Alignment and Borgeson curiosity
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 159
Likes: 3
From: Swansea Illinois
Alignment and Borgeson curiosity
OK this might seem strange but just wondered about some wheel alighnment questions. I installed the borgeson box and had my front end aligned to factory spec's and it is much better than before with stock power steering but being one to wonder what if... On line many people said use factory specs but on the borgeson sheet it recommends increasing caster to 3-4 degree, and looking around caster changes can make it feel light which is why they use less on manual steering or heaveier which is why they use more on power steering but then I thought could I try it and see what it felt like, problem, just had it aligned...
OK maybe not a problem because I found some specs for old corvettes that said if I add 1/32 shim to the back will increase cast 1/2 degree so to go from 2 to 3 degrees I could add 2/32 (1/16) and to go to 4 I would add 4/32 (1/8) shim.
Now the big question what else in the alignment will this change? Maybe tow but a tape measure will fix that, wahat about camber?? I saw several places that said caster changes do not change tire wear so what am I missing??
OK maybe not a problem because I found some specs for old corvettes that said if I add 1/32 shim to the back will increase cast 1/2 degree so to go from 2 to 3 degrees I could add 2/32 (1/16) and to go to 4 I would add 4/32 (1/8) shim.
Now the big question what else in the alignment will this change? Maybe tow but a tape measure will fix that, wahat about camber?? I saw several places that said caster changes do not change tire wear so what am I missing??
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 7,353
Likes: 72
From: Graceland in a Not Correctly Restored Stingray
If you don't remove the same amount of shim from one end of each CA shaft that you add to the other end you will increase static camber.
Despite the current trend to dial in a good bit more caster than was originally designed into our cars back in the day to improve perceived feel had with power steering (which tends to mask genuine feedback), use caution when doing so. The larger is the difference of shims from one end of a CA to the other, the more likely you are to bend a shaft and induce binding stiction at the bushings, especially if you're not running rubber ones. Thus, many aftermarket CAs having additional caster already built in. Hope that helps.
Despite the current trend to dial in a good bit more caster than was originally designed into our cars back in the day to improve perceived feel had with power steering (which tends to mask genuine feedback), use caution when doing so. The larger is the difference of shims from one end of a CA to the other, the more likely you are to bend a shaft and induce binding stiction at the bushings, especially if you're not running rubber ones. Thus, many aftermarket CAs having additional caster already built in. Hope that helps.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 1,432
Likes: 22
From: Oxford CT
OK this might seem strange but just wondered about some wheel alighnment questions. I installed the borgeson box and had my front end aligned to factory spec's and it is much better than before with stock power steering but being one to wonder what if... On line many people said use factory specs but on the borgeson sheet it recommends increasing caster to 3-4 degree, and looking around caster changes can make it feel light which is why they use less on manual steering or heaveier which is why they use more on power steering but then I thought could I try it and see what it felt like, problem, just had it aligned...
OK maybe not a problem because I found some specs for old corvettes that said if I add 1/32 shim to the back will increase cast 1/2 degree so to go from 2 to 3 degrees I could add 2/32 (1/16) and to go to 4 I would add 4/32 (1/8) shim.
Now the big question what else in the alignment will this change? Maybe tow but a tape measure will fix that, wahat about camber?? I saw several places that said caster changes do not change tire wear so what am I missing??
OK maybe not a problem because I found some specs for old corvettes that said if I add 1/32 shim to the back will increase cast 1/2 degree so to go from 2 to 3 degrees I could add 2/32 (1/16) and to go to 4 I would add 4/32 (1/8) shim.
Now the big question what else in the alignment will this change? Maybe tow but a tape measure will fix that, wahat about camber?? I saw several places that said caster changes do not change tire wear so what am I missing??
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 159
Likes: 3
From: Swansea Illinois
IF it does what I would want then go get it checked, if not put it back like it was and I am back to original setting?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 159
Likes: 3
From: Swansea Illinois
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 7,353
Likes: 72
From: Graceland in a Not Correctly Restored Stingray
2) As zwede says, try it and see if you like the result. Easy to go back, but do bear in mind my earlier remarks regarding not having too much shim differential from one end to the other on a given CA.
Discaimer - Viewers with manual steering please don't mistake my comments as my recommending more caster for everyone.
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Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 159
Likes: 3
From: Swansea Illinois
Mine are factory but all rebuilt, been looking at a few others like VBP or global west but have not done anything yet spent this years allowance (and probably next years) on front and rear suspension and 700R4 transmission and Borgeson steering box.