Nineball

It seems like a lot of the fancy conversion kits these days are running 0° caster up front. I've heard it's to make the car behave more like a road-car... but I know a thing or two about real drag racing and running 0° caster is bonkers. I know we aren't dealing with the chassis flex caused by an inline-mounted 1,000hp V8, but caster tuning is an essential part of making a car go straight at significant speeds.

So what gives?

VegasJim

Torque steer!

sacmiata

iTrader: (27)

Never heard of that before. No in the drag racing scene but interested to hear that answer. Can you elaborate?

Positive caster typically improves straight line stability and self-straightening of a car (as well as during a turn increasing camber) - all at the cost of more steering effort needed (not enough that a servo would likely notice). I would think that little of caster would make the car to twitchy...

JerBear

Torque steer is a sensation that is commonly experienced in powerful front-wheel-drive cars. It happens under acceleration as the torque delivered by the engine overcomes the front tyres, resulting in either the steering wheel 'tugging' in your hands, or the car pulling to one side of the road as you accelerate.

LCG

iTrader: (1)

Way too easy to make a flat chassis and easy to make excuses for the lack of caster. I run a stock associated chassis and have no problem. Even seems more stable than my counterparts. .....However I have not run a car without caster...

Mr casual

iTrader: (20)

i agree

Nineball

Actually, torque steer can be a factor but caster doesn't really save the day. FWD drag cars are notorious for torque steer, and no amount of alignment can correct that. On a RWD car, I guess you'd call it torque steer when the rear wants to pass the front? Alignment can help that, but you fix that more easily with downforce and grip.

I'm starting to think someone got it in their head about how "shocks should be pointing upward" so that they actuate properly, but forgot it only matters that they're perpendicular to the A-arm.

TheRealDeal

I've had a lot to drink this weekend !!! but I'll try and keep it simple.(I don't work for nasa. but my kid does build rockets at spacex ! lols!) Most drag cars are running what? maybe 2-3 caster at the spindle or strut . Thats fine. Are daily drivers have something like 3-7 at the spindle. thats why we can let go of the wheel and reach for a cold drink and are cars keep tracking straight down the road. In the offroad world we run 7-14 at the a-arm mounts with 0 at the spindles... The reason being is so when we rip thru the rough stuff, the energy is absorbed with the long travel suspension geometry. Most SCT's come with the 10-14 caster front ends at the a-arm mounts. We don't need that.

This sport has really just started to take off...In my neighber hood... I expect we'll see alot of new front ends for all the new car's soon