diff --git a/src/chrono/physics/ChAssembly.cpp b/src/chrono/physics/ChAssembly.cpp
index cc3f6d56e0..f2f05ab24c 100644
--- a/src/chrono/physics/ChAssembly.cpp
+++ b/src/chrono/physics/ChAssembly.cpp
@@ -691,8 +691,8 @@ void ChAssembly::IntStateGather(const unsigned int off_x,
                                 const unsigned int off_v,
                                 ChStateDelta& v,
                                 double& T) {
-    unsigned int displ_x = off_x - this->offset_x;
-    unsigned int displ_v = off_v - this->offset_w;
+    int displ_x = off_x - this->offset_x;
+    int displ_v = off_v - this->offset_w;
 
     for (auto& body : bodylist) {
         if (body->IsActive())
@@ -730,8 +730,8 @@ void ChAssembly::IntStateScatter(const unsigned int off_x,
     //    - in particular, bodies and meshes must be processed *before* links, so that links can use
     //      up-to-date body and node information
 
-    unsigned int displ_x = off_x - this->offset_x;
-    unsigned int displ_v = off_v - this->offset_w;
+    int displ_x = off_x - this->offset_x;
+    int displ_v = off_v - this->offset_w;
 
     for (auto& body : bodylist) {
         if (body->IsActive())
@@ -770,7 +770,7 @@ void ChAssembly::IntStateScatter(const unsigned int off_x,
 }
 
 void ChAssembly::IntStateGatherAcceleration(const unsigned int off_a, ChStateDelta& a) {
-    unsigned int displ_a = off_a - this->offset_w;
+    int displ_a = off_a - this->offset_w;
 
     for (auto& body : bodylist) {
         if (body->IsActive())
@@ -795,7 +795,7 @@ void ChAssembly::IntStateGatherAcceleration(const unsigned int off_a, ChStateDel
 
 // From state derivative (acceleration) to system, sometimes might be needed
 void ChAssembly::IntStateScatterAcceleration(const unsigned int off_a, const ChStateDelta& a) {
-    unsigned int displ_a = off_a - this->offset_w;
+    int displ_a = off_a - this->offset_w;
 
     for (auto& body : bodylist) {
         if (body->IsActive())
@@ -820,7 +820,7 @@ void ChAssembly::IntStateScatterAcceleration(const unsigned int off_a, const ChS
 
 // From system to reaction forces (last computed) - some timestepper might need this
 void ChAssembly::IntStateGatherReactions(const unsigned int off_L, ChVectorDynamic<>& L) {
-    unsigned int displ_L = off_L - this->offset_L;
+    int displ_L = off_L - this->offset_L;
 
     for (auto& body : bodylist) {
         if (body->IsActive())
@@ -845,7 +845,7 @@ void ChAssembly::IntStateGatherReactions(const unsigned int off_L, ChVectorDynam
 
 // From reaction forces to system, ex. store last computed reactions in ChLinkBase objects for plotting etc.
 void ChAssembly::IntStateScatterReactions(const unsigned int off_L, const ChVectorDynamic<>& L) {
-    unsigned int displ_L = off_L - this->offset_L;
+    int displ_L = off_L - this->offset_L;
 
     for (auto& body : bodylist) {
         if (body->IsActive())
@@ -874,8 +874,8 @@ void ChAssembly::IntStateIncrement(const unsigned int off_x,
                                    const ChState& x,
                                    const unsigned int off_v,
                                    const ChStateDelta& Dv) {
-    unsigned int displ_x = off_x - this->offset_x;
-    unsigned int displ_v = off_v - this->offset_w;
+    int displ_x = off_x - this->offset_x;
+    int displ_v = off_v - this->offset_w;
 
     for (auto& body : bodylist) {
         if (body->IsActive())
@@ -907,8 +907,8 @@ void ChAssembly::IntStateGetIncrement(const unsigned int off_x,
                                       const ChState& x,
                                       const unsigned int off_v,
                                       ChStateDelta& Dv) {
-    unsigned int displ_x = off_x - this->offset_x;
-    unsigned int displ_v = off_v - this->offset_w;
+    int displ_x = off_x - this->offset_x;
+    int displ_v = off_v - this->offset_w;
 
     for (auto& body : bodylist) {
         if (body->IsActive())
@@ -939,7 +939,7 @@ void ChAssembly::IntLoadResidual_F(const unsigned int off,  ///< offset in R res
                                    ChVectorDynamic<>& R,    ///< result: the R residual, R += c*F
                                    const double c)          ///< a scaling factor
 {
-    unsigned int displ_v = off - this->offset_w;
+    int displ_v = off - this->offset_w;
 
     for (auto& body : bodylist) {
         if (body->IsActive())
@@ -967,7 +967,7 @@ void ChAssembly::IntLoadResidual_Mv(const unsigned int off,      ///< offset in
                                     const ChVectorDynamic<>& w,  ///< the w vector
                                     const double c               ///< a scaling factor
 ) {
-    unsigned int displ_v = off - this->offset_w;
+    int displ_v = off - this->offset_w;
 
     for (auto& body : bodylist) {
         if (body->IsActive())
@@ -991,7 +991,7 @@ void ChAssembly::IntLoadResidual_Mv(const unsigned int off,      ///< offset in
 }
 
 void ChAssembly::IntLoadLumpedMass_Md(const unsigned int off, ChVectorDynamic<>& Md, double& err, const double c) {
-    unsigned int displ_v = off - this->offset_w;
+    int displ_v = off - this->offset_w;
 
     for (auto& body : bodylist) {
         if (body->IsActive())
@@ -1019,7 +1019,7 @@ void ChAssembly::IntLoadResidual_CqL(const unsigned int off_L,    ///< offset in
                                      const ChVectorDynamic<>& L,  ///< the L vector
                                      const double c               ///< a scaling factor
 ) {
-    unsigned int displ_L = off_L - this->offset_L;
+    int displ_L = off_L - this->offset_L;
 
     for (auto& body : bodylist) {
         if (body->IsActive())
@@ -1048,7 +1048,7 @@ void ChAssembly::IntLoadConstraint_C(const unsigned int off_L,  ///< offset in Q
                                      bool do_clamp,             ///< apply clamping to c*C?
                                      double recovery_clamp      ///< value for min/max clamping of c*C
 ) {
-    unsigned int displ_L = off_L - this->offset_L;
+    int displ_L = off_L - this->offset_L;
 
     for (auto& body : bodylist) {
         if (body->IsActive())
@@ -1075,7 +1075,7 @@ void ChAssembly::IntLoadConstraint_Ct(const unsigned int off_L,  ///< offset in
                                       ChVectorDynamic<>& Qc,     ///< result: the Qc residual, Qc += c*Ct
                                       const double c             ///< a scaling factor
 ) {
-    unsigned int displ_L = off_L - this->offset_L;
+    int displ_L = off_L - this->offset_L;
 
     for (auto& body : bodylist) {
         if (body->IsActive())
@@ -1104,8 +1104,8 @@ void ChAssembly::IntToDescriptor(const unsigned int off_v,
                                  const unsigned int off_L,
                                  const ChVectorDynamic<>& L,
                                  const ChVectorDynamic<>& Qc) {
-    unsigned int displ_L = off_L - this->offset_L;
-    unsigned int displ_v = off_v - this->offset_w;
+    int displ_L = off_L - this->offset_L;
+    int displ_v = off_v - this->offset_w;
 
     for (auto& body : bodylist) {
         if (body->IsActive())
@@ -1136,8 +1136,8 @@ void ChAssembly::IntFromDescriptor(const unsigned int off_v,
                                    ChStateDelta& v,
                                    const unsigned int off_L,
                                    ChVectorDynamic<>& L) {
-    unsigned int displ_L = off_L - this->offset_L;
-    unsigned int displ_v = off_v - this->offset_w;
+    int displ_L = off_L - this->offset_L;
+    int displ_v = off_v - this->offset_w;
 
     for (auto& body : bodylist) {
         if (body->IsActive())
diff --git a/src/chrono/physics/ChSystem.cpp b/src/chrono/physics/ChSystem.cpp
index 89f548413f..ffac5efca8 100644
--- a/src/chrono/physics/ChSystem.cpp
+++ b/src/chrono/physics/ChSystem.cpp
@@ -731,8 +731,8 @@ void ChSystem::IntToDescriptor(const unsigned int off_v,
     assembly.IntToDescriptor(off_v, v, R, off_L, L, Qc);
 
     // Use also on contact container:
-    unsigned int displ_L = off_L - assembly.offset_L;
-    unsigned int displ_v = off_v - assembly.offset_w;
+    int displ_L = off_L - assembly.offset_L;
+    int displ_v = off_v - assembly.offset_w;
     contact_container->IntToDescriptor(displ_v + contact_container->GetOffset_w(), v, R,
                                        displ_L + contact_container->GetOffset_L(), L, Qc);
 }
@@ -745,8 +745,8 @@ void ChSystem::IntFromDescriptor(const unsigned int off_v,
     assembly.IntFromDescriptor(off_v, v, off_L, L);
 
     // Use also on contact container:
-    unsigned int displ_L = off_L - assembly.offset_L;
-    unsigned int displ_v = off_v - assembly.offset_w;
+    int displ_L = off_L - assembly.offset_L;
+    int displ_v = off_v - assembly.offset_w;
     contact_container->IntFromDescriptor(displ_v + contact_container->GetOffset_w(), v,
                                          displ_L + contact_container->GetOffset_L(), L);
 }