TonyRomo

Update on Post #8...

So I have some negative caster with my skunk 2 pro kit installed for my Integra.

I'm really not sure how I can adjust it.

I read adjustable ball joints, I was hoping someone could recommend one.

Edit:

Vehicle is a 00 gs-r.

Any experiences with swapping the control arms to opposite sides?

el crapitan

this is for a DA, right? "EF/DA" camber kit? the kit was never actually designed for the DA chassis. you're pretty much hooped in that respect

GSRCRXsi

If this is a DA, then you could get a traction bar with adjustable radius rods to adjust caster. Not sure what opions are avaiable for DAs though.

TonyRomo

Sorry I didn't mention it but the car is a 00 gs-r.

One side has negative caster and the other is slightly positive, no idea whats up with this.

I was thinking of switching the control arms around, I read on another forum if you put the left control arm on the right side and vice versa it will increase caster. No clue why this is but I read about a few people that did it and it worked.

Any experience with this? The caster would still not be even on both sides I don't think but at least I wouldn't have any negative caster.

TunerN00b

I've swapped UCAs side to side on my 00 GSR.
+1.5* caster is the result.

However, if your caster is off from side to side, I'd find the exact cause and not try and band aid it. The subframe could have shifted, or one of the control arms on one side could be bent. I suppose seriously trashed bushings could cause it as well.

Those "Ingalls style" sliding UCA bushings can also easily throw caster off. I ended up with 0* caster once thanks to those.

TonyRomo

If I had to guess I would say the bushings are bad on the one side, they make a squealing noise sometimes when cold.

Is this dangerous if I just try to band aid it by swapping side to side?

Would a shop without an alignment machine be able to figure this out? I only know of one good place around here.

TunerN00b

Dangerous? Probably not, but under some severe conditions, potentially.

A shop should be able to check for bent parts and shot bushings, even without an alignment rack. Many competent mechanics can align a car without an alignment rack as well (it does take significantly longer to do so though).

Swapping UCAs will increase the caster on both sides. It will also reduce the available suspension compression travel (you'll slam the UCA into the shock tower before the shock runs out of travel), increase the negative camber, and (assuming everything was working correctly before) really screw up the bumpsteer.

Since I just read through the thread again, this caught me eye:
You should read up on what caster is, and you'll understand why swapping sides with asymmetrical control arms would change it.

TonyRomo

I just wanted to add to this thread...

I got both of my ball joints changed and swapped my ucas.

First thing I noticed is that both sides now have the same exact caster which is 2.7. This leads me to believe that a ball joint with some play in it may alter the caster. Either that was the culprit for my negative caster or the alignment machine gave me the wrong numbers initially.

My next thought is 2.7 degrees of positive caster makes the car much more enjoyable to drive. I really didn't notice much bump steer and when I did notice a little bit it was when I was driving down the highway going about 70.

PatrickGSR94

iTrader: (1)

Yikes, on the highway going 70 sounds like the worst possible time to have bumpsteer. The slightest unintended steering input (from a bump) could send you into the median, a wall, or another car.

TonyRomo

Well the feeling was really negligible.

Also it may just have been because I filled my tires up to like 40psi from 30psi and response increased.

And wouldn't I have to hit a pretty big bump for the bump steer to occur?

I just drove about 100 miles today all highway and noticed no bump steer at all.

ginsu2k

Dude, just think about it. It's a like having a gremlin in control of your car. Bumpsteer is nonlinear for one. The bigger the bump the more the bumpsteer. -All the sudden you're in the wall cause you bottomed out on a pothole.

Just Sayin'

And it gets worse with lower profile tires.