caster?????

One thing I've never been able totally pinpoint is exactly the correct caster setting. I know what it is, how to change it, what it does and all of its "cause & effect" dynamics............. It just have never been able to determine that absolute "sweet spot" between minimum steering effort and "twitchiness".

BTW, I am a user of 8 to 1 ratio Schroeder steering gears so I am also aware of the relationship between caster angle and steering gear ratio.

What caster numbers do some of you guys use and why????

 

I set up anything for the street that isn't expected to see the high side of 100-120 mph at 6-8*. If we build a car for 150 mph we look for about 10*. Any faster, I might want 12*. The point is that if you intend to be safe and manageable at those speeds, how it goes around a corner is of little concern and on the street, road conditions vary so much that a small ballpark of 6-8* is fine. If you are going to dedicate a car to short, tight course work, lean on the bottom end of the scale. I have never done dirt track work, but I can't imagine less than 6* being useful when you can steer with the rear tires the way they do on dirt.

 

Wow - I'm not sure there is any "magic" number - depends on a WHOLE lot of variables in the specific vehicle - steering system, tires, front end weight, arm strength , race or road, etc., etc. On my Crosley altered, with Ford tube front axle, I used about 8 degrees for the down-the-strip stability. On my Corvette GT-1 road race car, with 12" slicks, I use about 2.5 degrees so I can turn the sucker ! For production cars we'd use about 5 for power steering and 2 for manual steering. If you're talking about the car in your avatar, I'd probably be in the 6-8 degree range. but try some different settings and decide what you like !

 

Right now, on my modified (avatar) I have about 3 degrees of caster and, at 40 mph or so, I'm aware of a slight tendency for it to wander. It steers quite easy so I'll adjust it up to 6 or 7 degrees....I believe Henry's Fords used 6 degrees originally.

My sprint cars on dirt with power steering I would vary between 8 degrees on tracks with short straights up to 12 degrees on tracks with long straights and higher speeds.