Hot Rods Caster ?

I have a 1926 Essex 3 window coupe . My question is about the front end alignment . It has a Mustang II front end and for the most part , it steers and drives well except that the steering wheel makes no attempt to return to center after making a turn . Is this controlled by the caster adjustment ? I am just guessing here that the ability of the wheel to correct itself is affected by the steering angle inclination ? I guessed at the other settings and I guess I got lucky as it drives well except for the return thing . Any help with this would be greatly appreciated .

 

Usually we put more positive caster into the settings to get the rig to return to center. That normally also helps the vehicle track down the road a bit better.

 

In that case , I need to know how to adjust the caster on a Mustang 2 front end . Seeing how the crossmember is welded in place , Is that dimension fixed ? Or is there another way to adjust caster ?

 

It's a late model front end, have you considered a front end shop?

 

In general, most front end shops here in the US don't want to deal with anything that is not factory stock. Sure, there are good places (and I found one that I use regularly) but most just want to set it up per the factory specs/alignment machine charts. I did not think that lower ride height was a problem but evidently it was for them. In fact the first shop that I called had aligned my 3/6 dropped shop truck in the past but the new owners of the business were not interested. I found my current guy when the nearby shops would/could not align a couple of late model GM vehicles that I had lowered for customers. My guy runs a bunch of vehicles in the Optima Challenge for his customers so he is good on non stock applications.

Roo

 

Well, that would be frustrating.

 

Go to an alignment shop and give them the specs you want and they can put them in unless it's really wrong what you give them. When I installed a Fatman crossmember in a car for Mustang 2 components they sent the recommended settings. It drove great after I set the front end. Except I used my own toe-in setting.
Go on their site, they have a lot of information. Fatman fabrications.

 

I will check their site . I am going to try to find a hot rod shop near me and see what or who they recommend . I'm sure there is one somewhere around here . I think I will also go to some local car shows and ask around . Thanks guys .

 

You angle the upper A arms back by sliding the rear bolt inward and the front bolt outward in the slots.

 

Per Phill's description. You won't be able to change just caster with out affecting the camber. Bring it to a shop. Any good alignment shop should have no problem handling this, especially if you bring the specs your shooting for in. I use the local Chrysler dealership for all my hot rod and custom car related alignment jobs. They are more than happy to do it, and the car normally ends up in the show room for an afternoon, generates lots of traffic for them.

 

Thanks for the info , it has been very helpful . I'll try to let you know how it turns out.