caster

[slyedog240sx]

can anyone tell me how many deg of caster is 1/2". My right front has too much positve. I am going to get adj. tension rods but don't want to spend the money if they won't fix the problem. Been to 3 frame shops and all say nothing is bent.

[SmithSR]

1/2" is a truckload of caster. Been a few years since i aligned an S chassis but damn.

Adjustable rods will allow for correction and are worth the money. http://phase2motorsports.store....html

[slyedog240sx]

those cusco rods are sweet but out of my price range. The circuit sports fr has can go up to 1/2" they say. Will i be better going the full half on the right front, or going 1/4" on left front back(pos i think) and 1/4" forward on right front (neg i think)?

[Exar-Kun]

1/2" is a truckload of caster. Been a few years since i aligned an S chassis but damn.

Adjustable rods will allow for correction and are worth the money. http://phase2motorsports.store....html

Dude - a 1/2" of caster is pretty signifigant..did the frame shops take the cross measurements and everyhting or did they just 'look at it'? Ther's a big difference. a full 1/2" split sounds like SOMETHING is messed up.

YOu want to align it to the higher side of the stock acceptable range on both sides lest you get a pull or other issue...but seriously, check for other bent stuff first before you assume it's just the T/C rod.

-Chet

[slyedog240sx]

Dude - a 1/2" of caster is pretty signifigant..did the frame shops take the cross measurements and everyhting or did they just 'look at it'? Ther's a big difference. a full 1/2" split sounds like SOMETHING is messed up.

YOu want to align it to the higher side of the stock acceptable range on both sides lest you get a pull or other issue...but seriously, check for other bent stuff first before you assume it's just the T/C rod.

-Chet

three shops say nothing seems bent. First shop has done framework for friends family that owns salvage yard, and has done all their framework for over 15years. Other two are reputable. The tension rods are fine i just put new bushings in a year ago. The adj rods are a solution to the problem imo as long as they can put it back in spec.

[IanS]

I would get some adjustable TC rods. They are worth the money to begin with, and they will allow you to fine tune the caster.

I would suggest finding a good race alignment shop in your area, normal alignment shops are likely to adjust only toe, and if your vehicle is lowered, they will be unlikely to tune it to your preferred settings.

[Exar-Kun]

"three shops say nothing seems bent" seems?

TAKE. MEASUREMENTS.

Seriously man - I owned a Z31 that I took to good, credibke shops with a caster problem and they said the same thing..I finally told on "I'll give you 50 dollars to just spend 30 minutes and take the frame measurements"

...guess what? there was a small different in the front measurements they got to fix.

It's very hard to 'see' something bend if it's not drastic - from working years in a shops I cn verify that I could look at a bent subframe all day and say "looks fine"....but until you start emasuring or looking very close you don't really know.

-CHet

[slyedog240sx]

"three shops say nothing seems bent" seems?

TAKE. MEASUREMENTS.

Seriously man - I owned a Z31 that I took to good, credibke shops with a caster problem and they said the same thing..I finally told on "I'll give you 50 dollars to just spend 30 minutes and take the frame measurements"

...guess what? there was a small different in the front measurements they got to fix.

It's very hard to 'see' something bend if it's not drastic - from working years in a shops I cn verify that I could look at a bent subframe all day and say "looks fine"....but until you start emasuring or looking very close you don't really know.

-CHet

personally i think the cradle is sprung which there really isn't much you can do for that i know of. After i get the rods ,and get everything back in spec, then it doesn't matter anymore.

[the converted]

Just getting the adjustable rods is a band aid fix for a much bigger problem. Get it on a rack and measured. Hell get the numbers from the FSM and do it yourself just to make sure.