

The firm and stable steering provides the driver with confidence and allows them to drive at higher straight line speeds as they are not fighting the steering wheel. This increases the stability of the vehicle in straight line situations, increasingly important at high speeds. Positive caster creates a self-aligning torque. Also, zero caster provides easy steering input without the extreme unstability of using negative caster. One advantage of using zero caster is that it retains the slight reduction in kingpin torque before reaching the limit of adhesion, which is useful for a driver to know when the limit is near. The only notable advantage to having negative caster is that the steering input effort required is very low making the steering very easy to turn. This can however be solved with anti-dive steering geometry. A further disadvantage of negative caster is that it will increase under braking conditions making the steering more unstable due to the car pitching forward.

It is also the type of caster that is used on a shopping trolley and is the reason why wheels can wobble and turn with ease. Negative caster gives no feedback to the driver in terms of wheel position. Each has their own advantages and disadvantages. Positive caster is the most used type of caster in the automotive industry due to its many benefits. The Purpose Of CasterĬaster is a member of steering geometry and works during cornering and in a straight line. Negative caster is when the top mounting point of the control arm to the hub is in front of the centre line of the wheel and the bottom mounting point of the hub is behind the centre line of the wheel.Īnother way to obtain negative caster is for both mounting points to be on the same vertical line as each other but behind the centre line of the wheel. Neutral caster is when the upright mounting points are on the same vertical plane as each other as well as being on the same vertical plane as the centre line of the hub and wheel. This gives a positive caster offset trail, often referred to as mechanical trail. Positive caster is when the top upright mounting point is more rearward of the car than the bottom mounting point when looking at the side view.Īnother way to get positive caster is when the two mounting points are on the same vertical line as each other but are both infront of the centre line of the wheel. There are 3 types of caster angle: Positive Caster The angle between the drawn line and vertical is the caster angle.

This is measured by drawing a line between the top and bottom pivot points of the front upright.
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Dallara World Series Single Seater – Under The Skin.Budget to Premium Coilovers – Whats The Real Difference?.2022 Porsche Cayman GT4 RS Suspension Overview.Calculating Ideal Spring and Roll Bar Rates Part 2.Calculating Ideal Spring and Roll Bar Rates.Tyre Performance and Grip – A Deeper Look.Tyre Failure – Graining, Tearing, Blistering and Wearing.Coilovers – Correct Ride Height Setting.The fundamental categories of suspension geometry are: Ackermann Bump Steer Camber Camber Gain Caster Front View Swing Arm Fundamentals of Grip Instantaneous Centre King Pin Inclination Scrub Radius Toe Tyre Slip Angle There are more aspects to suspension geometry but the most influential are listed above and are the focus of this website. Geometry Suspension geometry is a mixture of theoretical lines designed into a suspension system to make it work in a particular designed way.
