6 replies to this topic

[Maniac motorsports12]

In JDs set up guide STEP 2, it is says that the caster should be between +3 & +5, However in the paragraph right before that, it says to pull the caster back to full negative(lower ball joint toward the rear of the car) and forward one notch. Wouldn't this be negative caster( or certainly not +3-+5) as opposed to the recommendation of positve caster? I have never seen anyone question this, so I have to assume I am reading this wrong. Any clarification would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Mike

[TheFence]

I wouldnt worry about caster just yet. After the camber and toe are set you might find that you cant get the caster you need/want.

[Ron Alan]

Someone recently answered this on the old forum...JD maybe? Anyways, if I remember correctly when you set it per the instructions you will be at +3...I don't believe there is a negative caster(below 0)possible.

[FTodaro]

I can't speak for the 1997 but on the 1999 5 to 5.5 positive caster is good its about in the middle of the peg which is a middle of the road setting. If you jack the caster up to high, to get a marginal gain in camber it make the car a beast to turn. so I would keep it under 6 degrees positive caster. I like to stagger the front caster by a degree for Mid-Ohio my home track.; by staggering caster, more positive caster on the left front vs the right it make the car want to turn in better on right hand turns you get better turn in to about mid corner when you start unwinding the wheel you lose the benefits of caster. when you run more caster increases the camber also. This is good to help a tight in loose off condition. Most people recommend setting caster the same on each side so you get the same feel for the left and right hand turns.

Its a judgment call depending on the track and what direction the most important corners are.

[Sphinx]

There is no such animal as negative caster on street cars. Caster measures the number of degrees the wheel moves from 20 degrees right to 20 degrees left as compared to straight ahead. So, you are really measuring range of motion.

[Richard Pressman]

"Caster is the angle to which the steering pivot axis is tilted forward or rearward from vertical, as viewed from the side. If the pivot axis is tilted backward (that is, the top pivot is positioned farther rearward than the bottom pivot), then the caster is positive; if it's tilted forward, then the caster is negative."

Full article

[davew]

1960's era cars with bias ply tires often had negative caster

dave