Adjusting castor on MCI MC-5

[bevans6]

What is the best or most correct way to adjust castor on the MCI front axle?  Radius rod bushings are all correct.  Would you use shims, or is there another way to do it?  I am unaware of any eccentrics that can be turned, but maybe there are alternate radius rod mounting points or similar?

Also, does anyone know the Firestone part numbers for the air springs front and rear?

Thanks, Brian

[Hard Headed Ken]

If your bus has an upper radius rod that locates the top of the axle from to rear you maybe able to do what I did on my 4104. I replaced the upper radius rod with one from a 4106 that had a turn buckle. That allowed me to pull the top of axle back adding a degrees or two of positive caster. The shims will work fine. The adjustable radius rod is a little easier to adjust, but you may not able to get as many degrees of adjustment compared to the shims.

Ken

[RichardEntrekin]

Brian,

I don't know about the MCI, but on mine the bolts that go through the radius rods on the frame end are eccentric. It's easy to tell if this is the case, the bolt head should have some sort of mark on it to indicate the eccentric point, and mine has a washer that fits over the head that is tack welded in place to keep the eccentric from turning.

As previously stated you can tweak the eccentric bolt to lay the axle back or forward to adjust caster, or in my case put about a half a degree of cross caster in  it to adjust for the crown of the road.