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#1
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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 |
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#2
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09 Camry, caster?
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! |
#3
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09 Camry, caster?
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. |
#4
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09 Camry, caster?
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 |
#5
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09 Camry, caster?
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 |
#6
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09 Camry, caster?
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. |
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09 Camry, caster?
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#8
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09 Camry, caster?
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. |
#9
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09 Camry, caster?
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. |
#10
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09 Camry, caster?
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. |
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