Frame Angle vs Front End Caster
It is my belief that raising the rear end by 1 degree (frame angle) will reduce the front end caster by 1 degree. The problem is interperting this Ford Frame Angle link. If we have a "specified...
Forum Discussion
j-d wrote:
So maybe the "raise the rear to shift weight to the front and improve handling" really has more to do with increasing the CASTER than shifting the WEIGHT...
What is the reference benchmark for measuring Caster? I guess I'm simple, but it seems to me that Caster is a number of degrees from Vertical, Plumb if you prefer.
Caster is the number of degrees between PLUMB/VERTICAL (the wheel axel to the contact patch) and a line drawn through the center of the upper ball joint, the wheel axel and lower ball joint. So when you lift the rear end you are rotating the line through the upper and lower ball joint counter clock wise (looking at it on the drivers side) which REDUCES the +caster. And, that we do not want to do. IMO
ON EDIT:
Here is a picture, the red horizontal line represents the "Frame Angle" of 0.0 degrees. The almost vertical red line represents the +caster angle from the vertical line, the "plumb" line.
If we raise the rear end we have a + "frame angle" shown by the near horizontal green line. The +caster angle has been reduced as shown by the nearly vertical green line.
