Caster angle

[Elpaca19]

So I just had my Icon lift, tires and wheels put on. Everything seems to drive fine after the alignment but the steering feels almost kind of loose in a way. Its hard to explain. I had asked them to dial int he cator to around 4 degrees. What they did was dial it into as close to factory as possible. So I ended up with 2.9 degress on the left and 2.5 degrees on the right. Am I correct in thinking I will have better regular road and highway driving with about 4 degrees on both?

Also, the front adjustable coilovers are at 2.8" and sit hiogher than the rear. I know things will settle and I am thinking the front is not going to settle enough to level with the rear since the rear will settle too. What are your thoughts on this?

 

[Stifler]

spot on but you aren't going to get to 4 without aftermarket UCAs (assuming you have those)

 

[Elpaca19]

Yeah, I got them. Just did not update my sig before posting.

 

[Alex T4R]

I just had my Icons and MT rear long travel kit installed on Monday with LR UCA, here are my alignment specs and it drives awesome.

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[Elpaca19]

If I am reading that correctly, is that 5.6 left and 6.2 degrees right for the castor?

 

[Alex T4R]

Yes you are correct castor 5.6 left and 6.2 right, camber left 0.5 and right 0.7 and toe left is -1.0 and right 0.5. Toyota does not recommend it, but Harper7, Qjake and I think others has something like that for their setups. I also have 295/65/18 so that why had to get such high castor

 

[-JD-]

Yes you are correct castor 5.6 left and 6.2 right, camber left 0.5 and right 0.7 and toe left is -1.0 and right 0.5. Toyota does not recommend it, but Harper7, Qjake and I think others has something like that for their setups. I also have 295/65/18 so that why had to get such high castor

no rubbing with that setup?

 

[Alex T4R]

no rubbing with that setup?

Just a little on the right side the bumper hangs to low so when I turn and go in reverse it catches otherwise it is all good. Ill sand down the bumper a little and it wheel be good. If you have a TE you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[Qjake]

With the LR uca's you should have him set the caster to 5+. This will solve two issues, the floaty feel in the steering and will help relieve any rub at the rear of the wheel well.

 

[eddiebx]

Hey guys, when adjusting your caster to as high as possible with the LR UCAs, do you ever reach a point of diminishing returns? Or is it just basically the more the merrier?

 

[Newf4R]

Excuse my ignorance, but no matter how much I read on caster I don't truly feel like I understand it. As this is my first vehicle I ever planned to lift, I am fairly new to it all. I totally understand camber, but caster makes me scratch my head. Can anyone explain it in lamens terms?

I have a spacer kit otw, but mainly because I want the look now and am afraid to start piecing together a full lift kit until I totally understand all of this. Thanks

 

[philsey]

Excuse my ignorance, but no matter how much I read on caster I don't truly feel like I understand it. As this is my first vehicle I ever planned to lift, I am fairly new to it all. I totally understand camber, but caster makes me scratch my head. Can anyone explain it in lamens terms?

I have a spacer kit otw, but mainly because I want the look now and am afraid to start piecing together a full lift kit until I totally understand all of this. Thanks

Do you have Google in the GWN? :biggrin1: :canada:

I Googled "caster camber" and got so many explanations I didn't bother sorting thru them.

Besides, whatever we post about it, Thai will have a different opinion.

 

[eddiebx]

Excuse my ignorance, but no matter how much I read on castor I don't truly feel like I understand it. As this is my first vehicle I ever planned to lift, I am fairly new to it all. I totally understand camber, but castor makes me scratch my head. Can anyone explain it in lamens terms?

I have a spacer kit otw, but mainly because I want the look now and am afraid to start piecing together a full lift kit until I totally understand all of this. Thanks

A picture is worth a thousand words right?

After you familiarize yourself with how positive/negative caster affects the position of your front wheels...I think the best way to fully grasp the concept is by picturing yourself riding a bike (please tell me you know how to ride a bike ).

Now imagine how squirmy the handle bar would feel if the front wheel fork on your bike was positioned to have negative caster; and how much more stable the handle bar would feel if the front fork was raked backwards with tons of positive caster. I don't know the technical term for it, but I think this is due to your positioning (ie. steering the bike from in front of the front tire vs steering the bike from behind the front tire).

 

[Newf4R]

Do you have Google in the GWN? :biggrin1: :canada:

I Googled "caster camber" and got so many explanations I didn't bother sorting thru them.

It's too cold, google doesn't work!!

I've read a few and maybe I should have asked this... By adjusting the caster to a higher number does it move the wheel forward further in the wheel well? With a 2.5 spacer lift in the front, 265 MT tires and 1.25" wheel spacers should I be increasing my caster as much as I can with stock UCAs?

 

[Newf4R]

A picture is worth a thousand words right?

After you familiarize yourself with how positive/negative caster affects the position of your front wheels...I think the best way to fully grasp the concept is by picturing yourself riding a bike (please tell me you know how to ride a bike ).

Now imagine how squirmy the handle bar would feel if the front wheel fork on your bike was positioned to have negative caster; and how much more stable the handle bar would feel if the front fork was raked backwards with tons of positive caster. I don't know the technical term for it, but I think this is due to your positioning (ie. steering the bike from in front of the front tire vs steering the bike from behind the front tire).

This is the lamens terms I was looking for. You sir are a gentleman and a scholar!!

 

[Qjake]

A picture is worth a thousand words right?

After you familiarize yourself with how positive/negative caster affects the position of your front wheels...I think the best way to fully grasp the concept is by picturing yourself riding a bike (please tell me you know how to ride a bike ).

Now imagine how squirmy the handle bar would feel if the front wheel fork on your bike was positioned to have negative caster; and how much more stable the handle bar would feel if the front fork was raked backwards with tons of positive caster. I don't know the technical term for it, but I think this is due to your positioning (ie. steering the bike from in front of the front tire vs steering the bike from behind the front tire).

Great analogy! :thumb:

With your tires at zero or less they don't really know where center (straight line) is and they'll tend to float all over. With the tires out in front, positive caster, they'll be able to center themselves much easier and will feel much less floaty. The more caster you can achieve on our trucks the easier/better they'll handle.

 

[Elpaca19]

With the LR uca's you should have him set the caster to 5+. This will solve two issues, the floaty feel in the steering and will help relieve any rub at the rear of the wheel well.

Thanks. I do not have any rubbing at all right now in the front or rear. So at 5+ I may need to move the fender liner forward even more then it is now, but that is fine if it solves the floaty feel.

 

[iRide4Runner]

Got the LR UCAS and the truck is at the shop right now. I told them i wanted a high caster over +5. He said "as long as you know what that'll do" He didn't elaborate very much. I told him to do it anyway...are there any adverse effects to doing this?