What are the symptoms of a bad caster?

What are the symptoms of a bad caster?

 

Really light, darting steering that follows the grooves in the road.

 

So, it is not possible that a bad caster can causes steering wheel vibrations or that the steering wheel shakes over a bump?

 

If the bump is hit off center than it can add to the wheel jerking that direction. It doesn’t really create steering wheel vibrations. That’s usually bad tires, wheel balancing or loose/wore out front end steering components. Can you be more specific on your problem?

 

My caster is 5.4 or something, can't find a place that understands what camber bolts are... anyway, bump steer is the thing you maybe talking about.

 

My understanding is that Caster influences how easily (or not) steering inputs can be made.

Steering wheel vibrations will come from improper wheel/tire balance, wheels that don't center right (non-hubcentric wheels on a hubcentric vehicle for example), use of the wrong type of lug nuts, etc.

 

And what should be a good Caster number for a lifted Tacoma? Let's say with a 4" Lift. I know that Toe and Camber should be as close as possible to 0, but what about Caster?

 

I think 3* is what most guys run with lift and bigger tires

Is 4" Just a suspension lift
I didn't think u could get a taco that high unless u did a bracket trip or body lift

 

I got a Prerunner.

 

OOOOOHHHHHHH
I guess i should have read your sig

 

I'll have to try to explain that to the alignment guys... I wish I could just do it myself because I actually know how. Obviously though there's no machine that's like available to rent or something.

 

You can do it yourself with basic tools. Look in the suspension section for the write up on doing it yourself.

 

I did it myself for the first time a few months ago. Very tedious the first time, and no one to blame but yourself haha.

 

Here ya go:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/how-to-do-an-alignment-at-home.252256/
First time I did it, it took about an hour and I had it EXACTLY how I wanted it.

 

That's insane, did you have a shop check it to see how close you were? I cannot imagine doing it without a laser machine.

 

Yes. I wanted:
4.5 caster
Toe 0
Camber 0
The shop put it on the rack and I had:
4.4 caster
.4 toe
.1 camber

 

That's nuts dude, you're a god haha. I see your caster is still high like mine... my wheels hit the sway bar so I am trying to resolve that.

 

I removed the sway bar & noticed no difference on road.

 

I'm debating it. But still I would like my Caster fixed haha

 

What do you want your caster at? I now have 4.4 & 3.9, to compensate for the angle of the road. I’m happy with these numbers. Factory numbers are too low when you lift and have bigger tires. The further away your tire size is from factory, the further away (higher) your caster needs to be from factory. With 33’s, most like it between 3.5-4.5 degrees. I’m assuming you have SPC UCA’s?