How is a Wheel Caster Calculated?
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Caster is Calculated in Degrees
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Caster is calculated using a measurement of degrees. These are the same degree measurements one would use to calculate angles for cutting square corners. They rotate around a center point and there is a total of 360 degrees in a complete circle. The angle degree is measured using a compass or similar measuring device.
How Caster is Calculated
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Caster is calculated by measuring the offset of the ball joints which connect a wheel frame to the car chassis to a point on the ground. For every degree of offset, caster is said to be offset one degree. For instance, if two ball joints are aligned perpendicularly to the ground, meaning you can draw a straight line through the center of each one and it will be perfectly perpendicular to the ground, then there is no angle of caster. However, when you tilt one ball joint forward, that line is now diagonal. The line is drawn straight through the contact point of the tire to the ground. Another line is drawn perpendicular to the ground from that point. The angle of offset from that perpendicular line to the caster line (the one drawn through both ball joints) is the caster angle.
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Caster Calculations Postive and Negative
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Caster angles involve measuring the offset of the caster line behind or in front of the perpendicular line. Whereas the car is moving forward, behind means towards the rear, and in front means toward the back. When the perpendicular line is ahead of the caster line, as is the case in many vehicles, this results in a positive caster calculation. If the caster line is in front of the perpendicular line, meaning the tip ball joint is forward of the lower ball joint, then the car is said to have negative caster and the measurement is calculated in negative numbers.
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