angle finder use to set caster...

[aaronstephen]

Is there a write up that shows how to use the angle finder tool to set caster? or can someone post up on how to do this?

sorry for the easy question... still learning quite a bit..

 

[MTG]

It's in the alignment write up here and on project jk.

 

[MTG]

Here http://wayalife.com/showthread.php?3861-Basic-Do-it-Yourself-Jeep-JK-Wrangler-Front-End-Alignment

 

[aaronstephen]

Thank you for the link. I just checked and my caster angle is right at 5* and I have not installed my adjustable lca's yet. I'm still running my stock lca's. So should I just install the new adjustable lca's at stock length?

 

[wayoflife]

Thank you for the link. I just checked and my caster angle is right at 5* and I have not installed my adjustable lca's yet. I'm still running my stock lca's. So should I just install the new adjustable lca's at stock length?

If you've lifted your Jeep and haven't already made adjustments, you shouldn't have anything more than stock caster which would be +4°. More likely than not, a tad less. Are you accounting for the angle of the ground you are on? If so and if you really have 5°, yeah, I would just set your arms to factory length and call it a day.

 

[aaronstephen]

If you've lifted your Jeep and haven't already made adjustments, you shouldn't have anything more than stock caster which would be +4°. More likely than not, a tad less. Are you accounting for the angle of the ground you are on? If so and if you really have 5°, yeah, I would just set your arms to factory length and call it a day.

I'll double check that I did everything correctly as well as check the ground angle.

 

[wayoflife]

I'll double check that I did everything correctly as well as check the ground angle.

Try checking off the front of the diff as well as is shown in the write-up. That angle should read zero if you have factory caster. Assuming nothing else has been adjusted, that should be the case if not a degree in the positive if you really have 5°

 

[aaronstephen]

I'm am idiot. Double checked and is at about 2* caster. The diff angle was at 88* so it looks like I will be lengthening these new lca's. You mentioned before to stay at 23 inches?

 

[wayoflife]

I'm am idiot. Double checked and is at about 2* caster. The diff angle was at 88* so it looks like I will be lengthening these new lca's. You mentioned before to stay at 23 inches?

That is a good starting point. more times than not, all you need to do. But, if after you set your arms you have too much, you can back it off at that time.

 

[aaronstephen]

That is a good starting point. more times than not, all you need to do. But, if after you set your arms you have too much, you can back it off at that time.

The metal cloak lca's come measuring 23 1/8" and go up from there. So I'll just install how they come and go from there. Thanks for your help Eddie.

 

[Jkzinger]

I'm am idiot. Double checked and is at about 2* caster. The diff angle was at 88* so it looks like I will be lengthening these new lca's. You mentioned before to stay at 23 inches?

If your diff pinion angle is 2 degrees up, you have 4 degrees of castor.

 

[aaronstephen]

If your diff pinion angle is 2 degrees up, you have 4 degrees of castor.

So if it reads 2* on the angle finder then the caster degree is 4*?

So do you just double it?

 

[aaronstephen]

If your diff pinion angle is 2 degrees up, you have 4 degrees of castor.

I'm a little confused by this. Any help out there?

 

[wayoflife]

The metal cloak lca's come measuring 23 1/8" and go up from there. So I'll just install how they come and go from there. Thanks for your help Eddie.

Really?? 23-1/8"?? Well that's retarded. Factory is 22-5/8″ and you really shouldn't be needing MORE than 23". Originally, that 23" number that I came up with was to give you about +5° with a 3" lift and have since found that it's a better number to go with for a 4" lift. At 3", I typically find that a bit less is desirable to help keep the front drive shaft in check. Adding a lot of positive caster is nice but too much will give you drive line vibrations. If that really is the case, I would set it to the bare minimum and hope it's enough to prevent vibrations.

I'm a little confused by this. Any help out there?

Ideally, if you place your angle finder on the front of the diff as is shown in my write-up, you should have a ZERO reading. If that's what you have, you have about +4° of caster and that is what you are wanting. If you are showing more, you most likely have too much due to your arms being too long.

 

[aaronstephen]

Really?? 23-1/8"?? Well that's retarded. Factory is 22-5/8″ and you really shouldn't be needing MORE than 23". Originally, that 23" number that I came up with was to give you about +5° with a 3" lift and have since found that it's a better number to go with for a 4" lift. At 3", I typically find that a bit less is desirable to help keep the front drive shaft in check. Adding a lot of positive caster is nice but too much will give you drive line vibrations. If that really is the case, I would set it to the bare minimum and hope it's enough to prevent vibrations.

Ideally, if you place your angle finder on the front of the diff as is shown in my write-up, you should have a ZERO reading. If that's what you have, you have about +4° of caster and that is what you are wanting. If you are showing more, you most likely have too much due to your arms being too long.

I'll check it out. Thanks for some clarification.