 | Home > Maintenance & Modifications > Castor Corrected Swivel Balls - Anyone used them? |
 
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| geobloke Member Since: 06 Nov 2012 Location: Nottinghamshire Posts: 4410  
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Morning All. So the time has finally come to replace the swivel balls (chalices) on Miffy (2003 TD5 110 196k miles) and overhaul the axle ends. She has a modest lift, which may or may not have contributed to the bottom swivel bearing collapsing this weekend...
Out of interest does anyone have castor corrected swivel balls fitted to their LR and is it worth it? I have done the castor corrected radius arm route before, but as I have to change the swivel balls I am interested to know. Cheers in advance.  |
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20th Aug 2018 10:55am |
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| geobloke Member Since: 06 Nov 2012 Location: Nottinghamshire Posts: 4410
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Eeeshk this is not looking good... 11 views and no comments...
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20th Aug 2018 11:16am |
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| geobloke Member Since: 06 Nov 2012 Location: Nottinghamshire Posts: 4410
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Thanks Blackwolf.
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20th Aug 2018 1:34pm |
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| ickle Member Since: 22 Jul 2010 Location: South Vendee Posts: 1791  
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On the basis that there would have to be a matched pair of ends and looking to the future if you or another owner has to replace one, (especially in the back end of nowhere) I'd be with BW and use standard with castor corrected arms, at least you can re bush those with standard parts and would have to do something major to need to replace the arms....
Keith |
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20th Aug 2018 4:32pm |
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| donmacn Member Since: 06 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1848 
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well, fwiw I have them on my truck.
Years ago, just after I had a chassis swap done, I started getting a nasty case of 'death wobble' when the nearside wheel ran over any irregularities in the road surface. Given the chassis swap, all the bushes etc were new. I tried various things - steering damper; wheel balancing with dynabeads; visiting and revisiting the swivel preload in case they were too loose. I can't remember all the details as it is about 14/15 years ago In the end I came across the castor corected swivels and radius arms and gave them a go - the problem disappeared. They've been on ever since, with no problems at all. I find the steering very responsive and the car sits beatifully in a straight line with minimal steering needed. Considering it's 24 years old, I'm happy with that. I picked it up recently from the latest chassis swap. Just to check things I let it run along a good length of dual carriageway with my hands hovering over, but not touching the wheel. It must have been four or five hundred yards before I had to do anything. I don't know for sure what was causing the 'death wobble' but I'm pretty confident the castor corrected swivels and arms made it disappear. Just fwiw. I'm also pretty sure it all just uses standard bushes and bearings. Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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20th Aug 2018 5:05pm |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17480 
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Interesting, I presume it isn't lifted?
Assuming this is the case, fitting your "altered castor" swivels and arms (I won't call them "corrected" since they actually won't be correct for your geometry) will have increased the castor angle and will give you a stronger self centering action. It is easy to see why it has helped with your wobble, but it won't have corrected whatever the root cause was. But it works, so it doesn't really matter. |
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20th Aug 2018 5:19pm |
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| donmacn Member Since: 06 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1848
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Hi BW,
You're right, not lifted, just standard. At the time I do remember thinking it was a 'workaround' but not actually tracking down the problem - but I'd tried so many other things I was running out of options. Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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20th Aug 2018 5:46pm |
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| jst Member Since: 14 Jan 2008 Location: Taunton Posts: 8099 
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i had them fitted as std when i replaced with Force9 axles and ran 2" lift.
run another vehicle lifted 35mm no correction ran another for 10years with 2" lift no correction. was there much between them - nope. would i choose to replace with caster corrected swivels - nope. i consider them unnecessary. Cheers James 110 2012 XS Utility 130 2011 M57 bespoke Camper 90 2010 Hardtop 90 M57 1988 Hardtop |
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21st Aug 2018 8:55am |
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| Grenadier Member Since: 23 Jul 2014 Location: The foot of Mont Blanc... Posts: 5859 
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Had a Google, cannot find much info. Is Castor a brand name or is it a design type? What is the apparent difference between Castor and OE? No plans, Keen to add some more knowledge to my still infinitesimally small Defender braino-paedia.
Monsieur Le Grenadier
I've not been everywhere, but it's on my list..... 2011 Puma 110DC - Corris Grey |
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21st Aug 2018 11:42am |
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| Ramsay Member Since: 30 Sep 2015 Location: Moffat, Dumfries & Galloway Posts: 629  
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Caster angle is a way to describe how the steering part of the front axle is not exactly vertical. It helps with being able to turn the wheels and handling. See also Toe-in and wheel alignment.
This product info gives why you might use them. https://www.paddockspares.com/castor-corre...-1998.html 1995 Defender 110 CSW 1971 SIIA Lightweight |
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21st Aug 2018 12:13pm |
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| Grenadier Member Since: 23 Jul 2014 Location: The foot of Mont Blanc... Posts: 5859
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Thanks Ramsay.
Monsieur Le Grenadier
I've not been everywhere, but it's on my list..... 2011 Puma 110DC - Corris Grey |
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21st Aug 2018 12:14pm |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17480
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It's the angle between the a vertical transverse plane through the axle centre and the axis of the swivel pins.
If viewed from the side, the swivel pin axis would if projected downwards hit the ground at a point forward forward of the centre of the wheel, and it is this property which makes the steering self-centre. If the castor angle was zero the steering would be horribly unstable, and if it was negative the steering would not self-centre at all, but would fly to full lock if you let go of the wheel. (This is also the reason why you can't reverse a vehicle you're towing on an "A"-frame). It is one of several crucial geometric properties of the steering axle, the scrub radius being probably the next most important for predictable stable steering. Last edited by blackwolf on 28th Jul 2020 10:13am. Edited 1 time in total |
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21st Aug 2018 3:41pm |
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| NickMc Member Since: 01 Oct 2014 Location: Norn Iron Posts: 1632  
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Have you got wheel spacers fitted? I’ve seen people throw tons of parts and money at them, I removed the wheel spacers and problem solved
 also corrosion around the hub face, spacers and discs and it just gets multiplied as you get further out with spacers. Return to center steering dampers too are stupid and horrible on Defenders. |
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21st Aug 2018 11:03pm |
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| Grenadier Member Since: 23 Jul 2014 Location: The foot of Mont Blanc... Posts: 5859
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Never less than a top-drawer answer from you BlackWolf. Ta Monsieur Le Grenadier
I've not been everywhere, but it's on my list..... 2011 Puma 110DC - Corris Grey |
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22nd Aug 2018 10:50am |
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