How much caster should a race car have?

How Much Caster SplitThe normal caster split for most short-track asphalt applications is around 2 to 4 degrees of difference. The left-front caster might be 1-2 degrees and the RF caster might be 3-5 degrees.

How much caster do F1 cars have?

All F1 cars run with at least a few degrees of positive caster angle – as far as I am aware there is no need to use a negative angle – and in some cases it can be over 10 degrees.

What is an acceptable value for the caster setting?

Generally you want as much positive caster as you can reasonably get so long as the car is equipped with power steering. Positive caster angles run between 3 - 5° on modern vehicles. This gives a good mix of highway stability and steering feel.

How do you set caster on a race car?

Caster measurement requires the wheels to be turned outward on the side you're doing (when doing the right side, turn the wheel to the right; when doing the left, turn the wheel to the left). With the gauge leveled and positioned for camber measurement on the right front, turn the wheel 20° to the right.

How does caster affect a race car?

Positive caster provides the directional stability in your racecar. Too much positive caster will make the steering effort difficult. Power steering will allow you to run more positive caster. Negative caster requires less steering effort but can cause the car to wander down the straightaway.

What is Caster and How Do You Adjust It on Your Race Car

What does too much caster do?

Caster settings are not a primary, direct factor in tire wear. However, excessive positive caster in association with other alignment maladjustments can exacerbate a tire wear issue. For example, a tire wear pattern called feathering can result from a combination of too much caster with incorrect toe settings.

What does increased caster do?

Increasing the amount of positive caster will increase steering effort and straight line tracking, as well as improve high speed stability and cornering effectiveness. Positive caster also increases tire lean when cornering (almost like having more negative camber) as the steering angle is increased.

What camber is best for racing?

Ideally, you want a camber curve that keeps the tire straight up and down when you are driving straight, and leans the tire in slightly (1 to 2 degrees of negative camber) during cornering.

Can caster cause a pull?

Poor camber and caster alignment can cause your vehicle to "pull", and can cause tire tread to wear unevenly. Toe in won't cause your vehicle to pull, but it can cause extremely fast tire tread wear.

Is positive or negative caster better?

Performance Benefits of Positive Caster

You get better handling when cornering, better stability at high speeds, and better straight-line tracking. The better traction while cornering is similar to a vehicle with negative camber, as it keeps more tread on the ground despite the sharp angles.

How much toe in is acceptable?

Typical toe-in specs vary from one-thirty-second to one-eighth-inch, depending on the vehicle. Check a service manual for your car's acceptable range. The best tip-off to a toe problem is a saw-tooth wear pattern that's equal on both front tires.

How much toe do F1 cars use?

In general, an F1 car will have about 1 degree of toe-out on the front tyres and 1-2 degrees toe-in on the rear tyres. Toe angle is often a last-resort setup change for single seater racing as doing so increases the scrubbing effect of the tyre against the track, worsening tyre wear.

How does zero caster affect steering?

Negative caster has a lower pivot point behind the upper pivot point, and zero caster means the steering axis is perpendicular to the ground. Caster affects the steering ease and the stability of the vehicle in a straight line.

How much camber do F1 cars run?

This is the angle of the wheel and tyre assembly relative to the vertical and, at a standstill, the front camber angle is usually around 3.5 degrees from vertical with the rear set at between zero and one degree.

How much camber do race cars run?

Front -2 to -2.5 degrees, toe 1/16" in (+. 25 deg) & Rear 0 to -0.5 degrees, toe 0. Excessive toe is what causes uneven tread wear, not camber.

How much camber do NASCAR cars have?

NASCAR opened up the range of allowed cambers on the Gen-6 car. In 2013, the front wheels could have up to 9 degrees camber and the rear wheels 3.5 degrees.

Why do race cars have so much camber?

Racecars turn corners at high speeds, meaning that the tires will lean significantly. Adjusting the camber lets these tires get maximum traction during a turn. Achieving optimum camber is all about improving tire grip.

How do you increase caster?

One common way to adjust caster is to install an offset caster bush. This bush mounts the back or front of the lower wishbone to the car and has the centre bolt hole offset in a forward direction. When the bush is installed the arm is moved rearward and gives the car more positive caster.

What causes negative caster?

Defining 'Caster'

Positive caster occurs when the imaginary steering axis line intersects the ground in front of the tire contact patch. Negative caster is when the line intersects the ground behind the contact patch.

Do you adjust caster or camber first?

With front-end alignments, correct caster and camber adjustments first. Certain FWD vehicles do not offer caster adjustments, but correcting the camber may bring the caster within specs.

Does caster affect ride height?

Ride height can also affect caster. Spring sag or overloading a vehicle can alter ride height up to several inches, which can increase caster readings by up to a degree or more.

What is bad caster?

Negative Caster - If the line slopes towards the front of the vehicle then the caster is negative. Negative caster will allow you to steer less around turns, but may cause you to drift if you are driving straight forward.

Should caster be the same on both sides?

Caster is the angle of your vehicle's steering pivot when looked at from the side. ... Your tire's caster should be the same on both sides of the vehicle; if it's not the same, then the vehicle will tend to pull to the side that is less positive. Toe is a measurement of how parallel your tires are to each other.