Caster Adjustment for Alignment After Suspension Upgrade

[P.R.]

Hey everyone,

I'm upgrading my suspension with the FPTP and a few other items. I plan to do the alignment at home when I'm done with the install. I read in a few places that caster doesn't really need additional adjustment with the S550 platform since its around 7 degrees from the factory.

If I chose a camber plate that doesn't include caster adjustment is it even possible to change the caster?

Would it still be wise to get a caster gauge so I can verify the caster is within spec?

Thanks!

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[NightmareMoon]

There isn’t any caster adjustment available if your plates don’t add it.

so measuring it would only be acedemic.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Would it still be wise to get a caster gauge so I can verify the caster is within spec?

Not entirely necessary, though it would eliminate having to do any math.

Caster is indirectly measured from pairs of camber measurements, taken as the algebraic differences between them, taken at equal amounts of right steer and left steer. There's a correction factor involved that is based on how many degrees of steer you used. 20° seems to be the most common, but 15° will work if you're using a digital angle finder. With DIY tools, there's a correction factor that you need apply to the raw difference in camber readings, roughly equal to 0.5/[sin(steer angle)], or 1.5 for 20° steer, or 2.0 for 15° steer.

The commercially available C-C gauges typically build the 1.5 factor into the caster scale.


Norm

 

[P.R.]

Not entirely necessary, though it would eliminate having to do any math.

Caster is indirectly measured from pairs of camber measurements, taken as the algebraic differences between them, taken at equal amounts of right steer and left steer. There's a correction factor involved that is based on how many degrees of steer you used. 20° seems to be the most common, but 15° will work if you're using a digital angle finder. With DIY tools, there's a correction factor that you need apply to the raw difference in camber readings, roughly equal to 0.5/[sin(steer angle)], or 1.5 for 20° steer, or 2.0 for 15° steer.

The commercially available C-C gauges typically build the 1.5 factor into the caster scale.


Norm

Gotchya. Good to know. I don't mind doing some math to figure it out. I was planning to use the 20° steer angle method. Since I have a digital angle finder I'll hold off on buying a C/C gauge.

I'm gonna check the caster just to know even though it's fixed.

 

[P.R.]

Found a good article that helps with the caster equation here: Wrench Tip: How to Do Your Own Alignment! - MotoIQ

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