suspension program

[Jim Cowden]

I purchaced a suspension program to have a play with the dynamics of my car,it has a print out on caster trail and I cant find anything in my books on this.
I am presuming it is the XYZ coordinance between the top and bottom ball joints, can some one clarifiy this.
I presume it is what it is due to caster and upright design but is there something I should be looking for or it is what it is.

Jim

 

[Chris P.]

Sounds like they are referring to mechanical trail which a castor angle will provide. This is what gives the self centering effect to steering as you drive. There is also a pneumatic trail.

The mechanical trail, or castor trail as they call it, is the distance between the center of the contact patch and the point on the ground directly below the axle.

 

[Jim Cowden]

Thanks Chris that makes sense.

Jim