caster is the amount that the top pivot point leads the bottom pivot point for a steering wheel. Just like on a shopping cart, it makes the wheel steer into the direction you're already moving. A certain amount of camber makes the vehicle stable, and makes the front wheels return to straight ahead when you let go of the wheel while moving, (something I do all the time!)

Too little (or reverse) camber will make the car drift, and in the worst case, very unsteerable. Too much, and it gets hard to turn the car, and tire wear gets worse.

On a non- steering end, you'd want 0 caster...

no formulas here! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Toby

Yes there is alignment adjustments if the rear has independently sprung wheels. I first learned this on a 78 Subaru. The inside of the rear tires of my Jimmy were worn.
It was because they were rotated from the front. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" />
Bob Shaw

Also its not commonly known that the rear axle does in fact steer.

No, I'm not smoking crack either. On a solid rear axle the entire assembly rotates slightly as the body rolls. The direction of the rotation is to induce under-steer. This understeer is important in maintaining vehicle stability.

If you have a roll oversteer in the rear axle any disturbance will and create an instability and make the vehicle hard to keep straight. As you steer into a corner having the rear axle add to you input can get tricky.

You can see how roll understeer is implemented in a leaf spring vehicle. The front spring eyes are lower that the rear spring eyes. This spring angle causes the rear axle to steer the vehicle in the opposite direction of the driver input as the body rolls from cornering.

Kevin

I guess I will ask my dealer.