If caster shims will improve my issue, how many shims are needed? 1 pair, or 2 pair? Appreciate any feedback.  |
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hpw
Samba Member
Joined: July 17, 2006
Posts: 3010
Location: memphis
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TWD
Samba Member
Joined: May 11, 2004
Posts: 976
Location: Georgia
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| Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 3:43 pm Post subject: |
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| Caster will effect high speed stability. Dropped spindles should have no effect on caster. You likely have a toe issue. Caster shims have long been a cure, even on stock beams, for wandering. Adding additional caster will make it a little harder to steer at low speeds. |
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Alan Willis
Banned
Joined: November 22, 2004
Posts: 4181
Location: booted from the SEWR and stalked in here
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| Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 5:36 pm Post subject: |
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You'll know once aligned. Have them turn the wheel 'lock-to-lock' and if the caster goes to the red,you need shims. The degree's off will dictate how many shims you need.
_________________
die schwarzen Schafe #666 |
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Michaudracing
Samba Member
Joined: January 13, 2004
Posts: 83
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| Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:20 pm Post subject: |
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My opion is to use one set of shims. I ran mine (dropped 2 1/2 front, stock rear for now) both with and without the shims. Much better and safer with the shims. You may have other alignment issues causing the pulling, but too little caster will show up mostly in high speed stability. Lowering with drop spindles WILL change the caster, unless the rear is lowered exactly the same amount. If you have dropped the rear 2 1/2, then you don't necessarily need to adjust the front.
Think of it like this: View the caster as the angle of the beam relative to the horizontal pavement. If you lower the front only, you have tilted the car forward, changing this angle. Drop spindles use stock geometry and don't compensate for this tilt. Shims will push the bottom of the beam out to restore this angle. The caster actually measures the inclination of the kingpin or a centerline drawn through the upper and lower ball joints, but the beam angle example is easier to visualize.
-Steve |
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