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Caster vs pinion angle

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Old 08-09-2016, 01:10 PM
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Default Caster vs pinion angle

The main thing I'm looking for is how little caster can you run and have "safe" handling at speeds up to 75mph. I have a rock krawler 3.5" lift 35's with a double cardan front drive shaft. After having new gears installed (spinning the shaft faster)I have notice more front drive shaft vibration. I believe my caster is around 5* currently. My diff side u joint appears to be at an angle 6-7*. If I change my caster to 2* to get my drive shaft closer to 3-4* is my steering going to be terrible. I'm thinking its smarter to have the drive line more correct than the steering but would love some input.
Thanks
Old 08-09-2016, 01:22 PM
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Originally Posted by Abeach636
The main thing I'm looking for is how little caster can you run and have "safe" handling at speeds up to 75mph. I have a rock krawler 3.5" lift 35's with a double cardan front drive shaft. After having new gears installed (spinning the shaft faster)I have notice more front drive shaft vibration. I believe my caster is around 5* currently. My diff side u joint appears to be at an angle 6-7*. If I change my caster to 2* to get my drive shaft closer to 3-4* is my steering going to be terrible. I'm thinking its smarter to have the drive line more correct than the steering but would love some input.
Thanks
I think it will wonder quite a bit at 2* on the Caster. I would want to stay as close to 4* as possible. Too bad lock out hubs are so costly when they used to be standard issue.
Old 08-10-2016, 03:15 AM
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Dude, get her a caster corrected housing like I run. Your wife needs the Jeep to handle safely.

Edit: I thought you were my buddy Johan! His screen name is similar to yours. Sorry, I wasn't calling your Jeep your wife's jeep to be rude, his JK on 35" rubber is his wife's and he drives a Cherokee on 35" tires.

Last edited by larry0071; 08-10-2016 at 09:41 AM. Reason: See above
Old 08-10-2016, 04:02 AM
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There is absolutely no reason to run 2 degrees of caster with 3.5" of lift. You should not be getting any vibes with a dc driveshaft with 4 degrees of caster. I have 3.5" of lift up front and run high 4 degree of caster with no vibes up to 95 mph. If you are still getting vibes with 4 degrees of caster your driveshaft is not balanced properly or you have a bent yoke
Old 08-10-2016, 05:08 AM
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My Caster is currently at 2.9 and 2.5 after installing my Mopar 2in lift (3 1/8in lift in the front actual). I was going to increase the length of my front LCA's to increase the caster but the recommendation on this forum was that if I didn't feel any vibrations, it steered and drove fine, which it does, to leave it alone or get a caster correction housing if I wanted to chase after caster.

So I guess I can tell you that as low as 2.5deg of caster feels fine at 75MPH, because I drove over 500 miles on the highway on a trip and didn't feel anything abnormal. No pull, no drift, steering seems fine.


Last edited by Rednroll; 08-10-2016 at 06:30 AM.
Old 08-10-2016, 08:08 AM
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I appreciate the input. Scheduled an appointment for an alignment mon. I'll get some confirmation of where it is spec wise and go from there. I know the track bar needs some adjustment as well. The axle is about 3/4" more driver side.
Old 08-10-2016, 08:28 AM
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Originally Posted by Abeach636
I appreciate the input. Scheduled an appointment for an alignment mon. I'll get some confirmation of where it is spec wise and go from there. I know the track bar needs some adjustment as well. The axle is about 3/4" more driver side.
I did not see what you regeared to? Unless really numerically high you should be able to run at least 4 degrees caster I know many drive fine with low caster but I have had mine various from 3to 5 and while 3 drove fine I really prefer mid to high 4's. I have a Dana spicer ds and is like silk up to 95 I regularly cruis 80mph for hours at a time. One finger steering at any speed never any correction needed.

Last edited by jadmt; 08-10-2016 at 08:48 AM.
Old 08-10-2016, 08:38 AM
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Something else is going on. I have RK 3.5's with a double carden. 4-5° caster w/ no vibes and handles fine.

Do you run steering correction ?
Old 08-10-2016, 08:55 AM
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No steering correction, yet. Gears are 4.56. The shop that did the lift didn't give me a alignment printout. I'm estimating using an angle finder. My vibrations seem to be limited to between 55-60 mph. It's not terrible but is noticeable. The jeep handles fine. Take your hands off the wheel at 60mph and tracks dead straight.
Old 08-10-2016, 08:57 AM
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Also after turning the wheel returns to center without any driver input.


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