Caster vs pinion angle
#1
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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
Thanks
#2
JK Enthusiast
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
Thanks
#3
JK Freak
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.
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
#4
JK Super Freak
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
#5
Super Moderator
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.
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.
#6
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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.
#7
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Last edited by jadmt; 08-10-2016 at 08:48 AM.
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#9
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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.