Caster angle | Mechanical Trail | How does the Steering Wheel automatically returns to its center?

The caster angle is the slope of the imaginary line that intersects the upper and lower steering pivot points when viewed from the side. These points could be the upper and lower ball joints for double wishbone geometry or the lower ball joint and the strut for MacPherson geometry.
Due to caster angle , their is mechanical trail and this trail is responsible for self centering of Steering wheel.
In this video you will learn :-
1) What is Caster?
2) How caster effects the camber and Handling characteristics of vehicle?
3) What is Mechanical Trail?
4) How does the Steering Wheel automatically returns to its center?
Follow me on Instagram :- / thevatsaljain
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Follow me on Instagram :- / thevatsaljain

[@jesusg.gonzalezgonzalez7831]

Vatsal Jain, Greetings from México, nice explaneition of all of your concepts, I´dont speack too much Inglish but I´m understand very well. Gracias.

[@glennrampersad9229]

This is the most beautiful explanation of caster angle on the internet. Many people have tried to explain this but it seems that only they understand what they are trying to demonstrate.

[@Zickcermacity]

There are actually TWO angles to the steering axis: The trail-creating Caster as described in this video, plus, a lateral, gravity-dependent angle called Kingpin, or SAI(Steering Axis Inclination). SAI describes the steering axis angle that tilts inward as you travel up from the tire contact patch through the suspension members and through the hood of the vehicle. When you turn the steer tires, Kingpin/SAI forces them, theoretically, below the road surface. Which is impossible, so what happens is that this angle lifts, however slightly, the nose of the car as the wheels are turned away from a straight-ahead. The weight of the car itself, while in motion, forces the steer tires back to a straight ahead. Versus Caster angle, which acts more like the trail ascribed by the wheels on a shopping trolley or office desk chair. SAI is not to be confused with Camber Angle, which is the lateral inward or outward tilt of the tops of the wheels themselves, independent of steering axis. Perhaps Vatsal can elaborate on which is more effective in promoting vehicle straight-line stability, and which is better to have more of. In modern cars since the 1990s, I have seen Caster angles specs mostly less than 5 degrees positive, but SAI angles from 10 to as much as 15 degrees. So that implies to me that to be effective, for every degree of Caster angle, at least two degrees must be applied of SAI. Not a hard fast rule, just a generalization.

[@nikhil-bm5du]

Could you explain the moment and force equations for steering wheels and for self centering torque

[@editzrestaurant4042]

Could you pls recomend a best book to cover complete Automobile Engineering concept with better clarifications.....pls

[@himanshuchaudhari338]

Hello!! Your content is very straight forward and informative. Can you make videos about calculations related to suspension geometry..at least basics. Also, are you a Formula Student?? If yes, then which team are you in?? Keep up the good work, brother. Much love and support.

[@thevatsaljain]

Thank you so much ! Soon i will be uploading videos on Suspension Calculations. No, not a Formula Student ,only a Automobile enthusiast .

[@laputin710]

@@thevatsaljain oh thanks even I need some calculations!

[@Zickcermacity]

2:05 - It might jnterest you to not that in the era of bias-ply tires, due to their construction, negative caster was often uses to self-center cars in the 1960s. Once radial-ply gained general acceptance, a switch to positive caster provided the self centering torque necessary at higher driving speeds.

[@kamranraza9865]

How identify may car caster angle is out plz tell

[@ritesh17.]

Doesn't the pneumatic trail affect tha self aligning torque to a greater degree?

[@thevatsaljain]

Yes, pneumatic trail affects the self aligning torque, but we can't say that it is affecting in greater extent or less. That depends on your suspension geometry and tire load characteristics.

[@omnisalkar7440]

that was hhelpfull

[@meetlad1515]

Help me out to understand static margin

[@jptrainor]

Cross caster will cause pull toward the side with the lesser caster angle. I can't figure out how the force imbalance emerges in this situation to cause that pull. Any idea?

[@petraivezic4014]

@Jim Trainor I am also trying to find this out..Did you find an answer to this?

[@jptrainor]

@@petraivezic4014 No. Still a mystery. I've found to existing clear explanation, just people repeating the fact that the pull will be toward the side with less caster angler but nobody explaining why.

[@dharmeshgandhi7661]

what is caster moment arm

[@vinnojohn3357]

is mechanical trail and scrub radius same ?

[@adithyarajeev7566]

*mechanical trail is seen in the the side view and as described in the video, is the distance between the tyre centre line and the intersection of the steering axis ( imaginary line passing through the ubj and lbj ) with the ground (*viewed in the side view) *scrub radius is seen front view (or rear view) and it is the distance between the tyre centre line( line which passes through the centre of the tyre -- in front view (unlike in mech trail which is in the side view) and the steering axis (imaginary line which passes through the ubj and lbj) (*viewed in the front view*) hence both are not the same.

[@satishkanojiya6450]

Bro

[@rahhannan9171]

no car in india has this , old maruti models by fluke in 2022 , i think maybe A class mercedez or BMW or 50lakh+ vehicles

[@JayTheMachine]

explaination of mechenical trail is wrong af. please do study the topic in detail before posting it, your most of the content is just wrong, i think you are just speaking what you THINK is happening but it is all wrong. stop this BS

[@keval1282]

Why ?