Caster Plates And Rock Crawling

Wrench · 11-01-09, 01:52 PM

How well do caster plates stand up to heavy duty rock crawling? They seem rather thin. And hang low. I'm wondering how long they will last on a rock crawling 80.

Ebag333 · 11-01-09, 02:33 PM

If I were to adjust caster I'd probably do so via the washer method rather than plates.

http://www.lcool.org/technical/80_se...ster_mods.html

You can also do the same to the rear mounting points, meaning you adjust each one less and keep the arm closer to the axle.

landtank · 11-01-09, 03:07 PM

the plates should be welded to the existing bracket. In fact they will actually strengthen the bracket which I believe is what you would want.

On the passenger side bracket there have been cases where the bracket tares where there is a half moon shape cut out of it from the factory.

I've been welding that area to my caster plates to strengthen that area to avoid that problem.

Search on a thread started by Beno to see what I'm referring to.

nat88toy · 11-01-09, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ebag333

If I were to adjust caster I'd probably do so via the washer method rather than plates.

http://www.lcool.org/technical/80_se...ster_mods.html

You can also do the same to the rear mounting points, meaning you adjust each one less and keep the arm closer to the axle.

looks like some ass hat engineering to me i would not go that road, at least the LT caster plates are doweled so they take up the material that was in the old hole and when you weld them they pretty much double the thickness of the mount

Ebag333 · 11-01-09, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nat88toy

looks like some ass hat engineering to me i would not go that road, at least the LT caster plates are doweled so they take up the material that was in the old hole and when you weld them they pretty much double the thickness of the mount

80 use .40" materiel, which is significantly thicker than many other rigs. Assuming you don't use 20 gauge (I would use 4 gauge or thicker)_ you really should be just fine as you are actually thickening up the area around the hole.

If it's a huge concern you could either weld in a little piece to fill the hole, or just fill it with weld.

Honestly the 80's are so incredibly overkill on the suspension bits (like using that same .40" for shock towers) that it's almost silly. I say almost because I'm a big fan of overkill.

landtank · 11-02-09, 04:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ebag333

80 use .40" materiel

you might want to check that dimension again.

CreeperSleeper · 11-02-09, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ebag333

80 use .40" materiel, which is significantly thicker than many other rigs. Assuming you don't use 20 gauge (I would use 4 gauge or thicker)_ you really should be just fine as you are actually thickening up the area around the hole.

If it's a huge concern you could either weld in a little piece to fill the hole, or just fill it with weld.

Honestly the 80's are so incredibly overkill on the suspension bits (like using that same .40" for shock towers) that it's almost silly. I say almost because I'm a big fan of overkill.

If it's so over-kill, why does it break off the axle with heavy (okay, very heavy) use?

Landtank is correct in saying that castor plates will strengthen that mount. Yes, you will loose a little ground clearance. Learn how to wheel and you can avoid hitting them!

Ebag333 · 11-02-09, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CreeperSleeper

If it's so over-kill, why does it break off the axle with heavy (okay, very heavy) use?

Landtank is correct in saying that castor plates will strengthen that mount. Yes, you will loose a little ground clearance. Learn how to wheel and you can avoid hitting them!

Because of exactly what you just said. And I don't think for some of us that even "very heavy" fits the description!

Think about it this way, I wheel my truck fairly regularly, and use the hitch pin mod, which means that when I'm wheeling I'm subjecting those mounts to force they were never designed for. I've yet to even bend them, let alone break them off the axle.

Obviously we don't have a huge group of people regularly breaking off their axle mount, despite exceeding (sometimes to the extreme....wonder who would do that?

)what sort of normal stresses that these would be subject to.

I don't really have any problems with the caster plates. I think they'll hold up just fine and without issue. I just don't think that doing the washer method is going to be any weaker than OEM, and while the caster plates might be stronger than both, for most people that's not an issue.

FirstToy · 11-02-09, 12:12 PM

It's not the castor plates you need to worry about. With cc on the rocks, I think the 4 bolts holding the steering arms (under the trunion bearing on the knuckle) loosen up. Those are what you should check every time after a day of rocks.

landtank · 11-02-09, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CreeperSleeper

Yes, you will loose a little ground clearance.

just to put a number to it. With my plates you will loose .3814" or 9.68756 mm at the front bolt of the arm.

The washer mod lists it at 14mm

CreeperSleeper · 11-02-09, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ebag333

Because of exactly what you just said. And I don't think for some of us that even "very heavy" fits the description!

Think about it this way, I wheel my truck fairly regularly, and use the hitch pin mod, which means that when I'm wheeling I'm subjecting those mounts to force they were never designed for. I've yet to even bend them, let alone break them off the axle.

Obviously we don't have a huge group of people regularly breaking off their axle mount, despite exceeding (sometimes to the extreme....wonder who would do that?

)what sort of normal stresses that these would be subject to.

I don't really have any problems with the caster plates. I think they'll hold up just fine and without issue. I just don't think that doing the washer method is going to be any weaker than OEM, and while the caster plates might be stronger than both, for most people that's not an issue.

I think that most people haven't been putting the regular stress on them for a long enough period of time. You have been wheeling your 80 for what? 2 years? Not long enough no matter how hard you wheel. The fact of the matter is when you bend a piece of metal back and forth, back and forth continually (no matter how much degree of back and forth it is), it will eventually break. I predict that we will start seeing this more and more...

Ebag333 · 11-02-09, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CreeperSleeper

I think that most people haven't been putting the regular stress on them for a long enough period of time. You have been wheeling your 80 for what? 2 years? Not long enough no matter how hard you wheel. The fact of the matter is when you bend a piece of metal back and forth, back and forth continually (no matter how much degree of back and forth it is), it will eventually break. I predict that we will start seeing this more and more...

That's a very good possibility.

I would still suggest that if this were a serious problem we'd see more situations by now. I mean, all of our rigs are at least 12 years old now, and some of us have been wheeling a heck of a lot longer than I have.

CreeperSleeper · 11-02-09, 04:38 PM

You also need to remember that not every wheeled 80 has an owner who is on Mud...

Nay · 11-02-09, 07:40 PM

I have the LT plates, welded. Certainly would seem stronger than stock, no clearance issues as far as I am concerned as they adjust both bolts (rear up, front down).

Will probably still bust one at some point unless I change the arm design. Doesn't keep me up at night. If in 10 years all I have worn out is a radius arm mount, I'll consider that a victory.