iffy caster

My jeep tends to wander a little bit especially when hitting bumps. The steering doesn't have a strong return-to-center feel either. I know my caster is probably off a little bit. My question is, to improve the return to center and reduce wandering, do I shorten or lengthen the upper arms? I'm confused on negative and positive caster and which direction is which.

You lengthen the lowers or shorten the uppers to get more castor,but it sounds more like a "bumpsteer" issue!

RCP Phx said:

You lengthen the lowers or shorten the uppers to get more castor,but it sounds more like a "bumpsteer" issue!

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Thanks. It's not bumpsteer. Everything on my front end is new including the currie steering. Angles are fine and all that. It just started after I replaced the upper RC joint with johnnies. I shorted the uppers 3 turns and got 5 degrees of caster on driver's side and 6 on passenger's (using bottom of knuckle). Not perfect but it improved the steering dramatically. It now self centers and bumps are no big deal.

muddeprived said:

Thanks. It's not bumpsteer. Everything on my front end is new including the currie steering. Angles are fine and all that. It just started after I replaced the upper RC joint with johnnies. I shorted the uppers 3 turns and got 5 degrees of caster on driver's side and 6 on passenger's (using bottom of knuckle). Not perfect but it improved the steering dramatically. It now self centers and bumps are no big deal.

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Being how you have thr RC long arms, Lengthening the lowers will not do anything for caster. (I'm sure you know) How was everything befor you shrtened your uppers? If your at 5* now. Sounds like you might have been running as little a 2* befor you shortened them. Horrible i know but I've read it does work for some rigs. If you have no vibs now. Turn your upper joints a 1/2 turn IN at a time till it feels right with no vibes giving you a little more caster. "Return to center" feel should start to come back.

Re-check the toe also.

I never measured before so I don't know what I was running but probably 2 degrees or less. My coils had a slight forward bend in them and the bumpstop tower wasn't lined up with my hockey pucks. I adjusted them and it straightened out the springs and bumpstops and improved the steering. I can make a turn and it whips back straight on it's own. Very nice to not have to constantly correct the steering.

I don't have a front shaft installed right now so I dunno if I got vibes or not till I get a new one in back and put the rebuilt rear shaft up front. It's a pre-runner right now lol. I do have a high pinion 30 so angles shouldn't be a big issue up there.