09 Camry, caster?

On 1/6/2014 4:32 PM, wrote:
> 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.
>

Well my guess is that nobody's monkeyed around with the caster settings
on the OP's car and there's too much toe-in.

On 1/6/2014 5:43 PM, Bill Vanek wrote:
> 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.
>

You guys always go for the most unlikely scenarios. My assumption is
that the toe-in should be checked first and is the most likely culprit,
no matter what you expert say. Anybody should be able to check the two
front tires it in less than 10 seconds. All that other **** is built
into the suspension. Why even go there at this time?

dsi1 wrote: "- show quoted text -
You guys always go for the most unlikely scenarios. My assumption is
that the toe-in should be checked first and is the most likely culprit,
no matter what you expert say. Anybody should be able to check the two
front tires it in less than 10 seconds. All that other **** is built
into the suspension. Why even go there at this time? "

You need to study up on alignment a bit.

Tire wear parameters: Front/rear toe, Camber.

Directional parameters(when they are different side-to-side): Rear toe, Camber, Caster.

If everything is within spec, and is as close to center of range as possible and car still pulls to one side, or, wanders all over the road, or, as in the O.P. case, seems to center steering wheel *too* quickly, then it's time to look at worn and/or bent and/ non-spec. parts.

On 1/7/2014 11:20 AM, wrote:
> dsi1 wrote: "- show quoted text -
> You guys always go for the most unlikely scenarios. My assumption is
> that the toe-in should be checked first and is the most likely culprit,
> no matter what you expert say. Anybody should be able to check the two
> front tires it in less than 10 seconds. All that other **** is built
> into the suspension. Why even go there at this time? "
>
> You need to study up on alignment a bit.
>
> Tire wear parameters: Front/rear toe, Camber.
>
> Directional parameters(when they are different side-to-side): Rear toe, Camber, Caster.
>
> If everything is within spec, and is as close to center of range as possible and car still pulls to one side, or, wanders all over the road, or, as in the O.P. case, seems to center steering wheel *too* quickly, then it's time to look at worn and/or bent and/ non-spec. parts.
>

You're claiming that a worn front suspension will create an aggressive
self-centering steering condition? I remain unconvinced.

On 01/06/2014 09:19 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?
>
> 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.
>

Hah. "I'm the OP, and I drive a BMW."

Seriously, I will tell the guy to rack it again, I figured when it self
centered more than my Bimmer that something was wrong.

nate

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

On 01/12/2014 12:19 PM, Nate Nagel wrote:
> On 01/06/2014 09:19 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?
>>
>> 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.
>>
>
> Hah. "I'm the OP, and I drive a BMW."
>
> Seriously, I will tell the guy to rack it again, I figured when it self
> centered more than my Bimmer that something was wrong.
>
> nate

Forgot to mention, I've heard complaints of the EPS in the new BMW 3 and
4 series being un-BMW-like and numb. Can't personally confirm or deny,
newest BMW I've driven has been an E92 (or maybe a contemporary 5-series
loaner?) I wouldn't consider that a knock on the concept of EPS though;
it's the engineering decisions that were made in the design of the whole
suspension and steering system.

nate


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

Nate Nagel wrote: "it's the engineering decisions that were made in the design of the whole suspension and steering system.
- show quoted text - "

Oh yeah? Well they F KED UP!

What'cha gotta say about that?!

psyyyych!