Need help/advice castor off after new compression rods
#1
New Member
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Need help/advice castor off after new compression rods
I recently replaced my rack and pinion wheel bearings and hubs and compression rods, and about six months before that I've redid All the lower arms and ball joints so all the suspension is new in the front and took it to get it aligned and my Caster is off??? Its in the 5. something range. As I understand it this can't be adjusted with an alignment so I'm just wondering if it's something that I did when replacing the rod?
!added note i have bilstiens on the front!
!added note i have bilstiens on the front!
Last edited by Roxiz0604; 03-18-2021 at 09:04 AM.
#2
Caster isn’t adjustable on a stock Z33.
If you have adjustable upper control arms that can adjust caster, adjust them. If you have stock UCAs your problem is elsewhere.
For my own curiosity, do you have stock lower front control arms? Or aftermarket?
I got some aftermarket cheap LCAs where the taper for the ball joint was cut incorrectly. This meant the taper washer (cone thing) that acts as the interface between the ball joint and the spindle wouldn’t seat right and would shift slightly. That might alter the caster, camber and would make the toe impossible to adjust.
Other things to consider are poorly made compression arms that are not dimensionally identical to stock, moving the distance between the pivots forward or back.
Also, more caster isn’t always bad, you get more self centering and camber gain on the outside wheel. But you also get more positive camber gain and jacking on the inside wheel, so...not necessarily ideal.
If you have adjustable upper control arms that can adjust caster, adjust them. If you have stock UCAs your problem is elsewhere.
For my own curiosity, do you have stock lower front control arms? Or aftermarket?
I got some aftermarket cheap LCAs where the taper for the ball joint was cut incorrectly. This meant the taper washer (cone thing) that acts as the interface between the ball joint and the spindle wouldn’t seat right and would shift slightly. That might alter the caster, camber and would make the toe impossible to adjust.
Other things to consider are poorly made compression arms that are not dimensionally identical to stock, moving the distance between the pivots forward or back.
Also, more caster isn’t always bad, you get more self centering and camber gain on the outside wheel. But you also get more positive camber gain and jacking on the inside wheel, so...not necessarily ideal.
#3
New Member
Thread Starter
Caster isn’t adjustable on a stock Z33.
If you have adjustable upper control arms that can adjust caster, adjust them. If you have stock UCAs your problem is elsewhere.
For my own curiosity, do you have stock lower front control arms? Or aftermarket?
I got some aftermarket cheap LCAs where the taper for the ball joint was cut incorrectly. This meant the taper washer (cone thing) that acts as the interface between the ball joint and the spindle wouldn’t seat right and would shift slightly. That might alter the caster, camber and would make the toe impossible to adjust.
Other things to consider are poorly made compression arms that are not dimensionally identical to stock, moving the distance between the pivots forward or back.
Also, more caster isn’t always bad, you get more self centering and camber gain on the outside wheel. But you also get more positive camber gain and jacking on the inside wheel, so...not necessarily ideal.
If you have adjustable upper control arms that can adjust caster, adjust them. If you have stock UCAs your problem is elsewhere.
For my own curiosity, do you have stock lower front control arms? Or aftermarket?
I got some aftermarket cheap LCAs where the taper for the ball joint was cut incorrectly. This meant the taper washer (cone thing) that acts as the interface between the ball joint and the spindle wouldn’t seat right and would shift slightly. That might alter the caster, camber and would make the toe impossible to adjust.
Other things to consider are poorly made compression arms that are not dimensionally identical to stock, moving the distance between the pivots forward or back.
Also, more caster isn’t always bad, you get more self centering and camber gain on the outside wheel. But you also get more positive camber gain and jacking on the inside wheel, so...not necessarily ideal.
she still looks good just continuous battle trying to get her to feel good again.
#4
Not sure what you mean by “cross bar”, but if the crossmember is crooked, the car probably got hit, or hit something at some point and isn’t straight. If that’s the case, no bushings are going to help, a frame shop can check if you’re out of square, and some adjustable arms may be able to get your caster back in spec.
Good luck with the repairs. Chasing this sort of problem can be tough.
Good luck with the repairs. Chasing this sort of problem can be tough.
#5
New Member
Thread Starter
Not sure what you mean by “cross bar”, but if the crossmember is crooked, the car probably got hit, or hit something at some point and isn’t straight. If that’s the case, no bushings are going to help, a frame shop can check if you’re out of square, and some adjustable arms may be able to get your caster back in spec.
Good luck with the repairs. Chasing this sort of problem can be tough.
Good luck with the repairs. Chasing this sort of problem can be tough.
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