What is better positive or negative caster?

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.

What is the advantage of positive caster?

Positive caster creates two primary benefits: Improved straight-line stability at speed. The front wheels positioned forward of the upper ball joint/strut mount produces a self-aligning torque on the front wheels and tires.

Which caster angle is best?

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.

What does bad caster cause?

In any case, set back may result in a negative caster condition because a wheel, left or right, was pushed back. Result: The wheelbase is now shorter on one side of the vehicle than the other. Too much negative caster may cause the vehicle to wander and cause the steering experience to become mushy.

What happens when a vehicle has negative caster?

Negative caster improves steering but diminishes handling and stability when driving in a straight line. A vehicle that pulls to one side when moving in a straight line may have a negative caster. If the caster is negative or unequal, the vehicle may be unstable, so it's more likely to wander.

Positive caster explained with Lego Technic w/ instructions

How does negative caster affect handling?

Negative caster results in lighter and easier steering but reduced stability when driving in a straight line. Vehicles with negative caster do not handle as well. What is this? A symptom of negative caster is a sloppy or loose-feeling steering wheel (which is lot less common than a hard to turn wheel).

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.

Does negative caster cause a pull?

It's the forward and backward tilt of the steering axis as seen from the side of the vehicle. If the caster is not equal on both sides of the vehicle, it will pull to the side with the least amount or most negative caster.

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.

Can too much caster cause death wobble?

If your Jeep has too little caster angle, it can be a candidate for developing death wobble. As always, too much of a good thing ain't bad. Add too much caster angle and your Jeep will wonder down the road like it's lost as the two tires fight to follow their own independent path.

What happens with too much positive caster?

Positive caster is what allows you to ride your bike with no hands. It is no different on four wheel vehicles. If you don't have enough positive caster (forks too little angle toward the front) the car will wander and feel unstable. If you have too much positive caster, the vehicle will be harder to turn.

What is better toe-in or toe out?

Generally the rule of thumb is that more toe-in increases understeer and more toe-out increases oversteer. However, with modern cars, especially race cars with independent front and rear suspensions, there is another effect on handling.

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.

Does negative caster affect tire wear?

It does not affect tire wear, but caster does have an influence on the directional control of the steering. Caster angle settings allow manufacturers to balance steering effort, high speed stability, and front end cornering effectiveness.

How does caster angle 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 the disadvantage of excessive positive camber in the wheel alignment?

Adjusting Camber

Inappropriate camber for the vehicle and its use can result in excessive tire wear, poor stability, or other handling issues.

What is excessive caster?

Excessive caster angle will make the steering heavier and less responsive, although in racing large caster angles are used for improving camber gain in cornering. Caster angles over 7 degrees with radial tires are common. Power steering is usually necessary to overcome the jacking effect from the high caster angle.

How can I improve my 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.

Is toe more important than camber?

Toe is the Most Important Angle for Tire Life

Of all the angles, the toe can fall out of alignment the easiest. A toe that is properly calibrated to manufacturer specifications (which can be either slightly positive or negative) will be at zero (0º) when on the road.

What is the most common cause of memory steer?

Upper strut mounts

“For most modern vehicles with strut suspension, the most common cause of memory steer is the bearing in the upper mounting plate,” says Joe Bacarella, manager of technical research center, and product training for Tenneco's Monroe brand of shocks and struts.

What happens with too much toe in?

Excess toe-in will increase wear to the outside of the tire. When the front of the tires are further apart than the rear, the wheels are toed out. Excess toe-out wears the inside of the tires. Proper toe is a static reading given by the vehicle manufacturer.

Does caster affect camber?

Caster angle affects the camber of the wheel during steering. However, unlike KPI, the effects are beneficial. If a car is set up with positive caster, the outside wheel will gain negative camber during cornering.

Do struts affect caster?

The caster angle is affected by the position of the lower ball joint and the upper ball joint or strut depending on the type of suspension. Consequently, anything that moves the relative position of these parts will affect caster.