Re: Wandering, Negative Steering Roll Radius?

[Huw Powell <human@nh.ultranet.com>]

>  It is well know that if you increase the caster, you improve
> high-speed stability (at the expense of increased steering effort), just
> like the fork offset in bicycles.  For a car with McPherson struts, this
> could be achieved by moving the strut bearings back a little.  Not easy
> to do on a 4kq, but perhaps easier to do on a 5000/200 etc.

yah, the non-adjustable caster feature.

So a little while back a lister whose name I forgot unloaded a good one
on us - to set up the camber on the 4k etc, max out both ball joints,
loosen the subframe bolts, and adjust the subframe position to equalise
the camber L-R.  I bet one could at the same time maximise/equalise the
caster, no?

This really caught my eye because since putting lowering springs on my
coupe aligning it has resulted in one ball joint having to be all the
way out, and not being quite far enough out.

I will be hassling the shop that does my next alignment into trying
this...

Should I also get a little extra toe in since I'm running foolishly wide
tires on less offset rims?

(215 vs 185 stock; 6.5" et 35 vs 6" et 45 stock)

and if so, how much?

-- 
Huw Powell

http://www.thebook.com/human-speakers

82 Audi Coupe; 85 Coupe GT
http://www.nh.ultranet.com/~human