We used these basic tools, plus time and patience, to fully align our factory-style front suspension and steering. With the two control arm bolts located perpendicular to our ball joint centerline, we could measure the caster angle from there. With proper shims on our new tubular A-arms, we were able to achieve almost 8 degrees of positive caster and zero camber (the wheel is perfectly vertical). For example, when you let go of the steering wheel while your family car, truck, or racecar is moving forward, the steering wheel returns to center. This positive caster creates steering self-alignment at speed. You always want the top ball joint further towards the rear of the car compared to the bottom ball joint. We pre-recorded our resting and acceleration chassis heights while the project Camaro was assembled with the doghouse on and driver in the seat, then reproduced those heights for setting our suspension. With many stock-type front suspensions, you might have a hard time getting 5 degrees, but try to get as much as possible,” says Jones.Īn illustration dramatizes the effects of the caster, camber, and toe. “With our full-tube racing chassis, 10 degrees of positive caster is our preferred layout. Zero caster is when the steering axis is straight up and down, and negative caster is when the axis leans forward. In that case, positive caster is when that line tilts backward, away from the direction of forward motion. Suppose you draw an imaginary line between the upper and lower ball joints. The caster is the angle of the steering axis. – Rick Jones, RJ Race Cars Basic Definitions Having an understanding of those “big four” adjustment terms - camber, caster, toe-in, and bump-steer - is half the battle. There is no real black magic to squaring your car and properly aligning yourself for the dragstrip. He offers a complete chapter on front-end alignment where he explains the mechanics of adjusting your front end, and describes exactly how they affect your steering. Jones refers to a book he publishes and sells entitled Rick Jones Chassis Tuning Guide. He says, “We always scribe a center line completely down the car at every crossmember then, we can always refer to different points along the underside of the car to measure back from center.” Zimmerman jumped right in on the subject by explaining his process of establishing a true centerline on the chassis they build. With that, we settled the car on the ground and ensured the front of the chassis was level with the floor. We just completed squaring our chassis and rearend. Following proper squaring of your overall chassis and rear differential, you can now focus on your front suspension and steering alignment. Your front-end alignment is one of your final and most critical steps to allow raw acceleration to be easily controlled at the steering wheel. Rick Jones from RJ Race Cars and Quarter-Max Chassis, and Dave Zimmerman from Team Z Motorspor ts, provided their expertise in pointing us in the right direction (pun intended). Having the basics of caster, camber, toe-in, and bump steer only “close enough” can be magnified very quickly, then work against you when manhandling your horsepower down the track. Note: Fox body cars should upgrade to 1/2" boltsĬA Residents: WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm you hammer the loud pedal and all hell breaks loose on the dragstrip starting line (it’s what we live for), having the suspension and steering aligned together keeps you pointed straight. Double Adjustable design upper features a zinc plated adjuster and the same higher load bearing and flexing capacity bushings for a winning combination of ride quality and less suspension deflection. Our rigid design coupled with urethane bushings and adjust ability will ensure your beast has ride quality on the street and hook at the strip! TIG welded body, single adjustable design lower control arm (can be upgraded to double adjustable) with higher load bearing and flexing capacity bushings. The ultimate in Street strip rear suspension! 100% Chromoly (for weight saving and strength), 100% adjustable, 100% Beast!
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