Caster adjust with tire off

The write ups I see about setting caster show taking the measurements with the tire off. How does this happen? Do you put jack stands under the axle; couldn't they slip when moving the axle around? Or do you support the frame and just let the axle hang; would that show proper measurements?

I usually measure caster by using an angle finder on the pinion, then on the ground, and subtracting from 6 (stock housing caster/pinion separation). No need to remove tires.

I was only looking into the tires so I can have it direct on top the ball joint and everything I was seeing showed the tires off while measuring the angle so I wasn't sure.

toxicwaste29 said:

I was only looking into the tires so I can have it direct on top the ball joint and everything I was seeing showed the tires off while measuring the angle so I wasn't sure.

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You can access that ball joint fairly easily with tires on. I try to get a reading of my sliders or rocker panels first (some kind of reference of the overall vehicle). If you're at 0 there, you're good. If not (because you're parked on a hill or something), you just subtract that # reading from the one you take at the ball joint. That's how I've always done it. Make sure the ball joints are clean too.