BBottoms
New member
I recently had an alignment done and everything is set in spec, however, my caster is only at 3 degrees. From everything I have read, more is better on our trucks, up to around 5 or 6 degrees, for better centering and less wandering, especially with larger tires.
The alignment shop used non-adjustable camber "cams" for the upper ball joints so no caster is being adjusted with these. I like the idea of these since they can't be knocked out of alignment or drift over time, but they obviously don't allow for any adjustment at the ball joint for caster. I would like to use shims/wedges between the axle and spring perches so that the caster is set for good and I don't have to worry about it getting changed next time I get an alignment.
I have found bronze and aluminum caster wedges, both which are advertised for OTR trucks. I know aluminum wedges are bad in the off road world when the spring flexes a lot, but is this something we have to worry about in a 1 ton truck with stiff springs and long/wide spring perches? Bronze wedges would have some flexibility that aluminum would not but they also cost 4x as much (NAPA).
Aluminum
http://www.truckcomponentsonline.com/TRUCK-CASTER-SHIMS_c_316.html
Bronze
https://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/...edge&Ntk=Keyword&Nty=1&Ne=600948&N=4294019072
The alignment shop used non-adjustable camber "cams" for the upper ball joints so no caster is being adjusted with these. I like the idea of these since they can't be knocked out of alignment or drift over time, but they obviously don't allow for any adjustment at the ball joint for caster. I would like to use shims/wedges between the axle and spring perches so that the caster is set for good and I don't have to worry about it getting changed next time I get an alignment.
I have found bronze and aluminum caster wedges, both which are advertised for OTR trucks. I know aluminum wedges are bad in the off road world when the spring flexes a lot, but is this something we have to worry about in a 1 ton truck with stiff springs and long/wide spring perches? Bronze wedges would have some flexibility that aluminum would not but they also cost 4x as much (NAPA).
Aluminum
http://www.truckcomponentsonline.com/TRUCK-CASTER-SHIMS_c_316.html
Bronze
https://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/...edge&Ntk=Keyword&Nty=1&Ne=600948&N=4294019072