View Full Version : Very Bad Caster Help
I have very bad caster and i have no clue why.
On the drivers side i've always had a bit as the shaft some times touches the chassis.
But now i have mega caster on the passenger side, so much it's killed the CV joint.
F28 fitted, with lowered tie bars (front and rear)
Engine still lines up with the other two mounts and measurement taken before the F28 was fitted.
Pics of said caster...
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/bennh2/Caster/caster13.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/bennh2/Caster/caster12.jpg
Not the best pic
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/bennh2/Caster/caster4.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/bennh2/Caster/caster3.jpg
You can see from the pics the shaft points backwards. But it's from where the hub/leg is sitting.
How the funk can i fix this???
Any helps great.
Get it on a tracking machine (hunters is good) to see how much its out by.
Any pics of the strut?
Left is -2deg30'
Right is -2deg36'
Strut doesn't look that bad...
Would machining and then cutting a new thread on the tie bar to shorten it a bit work?
Would machining and then cutting a new thread on the tie bar to shorten it a bit work?
That will give you even more negative caster!
I would try pre 97 Corsa B tie bars, they're slightly longer so should correct the caster
Quite weird that is, tie bar ok?
How are they lowered? Just normal blocks?
Somethings got to be forcing the wheel back somewhere
That will give you even more negative caster!
I would try pre 97 Corsa B tie bars, they're slightly longer so should correct the caster
Longer tie bars will push the hub back even further, giving more neg castor....
Shorter tie bars would help the problem, but you shouldn't have a problem in the first place..
Benn could you not get some more threads cut on the tiebar to pull the wheel in abit more.
got negative and positive confused, my bad.
joff-turbo-nova
16-07-11, 10:44 PM
Harry Hockley do adjustable tie bars - but very expensive.
I would get an engineers to machine down the tie bar a bit and make the thread longer - you can then pull the wheel forward, and space back with big washers if needed.
Nice shafts and tiebars all chromed up - must have set you back a bit as I know chrome work is expensive !
Joff
is the bottom arm bent?
They are new and match the old ones, so i dont think so. But i could try swapping back.
Quite weird that is, tie bar ok?
How are they lowered? Just normal blocks?
Somethings got to be forcing the wheel back somewhere
Both bars look ok, same shape and that. And the front has a tab welded on to lower the top bolt with a box session under as a spacer. 30mm front and iirc the rear is 40mm.
When you have the tie bar off they sit father forward.
Shorter tie bars would help the problem, but you shouldn't have a problem in the first place..
I know x2..
Benn could you not get some more threads cut on the tiebar to pull the wheel in abit more.
That is what i mean by shorting them...
Harry Hockley do adjustable tie bars - but very expensive.
I would get an engineers to machine down the tie bar a bit and make the thread longer - you can then pull the wheel forward, and space back with big washers if needed.
Nice shafts and tiebars all chromed up - must have set you back a bit as I know chrome work is expensive !
Joff
Me and Dan did talk about that, have seen ones that are cut and threaded with a adjuster in the middle..
The chroming wasn't to badly price, but wasn't cheap..lol
so, is the chassis or the strut bent?
If the castor reads the same both sides doesnt that mean the gearbox is out of position and killing the CV's?
My passenger side shaft runs much closer to the chassis leg than that.
Also if the shaft is catching on the drivers side and nowhere near on the passenger side the gearbox must be too far forward? Any good pics from the top of the engine seeing how straight the engine is?
castor is the angle at which the strut rotates round. it is measured front to back in degrees from the vertical. the camber is measured in & out sideways.
so castor is more to do with the chassis/strut than the driveshafts & box.
castor is the angle at which the strut rotates round. it is measured front to back in degrees from the vertical. the camber is measured in & out sideways.
so castor is more to do with the chassis/strut than the driveshafts & box.
I know this but the castor reads the same side to side so the shaft may only be at a funny angle due to the gearbox being too far forward hence breaking CV joints.
i just had another look & having tyre rub on the box won't help...
Lee, the drivers shaft has allways been very close to the chassis.
The measurments of when the engine sat in the bay are the same as there where before f28 fitting.. which was dissy top bolt to bonnet dick hole, and back to fire wall.. to keep engine straight..
Mo, no it cant be bent, as it was fine before f28 fitting.
benn on looking at the pictures i would say the box is in the wrong place, im not 100% sure but if the bottom arms are new and everything was fine before then it makes sense, at that angle it will destroy cv's daily and getting more threads machined onto the tie bar is a no-no imo, reason i say this is if it was justout a little bit then yeah you could get away with pulling it forward, but its out by quite a bit so if you do just pull it forward then the bottom arms gonna be under stress as you'd only be forcing it to work out of line, i'd request pictures from other let conversions to compare and go from there if i was you, also check to see how everything lines up as in wheel centered/shock position/arm position etc, if everything looks as it should then the g-box is defo out of line, gd luck:thumb:
castor has nothing to do with driveshaft angle, thats definitely down to how the box is mounted. castor is all about the tie bars & struts. there is a load of stuff in trackdaynova's thread on moving the hubs forward for handling, maybe look at that
castor has nothing to do with driveshaft angle, thats definitely down to how the box is mounted. castor is all about the tie bars & struts. there is a load of stuff in trackdaynova's thread on moving the hubs forward for handling, maybe look at that
very true but i'd be looking to fix the angle of driveshaft before looking at the castor problem
The engine cant be straight.
nova_saloon
18-07-11, 11:10 AM
get us a picture of the engine bay from either side, the front head on and from above also detailed pictures of all the mounting location, so front n rear gearbox mounts n front engine, n then get pictures of the tie bars.
benn on looking at the pictures i would say the box is in the wrong place, im not 100% sure but if the bottom arms are new and everything was fine before then it makes sense, at that angle it will destroy cv's daily and getting more threads machined onto the tie bar is a no-no imo, reason i say this is if it was justout a little bit then yeah you could get away with pulling it forward, but its out by quite a bit so if you do just pull it forward then the bottom arms gonna be under stress as you'd only be forcing it to work out of line, i'd request pictures from other let conversions to compare and go from there if i was you, also check to see how everything lines up as in wheel centered/shock position/arm position etc, if everything looks as it should then the g-box is defo out of line, gd luck:thumb:
The engine cant be straight.
But all measurement where the same, that's why i measured it all at the first as i was worried about making sure it was right, and then looking thru a free hanging hub to to the box.
I have thought about if i pull the caster forward what stress it will put on the arms...
castor has nothing to do with driveshaft angle, thats definitely down to how the box is mounted. castor is all about the tie bars & struts. there is a load of stuff in trackdaynova's thread on moving the hubs forward for handling, maybe look at that
I'll look at Olz thread, I might have to go the route of slotting the holes in the gear box mount.
get us a picture of the engine bay from either side, the front head on and from above also detailed pictures of all the mounting location, so front n rear gearbox mounts n front engine, n then get pictures of the tie bars.
Wheel looks center in the arch...
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/bennh2/Car%20up%20dates%20May%2011%20on/IMG_9892.jpg
Not a great pic, but they look quite inline...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v321/bennh/Car%20Updates%20May%2010%20on/enginebuildup31.jpg
Prob is looking at this is doesn't look straight...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v321/bennh/Crap/IMG_0109.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v321/bennh/Crap/IMG_0110.jpg
But the measurement are the same as before as i just checked them again.
I might try slotting the holes in the mount to see if i can push the gear box back some...
castor has nothing to do with driveshaft angle, thats definitely down to how the box is mounted. castor is all about the tie bars & struts. there is a load of stuff in trackdaynova's thread on moving the hubs forward for handling, maybe look at that
Yeah but castor will change the driveshaft angle, because the strut/hub is moving but the inner end of the shaft is in the same position in the box....
If the wheel is looking in the normal position in the wheel arch, then the castor is normal. Its definitely the engine/box position causing the shaft to sit at an angle like that.
Edit-Just seen the pic, does look like the engine is on a slight slant, closer to the slam on the passenger side, which would explain it.
If the strut/hub/etc is all in the right place why would you get -2deg caster when putting it on the alignment machine?
Edit-Just seen the pic, does look like the engine is on a slight slant, closer to the slam on the passenger side, which would explain it.
Sure it's always been a bit like that, but looking at the pics it looks bad.
If the strut/hub/etc is all in the right place why would you get -2 caster when putting it on the alignment machine?
-2 is still in the "safe zone" so their print out says.. But don't know why it would have it.
its supposed to have positive caster not negative
Rick Draper
18-07-11, 11:22 PM
IMHO there is nothing wrong with the camber or caster on your car, its the box position thats the issue as thats the only thing you have changed. It looks low at the front for sure. Mine used to sit quite a lot higher on the front than yours is. Also the engine looks quite a long way out from been square in those bay pictures.
Some people on here try and teach others how to suck eggs :roll:
Rick Draper
18-07-11, 11:28 PM
castor has nothing to do with driveshaft angle, thats definitely down to how the box is mounted. castor is all about the tie bars & struts. there is a load of stuff in trackdaynova's thread on moving the hubs forward for handling, maybe look at that
There is no castor issue. The reading is close enough side to side. The issue is a engine and box alignment problem.
Rick Draper
18-07-11, 11:30 PM
castor has nothing to do with driveshaft angle, thats definitely down to how the box is mounted. castor is all about the tie bars & struts. there is a load of stuff in trackdaynova's thread on moving the hubs forward for handling, maybe look at that
There is no castor issue. The reading is close enough side to side. The issue is a engine and box alignment problem.
Also are you saying if you add more castor it will not change the driveshaft angle? Interesting concept if thats what you believe.
IMHO there is nothing wrong with the camber or caster on your car, its the box position thats the issue as thats the only thing you have changed. It looks low at the front for sure. Mine used to sit quite a lot higher on the front than yours is. Also the engine looks quite a long way out from been square in those bay pictures.
Some people on here try and teach others how to suck eggs :roll:
Cheers Rick, as said the measurement i took before and after and almost if not bang on. So i dont know what's happened. I'll gonna pop the mount off tonight and see if i can slot the holes to straighten it up. Ordered some spacers too just incase.
There is no castor issue. The reading is close enough side to side. The issue is a engine and box alignment problem.
Also are you saying if you add more castor it will not change the driveshaft angle? Interesting concept if thats what you believe.
i think you misread my post.
i was trying to make the point that the wonky driveshaft is not caused by castor, it is caused by something else, ie. engine in wrong place... but people have been known to make different bottom arms/tca's to move the wheel forwards, most for handling benefit, but if driveshaft clearance is an issue, it might be of help.
cant be arsed to read it all, but have you put the lower arms on the correct sides?
the box is mounted too far forward.
end of thread tbh
See if you can elongate the mount holes and move it back
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y232/bennh2/Caster/caster13.jpg
i'd say too far back, looking at this pic
The shaft is pointing back,hes even said so himself,and look at the other pics-look at the strut brace,you can see the engine is not in square
cant be arsed to read it all, but have you put the lower arms on the correct sides?
Yes.
the box is mounted too far forward.
end of thread tbh
See if you can elongate the mount holes and move it back
I'm going too.
i'd say too far back, looking at this pic
No, looking down in it the box is to far forward, the shaft points back as its goes to the hub.
At first i thought it was caster, as the engine is still almost in the same place as it was before the f28 fitting. But nothing on the tie bars/lower arms has changed bar a bit of spacing. So it has to be the box is out of place.
Rick Draper
19-07-11, 11:35 PM
Benn I would put the holes so it raises the box slightly as well as moving it forward.
Benn I would put the holes so it raises the box slightly as well as moving it forward.
Prob would be it will hit the bottom of the chassis and the engine (rc) is level...
That's looks a bit of a nightmare Benn, hope you get it all sorted without to much greif dude
Edd
It is cause i spent ages getting everything to line up and all my measurements right.. To knock or move the mount before it was welded.
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