by VanGo66 Tue Mar 06, 2012 10:42 amWhats the correct caster angle for our vans?
+3
Russell
donivan65
VanGo66
7 posters
Caster angle?
VanGo66- Number of posts : 65
Location : Longview, wa
Registration date : 2010-09-08
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12246
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
The spec is 3 1/4 degrees,,,,,I have my rear end jacked up so I run 4 degree shims to bring the axle angle back to where it needs to be,,,,
Russell- Number of posts : 698
Location : Chula Vista, Ca.
Age : 64
Registration date : 2015-12-08
Does anybody have the shims that go on the axle? Where can I get some and which direction do they face?
I do not have the shims or a sway bar, the Van wanders some and I was thinking I should put the shims in for more positive caster angle?
I do not have the shims or a sway bar, the Van wanders some and I was thinking I should put the shims in for more positive caster angle?
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12246
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
you want the front axle to be like motorcycle forks, so the fat side of the shims go towards the rear,,,,
jrinaman- Number of posts : 890
Location : zelienople,pa.
Age : 60
Registration date : 2011-03-10
I could not find 2" wide shims so I bought the wider ones in aluminum and ground them down. 1/4" from BOTH sides! summit has any angle you could want. I think mine are 6 or 7 degrees, a little over factory spec will help (within reason) I also set my toe in heavy too.
m1dadio- Chevy Guru
- Number of posts : 1778
Location : north saanich
Registration date : 2008-10-06
I found my van to steer much better with 7* caster, better straight line stability and better return to center coming out of turns.
m1D
m1D
VANagain- Number of posts : 1048
Location : San Diego, CA
Age : 63
Registration date : 2008-05-16
I found another thing that really helps the return to center: greasing the kingpins!! My blue NY van was miserable to drive until I did that!
AzDon- Number of posts : 754
Location : Lake Havasu Az
Age : 68
Registration date : 2014-01-20
I got steel wedge shims from WFO Concepts wfoconcepts.com...… They come in 2" and 2.5" about $18 each....
They have a center hole rather than a long slot...I chose these because I could bolt them into the spring pack, so that there would be plenty of bolt head exposed to index into the locating hole on the axle.....When you add shims, especially thick ones, you want to make sure there is enough spring bolt head sticking out to index the axle.....
As Doni pointed out.....Adding nose-down rake rolls caster out of the setup and that caster needs to be restored by adding correct shims unless you like herding a vehicle down the road that refuses to go straight...
On my van, the thick end of the shims are forward, because my axle is on top...
They have a center hole rather than a long slot...I chose these because I could bolt them into the spring pack, so that there would be plenty of bolt head exposed to index into the locating hole on the axle.....When you add shims, especially thick ones, you want to make sure there is enough spring bolt head sticking out to index the axle.....
As Doni pointed out.....Adding nose-down rake rolls caster out of the setup and that caster needs to be restored by adding correct shims unless you like herding a vehicle down the road that refuses to go straight...
On my van, the thick end of the shims are forward, because my axle is on top...
