Does a lifted 80 really have caster issues? (1 Viewer)

[cruiserdan]

So anyway, caster bushings, no caster bushings, Christo's arms, how much does it really change... does one need to do something about it?

I've been experimenting a bit .

OEM caster spec is +3 degrees +/- 1 degree (+2 minumum)
I am running OME 850 with a 1 inch MR Gasket spacer on the top. I have a winch and a blower and a couple other things up front. I got some OME bushings from Christo and haven't got around to doing them yet. I've thought the steering was a bit "light" and possibly "twitchy".
It was a bit slow in the shop this afternoon so my front end buddy stuck me up on the alignment rack and did a caster sweep.

-1.5 degrees on both sides :whoops: No wonder the old gal is a bit light in the loafers. .
So, this means that roughly 3 inches of lift takes out 4.5 degrees of caster. When I put the bushings in We'll sweep it again to see how much correction they are good for.


D-

 

[Gumby]

I lived with mine for about 2 years. It's really nice to have finally done it. I no longer worry about letting others drive the truck.

 

[offroadkid]

I went for a year without mine. I just installed them last week and what a difference. No more freeway wandering or holding on for dear life on long curved freeway on-ramps!! It feels tight now and more pleasant to drive.

 

[sleeoffroad]

[quote author=cruiserdan link=board=2;threadid=6728;start=msg55122#msg55122 date=1067036023]

I've been experimenting a bit .
[/quote]

Yup, see below

[quote author=cruiserdan link=board=2;threadid=6728;start=msg55122#msg55122 date=1067036023]

I am running OME 850 with a 1 inch MR Gasket spacer on the top.
[/quote]

This is what the Mr Gasket spacers looked like that we pulled out of MTRat's truck. Not pretty, and not even that old. :

 

[cruiserdan]

Did I say I liked them? I didn't say I liked them. Hell I didn't even pay for 'em. They were a presentation from an un-named Canis-Lupis .

IE they are temporary so's I can decide on how high I want to go fer real.........

No worries Mr. Slee, you have not seen the last of my billfold

D-

 

[landtank]

Dan, I heard Christo is considering a 3" lift spring :.


Desperately trying to drum up some interest

 

[the shed guy]

We have castor plates now, bolt on, for up to 8" of lift. [here in Aus]

Castor bushes can break the brackets on the housing and flex the housing allowing oil to escape from the short side of the face of the diff centre if you do lots of flexing.

We also have 2 deg and 3 deg bushes.

 

[Junk]

Cdan,
I recently went to Christo's front control arms, panhards and adj upper rears. Made a world off diff. before hand I was just kidding myself by going the el cheapo route.

 

[landtank]

Shed, how much are those bolt on plates?

Junk, how much lift do you have? Since OME doesn't offer all that stuff for their setup I thought it wasn't needed unless you went more.

 

[alia176]

Isn't it possible to drilled a small hole on the "meaty" part of the OME castor bushings to relieve stress? Or did someone do this already and it's still bending the brackets?

 

[alia176]

drill not drilled!

 

[Junk]

landtank,
I have the J springs, plus 2-10mm packers all around.

 

[bjowett]

You can build caster plates from the 86 - 95 Toyota IFS lower control arm camber adjustment bolts, they fit the stock bushings perfectly.... With all the solid axle swaps going on, you should be able to get all the parts to do it for free. Minor welding and fabrication required. Pics on request.

 

[cruiserdan]

Brian,

Please do.

 

[Beowulf]

Brian,
Please post pics.
-B-

 

[bjowett]

Just a quicky job, really.... sorry for the leaves and such, was out exploring old farm roads earlier tonight.

 

[landtank]

Junk, that's alot of lift. No wonder you had to go with all that extra hardware.

 

[Junk]

Nah, my lift is small, but that was the idea. Christo knows how much I dig offcamber stuff , and I want a low truck, but wanted the diff clearance. The set up works awesome with 36's. Will be curious to see how it does with the portals though.

 

[the shed guy]

I have drilled the factory rubber bushes to make them flex, but not the OME ones, and those camber bolts, be justa s easy to slot the holes,a nd weld the washers on, in the new location for camber change. Once set, it then stays.

Also, if running 35 or bigger tyre, with bad castor, I would recommend running 4-5mm toe in, to make the car drive nicer and stop wander, and it wont effect tyre wear, I also use offset king pin plates to give the car about 2 deg neg camber, makes the car turn in much better with big tyres too.

 

[Landpimp]

[quote author=sleeoffroad link=board=2;threadid=6728;start=msg55143#msg55143 date=1067039791]
Yup, see belowThis is what the Mr Gasket spacers looked like that we pulled out of MTRat's truck. Not pretty, and not even that old. :


[/quote]

hmmmm I have run those for years and when I have swaped front springs they still looked fine after 6 years....I did replace with new ones when I did J springs 2 years ago only cause they were so cheap and used Slee's spacers on the rear. But I have no problems with the Mr G spacers.

John H