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Correct caster causes the tires
and steering wheel to return to center after a turn
and causes the tires to track straight on level roads.
Uneven caster causes the car to drift or pull. More
positive caster will give less camber change as the
front wheels turn. More positive caster , to a point,
improves straight line tracking.
Toe-In
The difference in distance between
the front of the wheels and the rear of the wheels,
measured in inches, millimeters, or degrees of angle.
Toe-in is when both front wheels
are angled slightly with the leading edges closer together.
On most rear wheel drive cars, this compensates for
the tendency of the wheels to angle out slightly under
power, allowing the tires to track straight and wear
evenly. Too much toe-in will scrub the outer edges of
both tires causing wear while too little toe-in will
wear the inside edges of both tires. If wandering on
straight roads is a problem, a little more toe-in will
help.
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Springs
Springs support and control the motion
of a car. Stiffer springs reduce roll and dive, but
can reduce ride quality if too stiff. If too stiff,
a car can bounce over road irregularities, losing traction
as the wheels leave the road.
Anti-Roll Bars
Anti-roll bars (or sway bars) reduce
roll and camber changes without creating a harsh ride
when both wheels hit a bump, as stiffer springs might.
When only one wheel hits the bump, steering kickback
is increased with larger front anti-roll bars. The ends
of an anti-roll bar are attached to the left and right
suspension members and the center of the bar is attached
to the chassis. While the car is traveling in a straight
direction the sway bar does nothing. During cornering
sway bars reduce roll by pushing against the chassis
as roll begins. Increasing the diameter of the anti-roll
bar reduces body roll, keeping the tires more vertical
to maintain a better contact area for more traction.
Replacing rubber anti-roll bar bushings with urethane
bushings can improve the effectiveness of the stock
anti-roll bar.
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