Caster – how to measure

[Mike Clark]

How are you measuring caster on the front end?

I find it surprising since it is so important that most guys I see have no means of measuring it that I can see.

[Gary Lawson]

The actual number isn’t importanr. Some karts run well with 12* and others run 23*. It’s all relative really.

[Mike Clark]

Do you not measure caster? Since it is all relative how do you move the caster + or – 2 degrees relative to where it is at now? Do you just eyeball it say good enough?

What I am asking is how do you measure caster? What tool do you use?

I am trying to get my kart sorted out and need to keep track of front end settings. I see the number as something to use in documentation.  Right now I have no idea of how much caster is dialed in. I really hate the adjusters that are on it now.

 

[William Martin]

I seem to remember some kind of chart/plate that goes with the Sniper Laser system that measures caster angle. It gets attached to the steering shaft if I remember it correctly. Somewhere on the center line of the chassis at any rate…

[Gary Lawson]

Karts are welded with a fixed amount of caster that the factory should be able to tell you. Then offset pills are available,sometimes in varying increments, to increase or decrease caster. Typical pull offsets are 1-2*.
Do you have a sniper system on it or something? What kind of kart is it?

[Mike Clark]

Gary, Thank you for taking the time in answering.

It is a used Extreme (Righetti Rodolfi) and currently has this type of adjuster:

http://www.accelerationkarting.com/spindlepill.aspx

One problem is if the keeping the alignment while tightening the king pin as these pill want to rotate with the bolt. So far it take 2 or 3 guys to accomplish. I have gotten better at it but it is still a fight. I have used borrowed Sniper V2’s and I am currently waiting for Sniper V2’s to arrive.

I would like to go to this Sniper system:

http://www.accelerationkarting.com/snipercastercamberadjuster.aspx

I was planning on seeing if the spindle yokes would have room for the Sniper or some other pill system that is more convenient. I just didn’t want to remove a spindle until I can put it back into  adjustment. I am told the Sniper adjusters will spoil you.

The 2 tools I know of are an angle indicator to measure off of a spindle directly with the frame rails level or this:

http://www.ogracing.com/longacre-caster-camber-gauge-kart-adapter?gdffi=f750fff311dd4669a43b6ef4a13d6e00&gdfms=FA9C372A3AC64496854513CB74012416

[TJ Koyen]

I don’t know of anyone who actually measures it. Like Gary said, it’s all relative.

Your kart comes with some built in caster. Then you’ve got the caster pills which give you several degrees of adjustment either way. You always start them at neutral, and then adjust from there based on what the kart needs. There’s no reason to have the actual hard number.

If you know your kart has 12* of built in caster and you have 3* worth of pills in the front end, you know that full caster is 15* and minimum caster is 9*. Half caster in is 13.5*, half caster out is 10.5*. If you have 3* pills in the top and bottom of the kingpin, those values double.

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[Mike Clark]

Ok, so most people are just using a ‘setting’, got it.

Thanks for the help.

[Craig Drabik]

Those Sniper adjusters are the bomb, by the way.  I’ve got them on my chassis.  Totally worth $116 for the pair.  Set and forget, and the way they work means everything is locked in and less likely to move around over time.

[Gary Lawson]

TJ explained it well.

Your pills shouldn’t be moving as you tighten but I’ve seen some karts where this is sometimes the case. I personally don’t care to use the sniper system vs my regular pills but I think it’s a lot easier for some people.

[Mike Clark]

Craig Drabik wrote:

Those Sniper adjusters are the bomb, by the way. I’ve got them on my chassis. Totally worth $116 for the pair. Set and forget, and the way they work means everything is locked in and less likely to move around over time.

I like the way they isolate the movements or seem to, but have never used them.

Thanks for the reply.

[Mike Clark]

Gary,

What pill system / chassis do you use?

I would like to get the Extreme chassis sorted out but there are times I think don’t get too invested in it. It has an LO206 to provide a cheap way to get a lot of seat time. I don’t here a lot of good things about it but it is what it is in terms of it is what I have. It does have a 50mm rear axle which is debatable as to whether they work or not with a LO206. I am making progress on the handling front, it just takes time. There are no slow people in the class, so big improvements in lap times still leave a gap to bridge.  Everyone else showing up is dialed in and have been at it some time. I look at it as a great way to learn kart setup and handling. The 206 is just great for this type of thing.

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