steering arm angle

[mannytheman]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica][SIZE=-1]i just read that when you cut and turn you want to increase your steering arm angle

"[/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Arial,Helvetica][SIZE=-1]The OEM caster (steering) degree point are a good place to start and reference as "zero," whether the angle finder reads that or not. Ideally, especially when going to larger tires, you want to increase your steering arm angle (move the end of the arm higher than it was before) about 4-6 degrees. This makes steering easier and creates less wandering. Therefore, you will need to add about 4-6 degrees to whatever your pinion angle is rotated at. For example, if you rotate 14 degree up for pinion angle, you will need to add another 4 degree so your total rotation will be 18-20 degrees. When you do the actual rotation this will all make sense....[/SIZE][/FONT]"

this makes no sense to me!
I thought that the top of your steering knuckle was paralel to your spring perch. . . ?

Cutting and Turning

 

[ntsqd]

Think of it this way and see if it helps any:

The axle housing is in the truck, but loose at the spring perches (they're not welded or fitted allowing housing/diff rotation to happen) and the knuckle balls are also loose, but with a fixed Castor angle. Put a jack under the pinion flange and jack it up. Say that you changed the angle of the pinion shaft by 14 degrees. With me so far?

OK, now with the jack under the pinion flange the housing can no longer rotate. Free up the knuckle balls and allow them to rotate. Rotate both of them back at the top to create a 4*-6* change. This increases the Castor from the stock setting.

The author from above is using the angle of the steering arms, relative to the ground, as a point of reference.

HTH

 

[2mbb]

What the author is recommending is to increase your caster angle from the stock 0.5deg to between 4deg and 6deg positive caster. Rotating the pinion up to improve your drive line angle will make the caster more negative (if the cut and turn is not done). If you want to rotate the pinion 14deg up, and want to increase caster by 4deg positive, then you will need to turn the knuckles relative to the axles 14+4=18deg total turn.