09 Camry, caster?

Drove a friend's car home from a NYE party last night (he drove both of
us there because we were late and my car was low on gas) and it's the
first time I've done more than move it around a parking lot... was
surprised to find that the thing feels like it either has way too much
caster, or there's a really aggressive amount of artificial
self-centering built into the power steering. It was enough that it
took a little adjustment period for me to drive it smoothly. I know the
car was wrecked a couple times, so I have to ask - is this normal for
this car, or should I tell him to get the alignment checked?

thanks,

nate
--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

On Wednesday, January 1, 2014 1:52:56 PM UTC-5, Nate Nagel wrote:
> Drove a friend's car home from a NYE party last night (he drove both of
>
> us there because we were late and my car was low on gas) and it's the
>
> first time I've done more than move it around a parking lot... was
>
> surprised to find that the thing feels like it either has way too much
>
> caster, or there's a really aggressive amount of artificial
>
> self-centering built into the power steering. It was enough that it
>
> took a little adjustment period for me to drive it smoothly. I know the
>
> car was wrecked a couple times, so I have to ask - is this normal for
>
> this car, or should I tell him to get the alignment checked?
>
>
>
> thanks,
>
>
>
> nate
>
> --
>
> replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
>
> http://members.cox.net/njnagel
____________________

"aggressive" self centering? In a 2009 Camry???

Hand over the keys pal, I'd LOVE to be driving THAT car.

Man I'm fed up to here with wishy-washy mushy-twitchy steering in mass-market mid-size sedans, so this is good news!

Nate Nagel wrote:
> Drove a friend's car home from a NYE party last night (he drove both of
> us there because we were late and my car was low on gas) and it's the
> first time I've done more than move it around a parking lot... was
> surprised to find that the thing feels like it either has way too much
> caster, or there's a really aggressive amount of artificial
> self-centering built into the power steering. It was enough that it
> took a little adjustment period for me to drive it smoothly. I know the
> car was wrecked a couple times, so I have to ask - is this normal for
> this car, or should I tell him to get the alignment checked?
>
> thanks,
>
> nate


If it was wrecked, How hard and how did they repair it? Caster isn't
adjustable on that suspension so you have to check the rails close and
the lower A arm and knuckle for damage.


--
Steve W.

Nate Nagel wrote:
> Drove a friend's car home from a NYE party last night (he drove both of
> us there because we were late and my car was low on gas) and it's the
> first time I've done more than move it around a parking lot... was
> surprised to find that the thing feels like it either has way too much
> caster, or there's a really aggressive amount of artificial
> self-centering built into the power steering. It was enough that it
> took a little adjustment period for me to drive it smoothly. I know the
> car was wrecked a couple times, so I have to ask - is this normal for
> this car, or should I tell him to get the alignment checked?
>
> thanks,
>
> nate

09 I don't remember, but I do remember renting 2010,11,12,13
Camry's and they were like any other car.
(I have expense reports to back up my bad memory

On 1/1/2014 12:52 PM, Nate Nagel wrote:
> Drove a friend's car home from a NYE party last night (he drove both of
> us there because we were late and my car was low on gas) and it's the
> first time I've done more than move it around a parking lot... was
> surprised to find that the thing feels like it either has way too much
> caster, or there's a really aggressive amount of artificial
> self-centering built into the power steering. It was enough that it
> took a little adjustment period for me to drive it smoothly. I know the
> car was wrecked a couple times, so I have to ask - is this normal for
> this car, or should I tell him to get the alignment checked?
>
> thanks,
>
> nate

The only car I have ever driven with really aggressive self-centering
steering was a first generation Renault R5 - surprisingly heavy steering
too, compared to the contemporary Golf/Rabbit and Civic.

--
T0m $herm@n

T0m $herm@n wrote:
"The only car I have ever driven with really aggressive self-centering
steering was a first generation Renault R5 - surprisingly heavy steering
too, compared to the contemporary Golf/Rabbit and Civic. "


THAT is the direction we need to head back to in post-2000 automotive design!!

What do the manufacturers think we are? A bunch of wimps who can't turn a steering wheel?? How difficult is it to make a car with decently weighted steering away from straight-ahead?

I took out a 2014 Kia Optima(electric power st) for a test drive last month, turned right a block from the dealer's, and the steering wheel STAYED to the right and I nearly went into a fence by the side of the road!! The hydraulic steering in my 2008 NEVER did that - the wheel politely centered itself and the car headed straight down the street.

And don't ANYBODY dare tell me to go buy a BMW - well-weighted, quick-self-centering steering is simply combination of the right alignment angles, and enough degrees of them. That can be accomplished in anything from a Fiesta to a Ferrari.

On 1/6/2014 8:19 AM, wrote:
> T0m $herm@n wrote:
> "The only car I have ever driven with really aggressive self-centering
> steering was a first generation Renault R5 - surprisingly heavy steering
> too, compared to the contemporary Golf/Rabbit and Civic. "
>
>
> THAT is the direction we need to head back to in post-2000 automotive design!!
>
> What do the manufacturers think we are? A bunch of wimps who can't turn a steering wheel?? How difficult is it to make a car with decently weighted steering away from straight-ahead?
>
For a while I drove a 1972 Oldmobile (sic) with a big-block engine and
broken power steering pump. Had to put my whole body into it to do a
U-turn.

> I took out a 2014 Kia Optima(electric power st) for a test drive last month, turned right a block from the dealer's, and the steering wheel STAYED to the right and I nearly went into a fence by the side of the road!! The hydraulic steering in my 2008 NEVER did that - the wheel politely centered itself and the car headed straight down the street.
>
There was no self-centering and very little weight to the steering in my
MG Midget, despite the high ratio and lack of power assist.

> And don't ANYBODY dare tell me to go buy a BMW - well-weighted, quick-self-centering steering is simply combination of the right alignment angles, and enough degrees of them. That can be accomplished in anything from a Fiesta to a Ferrari.
>
The best steering FWD car I have driven was my Renault 11 (until the
anti-roll bar mounts rusted through at less than 8 years of age). The
relatively high ground clearance and suspension damping made it a great
car for flying down dirt roads - wish someone made something similar
today (except with decent quality, and not parts made of French cheese).

--
T0m $herm@n

On 1/5/2014 12:36 PM, T0m $herman wrote:
>
> The only car I have ever driven with really aggressive self-centering
> steering was a first generation Renault R5 - surprisingly heavy steering
> too, compared to the contemporary Golf/Rabbit and Civic.
>
My guess is that the only way you can affect the self-centering on a
modern car is by adjusting the toe-in.

The steering stability of the Vauxhall I tired was just great at high
speeds and on those narrow roads. I never touched a thing with the sides
of the car - well, maybe some bushes but that's kosher over there.

dsi1 wrote: "My guess is that the only way you can affect the self-centering on a modern car is by adjusting the toe-in."

Front toe determines crookedness/straightness of steering wheel and tread-wear.

There are aftermarket caster shim kits available for increasing caster on modern suspensions.

On Mon, 06 Jan 2014 15:42:41 -1000, dsi1
> wrote:

>On 1/5/2014 12:36 PM, T0m $herman wrote:
>>
>> The only car I have ever driven with really aggressive self-centering
>> steering was a first generation Renault R5 - surprisingly heavy steering
>> too, compared to the contemporary Golf/Rabbit and Civic.
>>
>My guess is that the only way you can affect the self-centering on a
>modern car is by adjusting the toe-in.

Camber/caster/kingpin inclination center the steering wheel, and toe
contributes nothing. Well, almost nothing. If it's off pretty far, the
car will tend to wander around a bit, but that's because there is no
center.