\ Adding some Caster 5/2007 | Tom Mandera's Big Sky Binders

Adding some Caster 5/2007

I didn't want to do a cut n' turn on a Dana 30, didn't want to upgrade to a Dana 44, couldn't put spring shims in because this Scout has a 4" Triangle lift, but I wanted to add a little caster for highway manners.



Thus, I tracked down the parts through NAPA for the upper balljoint eccentric.







IIRC it was $60-ish for both sides.





You'll need one of these spanner sockets for the job.







The two pieces of the eccentric fit together like this.











You'll need to disassemble the entire knuckle assembly to release pressure on the upper balljoint before you can remove the old stock sleeve - if you try to do this without tearing things apart, you may destroy that $25 spanner socket I mentioned above. Ask me how I know..



Anyhow, pull out the old sleeve, install the new two-piece unit, adjust the big nut to the direction indicated in the instructions (we want caster, not camber here), then torque the adjusting sleeve, put the top nut on, and call it good.



FYI I didn't need the extra-thin nuts they sell as an option with the kit.



All done.









My alignment guy said I had ~1.5deg of positive caster after this mod, so I got all 1.5 deg I had hoped for.



I coupled this with installation of one of the last sets of DOM tie-rod and draglinks to come out of Gryphin Racing to fix a tweaked tie-rod and out-of-whack toe.



Much better, though it still handles like a short wheel base Scout on the highway. :)



EDIT: Thanks to T.R.E. who found these at RockAuto.



RockAuto or look for MOOG Part # K936 for the 1.5 deg kit. Looks like $15.51 each as of 03/2009.