Author Topic: RUF Caster (Read 7421 times)

birfection · « **on:** Feb 24, 2011, 02:25:17 PM »

Just did rears up front on my rig with some 5 inch(eye to eye) boomerang shackles. My caster angle appears to be quite severe, even with the axle shimmed. I've heard shimming the front axle is a no-no to begin with, so what should i do to adjust this caster? Cut off the axle perches and rotate? Weld a steel shim to the perch? What have you guys done? Thanks for any help

GONZO97 · « **Reply #1 on:** Feb 24, 2011, 02:30:33 PM »

most people cut and rotate

superyota · « **Reply #2 on:** Feb 24, 2011, 02:57:22 PM »

build a drop box for the front to drop the front of your springs down.

2manytoys · « **Reply #3 on:** Feb 24, 2011, 03:34:32 PM »

I'm planning a SAS with RUF on my 88 and I'm worried about caster issues.

Please keep us posted on how you fix it. With pics would be great.

Hope ya get it figured out.

superyota · « **Reply #4 on:** Feb 24, 2011, 03:39:53 PM »

read up on jrock's post. he did this not too long ago. i'm running ruf's on mine also and have basically the same thing done, just mine is a bit taller and moved forward further....
http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=57178.msg912785#msg912785

birfection · « **Reply #5 on:** Feb 24, 2011, 06:59:56 PM »

Just to clarify-- when you guys say "cut and rotate", you're talking about the axle perches, right? (I'm trying to avoid doing the drop hanger at this point)

Burl · « **Reply #6 on:** Feb 24, 2011, 07:07:42 PM »

yes and no the weld that holds the knuckle balls is what gets cut and turned then reweld that then reweld new spring perches on to the axle housing to accommodate the turned knuckle balls.

birfection · « **Reply #7 on:** Feb 24, 2011, 09:07:59 PM »

I'm not understanding why you have to cut and rotate BOTH the perch AND knuckle ball. Why not just one or the other?

Peterbuilt84 · « **Reply #8 on:** Feb 24, 2011, 10:02:30 PM »

You have to rotate the knuckles in order to accommodate the rotated perches. Think about it, if you just rotated the perches what would the knuckles look like? They would be at an off angle.

birfection · « **Reply #9 on:** Feb 25, 2011, 05:38:53 AM »

The whole reason I've thought to rotate the perches is to fix my caster angle(I want my knuckle to look like it's just about sitting level). If i cut off the perch and reposition it so that my caster angle is correct, I'm not seeing why repositioning the knuckle location would be necessary. I'm using the perch rotation to fix the knuckle angle.

yjay · « **Reply #10 on:** Feb 25, 2011, 06:21:04 AM »

http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/tech/rotated_housing/

You want 3+ degrees of caster at the knuckles (preferably 5 to 7) if it will be driven on the street. In other words, if you were looking at the driver's side of your truck, the top trunion bearing should be more towards the rear of the vehicle, the bottom towards the front. You can avoid cutting the perches off if you turn your knuckle balls back say 7 degrees, weld on steel shims to adjust your pinion 4 degrees up, and bam, you add 3 degrees of caster and fix pinion angle. If you just use shims to rotate your pinion up you will lose the small amount of factory caster you have now and it will drive awful, wear tires, and death wobble.
Most death wobble issues are a result of insufficient caster.

-Jake- · « **Reply #11 on:** Feb 25, 2011, 08:19:42 AM »

I've got a 5 spring RUF pack with the stock front hanger with 5.5" boomerang shackles and I can drive up to 60-70 mph on 40s without death wobble. So if you haven't drove it yet you might wait to do anything. I think I have around an 1/8" of toe in.

birfection · « **Reply #12 on:** Feb 25, 2011, 12:53:42 PM »

Jake, so you didn't use any shims on your perches? And you didn't modify your perches or knuckle balls in any way?

OOPS · « **Reply #13 on:** Feb 25, 2011, 03:10:37 PM »

Quote from: birfection on Feb 25, 2011, 05:38:53 AM

The whole reason I've thought to rotate the perches is to fix my caster angle(I want my knuckle to look like it's just about sitting level). If i cut off the perch and reposition it so that my caster angle is correct, I'm not seeing why repositioning the knuckle location would be necessary. I'm using the perch rotation to fix the knuckle angle.

With the cut and rotate, you are correcting two things caster and pinion angle, if you just cut the perches and relocate them for better caster your pinion angle will suffer.

yotarunner85 · « **Reply #14 on:** Feb 25, 2011, 04:21:31 PM »

Quote from: OOPS on Feb 25, 2011, 03:10:37 PM

With the cut and rotate, you are correcting two things caster and pinion angle, if you just cut the perches and relocate them for better caster your pinion angle will suffer.

X2

-Jake- · « **Reply #15 on:** Feb 25, 2011, 05:01:37 PM »

Quote from: birfection on Feb 25, 2011, 12:53:42 PM

Jake, so you didn't use any shims on your perches? And you didn't modify your perches or knuckle balls in any way?

yep. maybe i'm just lucky who knows, but it rides and drives good.

Slolyfe · « **Reply #16 on:** Feb 25, 2011, 05:21:54 PM »

I added axle shims to fix my pinion angle but then at full driver my drag link would rub my leaf. Cut and rotate at the knuckle is ideal, it keeps the pinion angle and fixes your caster.

Now I just have one 4 degree shim welded to the perch.

birfection · « **Reply #17 on:** Feb 25, 2011, 05:47:31 PM »

Ok, so just to clarify the things you guys have said----If i relocate the perches and fix my caster angle, i just need to make sure the pinion angle is ok as well. If i relocate the perches for good caster and it just so happens that my pinion angle is alright too, that's all good, RIGHT?

OOPS · « **Reply #18 on:** Feb 25, 2011, 07:11:08 PM »

Quote from: birfection on Feb 25, 2011, 05:47:31 PM

Ok, so just to clarify the things you guys have said----If i relocate the perches and fix my caster angle, i just need to make sure the pinion angle is ok as well. If i relocate the perches for good caster and it just so happens that my pinion angle is alright too, that's all good, RIGHT?

That is right, but I will tell you right now it is going to mess with your pinion angle.

Slolyfe · « **Reply #19 on:** Feb 25, 2011, 09:07:10 PM »

Small shim, HP front 3rd, and dual cases. you should be fine

birfection · « **Reply #20 on:** Oct 26, 2011, 01:13:36 PM »

I've got the dual cases, now it's time to built a drop hanger! HP not in budget till next year

H8PVMNT · « **Reply #21 on:** Oct 27, 2011, 05:18:05 PM »

Drop hanger and the weld on shims worked great on mine. I even used the longer 3rd gen rears.

I'm also running rears up front on stock hanger and perches on an '80 with about a 5.5" shackle with the caster basically identical to stock but I'm running very few leaves so they are flattened out pretty good, like almost no net lift at all.

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