Caster correction for raised RRC

[POD]

G'day all,
Had the front wheel alignment measured today on my 1990 rangie- handling is poor after fitting raised springs. Caster readings were 0.15' and 0.52' left and right. Spec is 3 degrees. I plan to correct the caster by slotting the swivel housing bolt holes, seeking input from those who have done this. I'm thinking of making a jig and using a 3/8 milling bit in my drill press. Any experienced advice would be welcome.

[POD]

Had to finish that first post in a hurry last night when I was called away to something pressing (dinner went on the table!)...perhaps if I take the time to be more specific I might get some responses.
I'm planning to make a jig to hold the swivel housing in my drill press with the flange upward, in such a way that it can be rotated around it's own axis. With either a milling bit or a tungsten-carbide bur in the drill press chuck, I think I should be able to slot the mounting holes the few mm necessary to get the caster to where it should be (the circumference around the flange through the hole centres is 298mm, 2.48mm=3 degrees approx).
There are a few unknowns here;
Will the clamping force of the bolts when the swivels are refitted with slotted holes, be enough to prevent rotation? If not, what techniques have people used to pin/dowel the slotted swivels? I've seen suggestions of an extra hole or two with bolts as locators once the position is fixed, but access for drilling with the housings in place is non-existent. I've thought of the possibility of a bead of weld around part of the circumference where the housings meet. Any advice on this welcomed.
I have no experience with milling bits- any advice on what to use would also be welcomed.
If there's a better way- I'm also happy to hear about it! Not particularly keen on eccentric bushes, doesn't seem to me like doing the job properly.

[mike 90 RR]

It's been on my list of things to do also .....


Photo and comments ...

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/xtreme-zone/77261-slotted-swivel-hubs.html



Photo is missing in this .... but the comments are good ....

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/xtreme-zone/34532-look-i-slotted-my-balls.html


Not slotted .... but gotta luv photos ....

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/projects-tutorials/70107-caster-corrected-front-swivels-how-do.html


Cheers
Mike
:D

[Waxenwane]

I slotted mine by using a jig that mounts through the axle opening, the jig in turn was bolted to a rotary table that had been set up on a milling machine
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/03/1018.jpg
The process was to zero the table with the cutter in a bolt hole and then rotate the table the required amount (in my case 3 degrees) and take a plunge cut
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/03/1019.jpg
For location security I drilled an extra hole equidistant between 2 existing bolt holes at the bottom of the swivel ball, then I bolted the balls up, turned up a short locating dowel/punch and marked the new holes position on the housing flange. The new hole was drilled to suit tapping with the existing thread (UNF I think)
The swivel was simply bolted to the jig and the jig was simply a round post with a smaller diameter at the end to suit the axle hole, this in turn drilled and tapped.

Actually looking at the pictures, I drilled 2 extra...........I don't recall now whether that's a mistake or intentional,:oops2: but I'm sure you get the drift.

[POD]

Thanks fellas for some very good info.
Mike, I used the search function last night before I posted but I think I just put in 'caster correction' and came up with very little of any use. I knew I had seen something a while back, thanks for digging those out.
Wayne, I'm very envious of your mill, I don't have access to one and am dreaming up ways to use my drill press for this job. I'd rather spend 10 hours making a jig to machine the slots than 1 hour slotting holes with a file. Also looks like you slotted them just the required amount; some of the elongated slots in other posts are excessive.

I'm very keen for any advice on the best type of bit to use in the drill press for slotting.

[mike 90 RR]

I used the search function last night before I posted but I think I just put in 'caster correction' and came up with very little of any use


I typed in "Swivel slotted balls" ....and also "Swivel slotted" ..... I was waiting for 350RRC to comment on his experience .... :)

.... Waxenwane .... Great work :)

[Waxenwane]

I would like to own that mill as well but sadly not.
I think the end mill was 10mm that I used. I see no reason why you couldn't do this on a drill press, you could still have a post type jig bolted to the table and rotate the swivel into postion by hand. I would however have a paper template or some such even a paper degree wheel and a pointer to keep track of it.
Another way is to chuck the end mill in a lathe and clamp the swivel onto the cross slide via a table.

[POD]

I've bought a suitable end mill off ebay, have some leave coming up, and a spare set of swivel balls in the shed. Think I have me a project.

[350RRC]

Hi,

I made a jig out of ply (don't laugh.............it worked) and used a slotting bit in a drill press. Wasn't quite as easy as I was expecting due to the thickness and hardness of the flange, and the flex in the slotting bit.

Make extra sure you slot each ball the right way.......... I imagine some have made an error here.

Bolted the slotted flanges up to a spare diff housing and checked that I had the desired angle then backed one bolt off at a time and filled the unwanted void in the slot with weld, which did not want to stick to old oily bolts.

Cleaned up with a 4" grinder. Eeeeeeeeeeezy.

Best mod I have done, except maybe for the EL thermos (or the C9, or the HID's, or the braided brake hoses, or the ..................)

Took about half a day, flanges were already off. Couple of other things you should do at the same time: Swivel hub tapered bearings and slot the holes in the plates that hold the brake pipes so that you can just loosen the two bolts at the top of the housing when removing the caliper. Saves losing the oil in the hub in future when working on a caliper.

cheers, DL

[jazzaD1]

thats good to hear! i assumed the side loading would be too much for a drill press

[lambrover]

I have done mine, look up slotted balls I think. I did mine after seeing Discowhite's. There are photos and descriptions on how both of us did it.

[POD]

Completed this project yesterday morning. I made a cradle/jig that bolts to the table of my drill press and holds the swivel ball. Slotted the holes by making a plunge cut with an end mill; this proved to be very demanding on the drill press- morse tapers are not designed for sideways loads, plus the milling bit wants to wander a fair bit and the drill press does not have the rigidity of a milling machine. Cleaned up the slots with a 10mm tungsten-carbide burr in the press, they came up a treat. 2 extra locating holes located using Wayne's suggested technique, so now 9 bolts holding each flange to the axle.
End result- the vehicle now tracks very well, actually wants to travel in a straight line. Have not had the new caster angle measured- don't feel like spending another $65.00 but I have rotated the flanges 4mm at the o.d. which equates to just over 3 degrees, so should be between 3 and 4 degrees positive caster. Thanks again to those who offered advice.

Was giving this some thought whilst driving nearly 1,000km on the weekend in my other Rangie- 94 soft-dash with EAS- and 2 things occurred to me. When the EAS lowers in highway mode, you get a bit of additional positive caster and the vehicle handles like a dream (very much enjoyed the Great Ocean Road!). Conversely, when you select high-profile, the caster must come back to about 1 degree or less, which may be part of the reason this mode is limited to 60km/hr by the ECU.

[Waxenwane]

Nice work, degree of difficulty is drill dependant I guess.