2G 1997 caster question

[goldeninja20]

I got an alignment yesterday. The toe and camber is fine and not my concern. My front left caster is 3.2* while the passenger (right) side is 5.2*. Does this sound like oem specs or may something be bent. I know i can flip my drivers side bushing on the compression arm (can i buy a 1995 arm and already have the bushing oriented the way i want?). Do i have to flip BOTH sides to get them to be equal? Should i even be concerned? (My main hope was to help out with wheel hop since a moderator had suggested to someone that flipping the drivers bushing helps).

 

[92DSMErdrick]

I hear ya, Only other thing that would effect camber and not too much the caster would be the lower control arm or the the knuckle like I mentioned earlier. I have a few thousand alignments done under my belt and I've seen plenty of cars that needed knuckles changed and the cars went right back into spec without any form of camber kit added to fix it

 

[Tyeler18]

Your alignment specs are almost identical for camber/caster as mine were on my 98 spyder when I aligned it about 5 months ago. 2 full degrees of caster variance (5.2 passenger, 3.2 driver) and very close camber (Don't have my alignment sheet on me). I didn't have time to flip the bushing when I had it on the rack, but I set toe and everything else I could and it pulls to the left a fair amount. I will be flipping to bushing to correct this, when I get off my ass and do it.

Edit: It's definitely possible to bend/break a knuckle. Back in highschool one of the guys took his first lesson of snow drifting a bit too far and slammed a curb, snapped the knuckle in half....

 

[92DSMErdrick]

I have no issues seeing more positive caster on the passenger side. But 2 degrees is a little excessive and something is def not properly in spec. These cars don' call for much higher caster on the right side. If you aren't feeling a pull or drift then I wouldn't worry about it

 

[Tyeler18]

I have no issues seeing more positive caster on the passenger side. But 2 degrees is a little excessive and something is def not properly in spec. These cars don' call for much higher caster on the right side. If you aren't feeling a pull or drift then I wouldn't worry about it

2g's do due to the control arm bushing being flipped. It was supposed to correct road crown complaints, but just made it worse. 2 degrees is pretty typical on most 2g's I've aligned (I've done quite a few honestly).

 

[goldeninja20]

I have no issues seeing more positive caster on the passenger side. But 2 degrees is a little excessive and something is def not properly in spec. These cars don' call for much higher caster on the right side. If you aren't feeling a pull or drift then I wouldn't worry about it

He is the fourth person who has said my caster on the passenger is only .1-.2 off of theirs. A couple said their drivers was higher than 3.2 (im assuming from their bushings being flipped already). I wish i was able to find out the number they rolled off the factory line with so i could know what to do. Right now my toe is a little messed up since i lowered my car. Also my rear toe was a little messed up (i had to change rear arms, they were siezed). It did not pull after the alignment but im not 100% if it will pull with all my toe (front and rear) zeroed out, now that i fixed the rear.

2g's do due to the control arm bushing being flipped. It was supposed to correct road crown complaints, but just made it worse. 2 degrees is pretty typical on most 2g's I've aligned (I've done quite a few honestly).

I think im going to get an alignment without the bushing flipped and see if she pulls and then ill flip the bushing if she does. I am also wondering if flipping the bushing helps wheel hop (waiting on response from jtmcider since he was the one who said it).

BTW guys i think this is a great thread attempting to answer many unknowns about caster that i have been researching for a while and unable to come up with anything.

 

[Tyeler18]

He is the fourth person who has said my caster on the passenger is only .1-.2 off of theirs. A couple said their drivers was higher than 3.2 (im assuming from their bushings being flipped already). I wish i was able to find out the number they rolled off the factory line with so i could know what to do. Right now my toe is a little messed up since i lowered my car. Also my rear toe was a little messed up (i had to change rear arms, they were siezed). It did not pull after the alignment but im not 100% if it will pull with all my toe (front and rear) zeroed out, now that i fixed the rear.



I think im going to get an alignment without the bushing flipped and see if she pulls and then ill flip the bushing if she does. I am also wondering if flipping the bushing helps wheel hop (waiting on response from jtmcider since he was the one who said it).

BTW guys i think this is a great thread attempting to answer many unknowns about caster that i have been researching for a while and unable to come up with anything.

Take into consideration that flipping the bushing post alignment will require you to get it realigned. It will effect your toe. Also, toe will not cause a pull, only camber and caster cause a pull.

The only way I can see it preventing wheel hop would be adding rake out to the front (see shopping cart mod) putting the tires out farther, in theory, I could see minimize it. But I couldn't tell you there.

 

[goldeninja20]

Take into consideration that flipping the bushing post alignment will require you to get it realigned. It will effect your toe. Also, toe will not cause a pull, only camber and caster cause a pull.

The only way I can see it preventing wheel hop would be adding rake out to the front (see shopping cart mod) putting the tires out farther, in theory, I could see minimize it. But I couldn't tell you there.

Im a little confused on what you mean by adding "rake". I know i will have to get it realigned, not worried about that. Also confused on how toe does not cause a pull and how camber causes a pull.

 

[Tyeler18]

Im a little confused on what you mean by adding "rake". I know i will have to get it realigned, not worried about that. Also confused on how toe does not cause a pull and how camber causes a pull.

Caster is the forward ( \ ) or backward ( / ) lean of the tire from the side view. More rake (more \ ) would space the tires out under the front of the car more, shifting the weight behind them more (although a minor amount) which, in my mind, will help with hop (theory).

Toe can not cause a pull as it will always even out. If you have -2.0 on the left and -2.0 on the right you will have zero toe when driving, it pulls the tires in even so the tires are always pointing forward while driving (no pull). Camber and caster cause a pull. Camber pulls to the most positive, caster pulls to the most negative (as you can see in the caster from the factory) They added (or subtracted) 2.0 degrees from the driver side to cause it to pull to the left (since road crown pulls to the right).