How to adjust caster (if indeed you can with stock parts?)

Kingpin inclination.
The top ball joint is closer to the car than the lower ball joint. This is called the kingpin angle. This makes the spindle bearing shaft drop when the tires are turned left or right, and rise when the tires are running straight. That makes the car rise when the wheel is turned and drop when the wheel is straight. That makes the car run in a straight line and return to center coming out of parking lots.

The top ball joint is closer to the (center?) of the car than the lower ball joint. That's kingpin angle? Is that not camber?

kingpin.gif


This is cracked. On our cars the spindle is always 90 degrees to the knuckle. So when will kingpin inclination ever not be camber angle?
 
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I thought it was settled that shops today have no clue how to work with our cars, and if they did they'd be using specs that were correct for bias tires and not radials?

Is this not true?

Well, maybe they are only seeing new strut cars? I don't fault them for not being handy with our old cars. A good truck shop could probably do it.
And as said earlier, it depends on the radial tire.
 
The top ball joint is closer to the (center?) of the car than the lower ball joint. That's kingpin angle? Is that not camber?
The spindle shaft is not cast 90 degrees to the ball joints. Thats called included kingpin angle. It can't be adjusted.
Setting the camber is accomplished by moving the ball joint in and out from the motor. It doesn't affect factory cast in kingpin inclination/angle.
Get this book. It's all in there.

 
This simple question is still out there.

If my height is correct, if my toe is zero,

Should my wheels self-center if I max out the caster?

Do your C-body wheels self center, like your (you name it) front-wheel-drive sedan with macpherson struts?
 
Yes. It will when coming out of a turn in town and driving through slow and moderate speed turns.
But on straight roads it will follow the road crown or wind force.
Caster will make the car follow any force presented to it. It's only ability to run straight is from the forward inertia of the car.
The factory kingpin inclination is there to make the car self-center in all conditions and reduce the amount of effort needed to drive the car on the interstate. The minimum caster driving experience is directly opposite to the newer popular Firm Feel experience that requires more steering wheel effort to drive the car.
 
This simple question is still out there.

If my height is correct, if my toe is zero,

Should my wheels self-center if I max out the caster?

Do your C-body wheels self center, like your (you name it) front-wheel-drive sedan with macpherson struts?

Yes, my 64c, 72c and 75 Dart and 87 Fifth Ave do self-center.
I didn't explore the setup on the 98 Deville that I just sold because it required a very high steering effort on the interstate that I suspect was due in part to the firm feel style rack and pinion steering setup.
 
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