scotts96fast Posted June 17, 2005 Report Share Posted June 17, 2005 I just got my new A-arms and don't totally understand how to adjust that.Is the caster adjusted by the upper ball joint and camber adjusted with the lower ball joint?I have no idea, all I know is to use a framing square.I will be trail riding mostly woods and some whoops.What sould I set the camber and caster at? I have quicksand arms.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeepman380 Posted June 17, 2005 Report Share Posted June 17, 2005 (edited) Well first off are they totally adjustable? Some A-arms are just camber adjustable. While others are fully adjustable. To adjust camber you adjust the bottom one further out from the top to give it negative camber. And to adjust caster you would adjust the top joints. Most of the time you will want a little negative camber. Like 2-3 degrees. You would adjust the front out to give it positive caster or adjust the rear one out to give it more negative caster. As for caster goes i'm not really sure what would be good specs for it. If it was me I would leave caster at 0 cause it you move it to negative it is really squirrely and if you move it to positive it will make it hard to turn fast corners. Edited June 17, 2005 by jeepman380 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanddragon2004 Posted June 17, 2005 Report Share Posted June 17, 2005 Here is a good set of instructions from the guys at ATV fourplay http://www.atvfourplay.com/aarminstallation/installguide.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotts96fast Posted June 17, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2005 Here is a good set of instructions from the guys at ATV fourplay http://www.atvfourplay.com/aarminstallation/installguide.htm 382780[/snapback] Thanks man that helped alot..Does anyone have some suggestions on what degree to set the camber and caster?I trail ride with alot of woods small amount of whoops. While back someone posted tips on what to set the camber and caster from another web site.So far I cant find it..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotts96fast Posted June 17, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2005 Thanks man that helped alot..Does anyone have some suggestions on what degree to set the camber and caster?I trail ride with alot of woods small amount of whoops. While back someone posted tips on what to set the camber and caster from another web site.So far I cant find it..... 382885[/snapback] I also have a -2 swing arm.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.J. Posted June 18, 2005 Report Share Posted June 18, 2005 Here's lonestar's tutorial for their a-arms. Suggested camber & caster settings for diiferent riding conditions are also mentioned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotts96fast Posted June 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2005 Just when I thought I had this figured out...I read some info from lonestar. Caster is the amount of angle that the spindle has in relation to the vertical centerline of the wheel. If the upper ball joint is farther forward than the lower ball joint, it is said to have negative caster. If the upper ball joint is farther to the back than the lower ball joint, it is said to have positive caster. The greater the amount of positive caster, the more stable the ATV will be at speed. The less positive caster it has, the easier it will steer and the quicker it will turn. As the spindle is laid back, the tire has to lay over more when the front tires are turned. This adds stability. If there is not much angle, the wheel will turn more, making it quicker and easier to turn. This is from Lonestar...... Caster Caster is the amount of angle the upper and lower A arm/spindle is rotated. If the Upper A arm/spindle is rotated more forward than the lower, it is considered positive caster. Too much positive caster will make the atv too responsive. Which means when riding, the atv would be "darting" all over (to reactive). However, to much negative caster makes the atv not responsive enough....This is from Atv four-play. The postive and negative do not match up....Now I'm getting very confused!lonestar does say this is for their A-arms only,but you would think caster is caster with any A-arms.Can anyone explain this??? My friend has a stock shee and his compared to mine is.......I have the top of the tire tilted a 1/8 more in.And have the spindle a hair more forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
locogato11283 Posted June 19, 2005 Report Share Posted June 19, 2005 i have the quicksands as well and honestly have never messed with the caster adjustment. why you ask? because im never in a million years gonna be able to tell the difference. i set my tires about 3/8" in more at the top of the tire than bottom. then set up my tie rods. i have never had an issue with them. neither has my brother. if you are riding in the trails i seriously doubt youll ever notice the difference either. personally id say screw the caster shit, set up the camber and go riding... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meat Posted June 19, 2005 Report Share Posted June 19, 2005 i have the quicksands as well and honestly have never messed with the caster adjustment. why you ask? because im never in a million years gonna be able to tell the difference. i set my tires about 3/8" in more at the top of the tire than bottom. then set up my tie rods. i have never had an issue with them. neither has my brother. if you are riding in the trails i seriously doubt youll ever notice the difference either. personally id say screw the caster shit, set up the camber and go riding... 383253[/snapback] are you kiddin ?? caster adjustments, you should try em. One setting reacts ALOT differently than another. Just like Lonestar's and Fourplays directions read, setting the caster too extreme makes it darty and laid back too much make it feel lazy. Ride it tight technical trails or smaller confined areas and you'd want to set up that caster on the "dartier" side, ride or race a desert race where your near WOT for miles and miles you want to lay back that caster so she tracks straight and the ride feels stable at those high speeds. Fiddle with your caster setting Loco, you don't know what yer missin'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaysea1 Posted June 19, 2005 Report Share Posted June 19, 2005 Meats back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotts96fast Posted June 19, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2005 Just when I thought I had this figured out...I read some info from lonestar.Caster is the amount of angle that the spindle has in relation to the vertical centerline of the wheel. If the upper ball joint is farther forward than the lower ball joint, it is said to have negative caster. If the upper ball joint is farther to the back than the lower ball joint, it is said to have positive caster. The greater the amount of positive caster, the more stable the ATV will be at speed. The less positive caster it has, the easier it will steer and the quicker it will turn. As the spindle is laid back, the tire has to lay over more when the front tires are turned. This adds stability. If there is not much angle, the wheel will turn more, making it quicker and easier to turn. This is from Lonestar...... Caster Caster is the amount of angle the upper and lower A arm/spindle is rotated. If the Upper A arm/spindle is rotated more forward than the lower, it is considered positive caster. Too much positive caster will make the atv too responsive. Which means when riding, the atv would be "darting" all over (to reactive). However, to much negative caster makes the atv not responsive enough....This is from Atv four-play. The postive and negative do not match up....Now I'm getting very confused!lonestar does say this is for their A-arms only,but you would think caster is caster with any A-arms.Can anyone explain this??? My friend has a stock shee and his compared to mine is.......I have the top of the tire tilted a 1/8 more in.And have the spindle a hair more forward. 383126[/snapback] Did anyone notice that lonestar and ATV four play Caster adjustments are totally oppsite?One say have the Arm more forward than the lower is postive and the other say it's negitive.That's where I'm confused, who is correct?Lonestar would be my bet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PUSH THE THROTTLE Posted June 20, 2005 Report Share Posted June 20, 2005 I run mine "leaned" back at about 3-4 degrees and "leaned" in at the tops about 3-4 degrees. Seems to work well for the riding I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meat Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 Did anyone notice that lonestar and ATV four play Caster adjustments are totally oppsite?One say have the Arm more forward than the lower is postive and the other say it's negitive.That's where I'm confused, who is correct?Lonestar would be my bet. 383332[/snapback] It doesnt matter if one place calls it positive and another place calls it negative, what does matter tho is your lower ball joint should always be more forward than your upper ball joint. Stand over one of your front tires and look straight down at the A-arm ball joints where they attach to the spindle. Upper ball joint should be closer to the rear of the quad by just a fraction\few degrees. Like Push TheThrottle said, his is laid back about 3 or 4 degrees, the upper ball joint is just ever so slightly "laid back". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racer Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 think about it like the rake on a motorcyle. the forks on a cbr or yzf are very upright and produce hair pin turns with little input. now consider the rake on the fork tubes on a harley, more laid back but great for highway cruising cause the things damn near drive themselvs. and now think about an arlen ness, that rake is sooo long and low that he needs a walmart parking lot to turn around. but also at that point you get some wicked weird feelings of the front end diving into a turn. not good for Hi perf at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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