The geometry of the angles of the wheels relative to the body and the plane of the ground is one of the most important factors in driving safety. When designing, the factory always sets the camber, toe and caster angles, otherwise the car's handling on the road may deteriorate significantly.
Why do you need to do wheel alignment?
Camber-convergence must be done in any case, since its incorrect installation or complete absence leads to very rapid rubber wear and poor vehicle handling. Camber is the angle of inclination of the wheels to the road. Depending on the needs of the motorist, it can be either positive or negative. In the first case, the upper part of the wheel is tilted towards the center of the machine by about 1.5 - 2 degrees. Camber is not desirable as it increases tire wear, but it also provides tighter traction. In most cases, a positive camber is displayed.
Toe is the difference in distance, which is measured at the front and rear points of the wheels (disks) horizontally. Measure it in millimeters or degrees. It can also be positive. Negative and zero. Plus toe front wheels give stable steering high speeds, but at the same time agility, that is, understeer, deteriorates. If the toe is negative, then it is easier to control the machine, since the reaction of the wheels to the rotation of the steering wheel improves. However, in this case, you will often have to change the rubber, as it wears out very quickly on damaged roads. For rear wheels the situation is practically the same. The most the best option will set the wheel toe-in to zero. This will keep the balance in both handling and tire durability. Normal wheel angles provide the vehicle with fuel economy, easier handling and maneuverability, stability and reduced tendency to damp and roll over.
It is also important to know the first signs of unsettled camber:
- The car is driving to the right or left;
- Increased and uneven tire wear;
- The need to replace parts of the steering and chassis.
If you have the above problems, then it would be best to immediately contact a car service, where at a special stand you will perform the necessary adjustment of the geometry angles. A modern stand is capable of performing the necessary measurements and adjustments. In the car service, you will be provided with a report on the work performed, there will be the following items:
- Camber angles of the left and right wheels for both suspensions (front and rear);
- Toe angles (also for all wheels and both suspensions);
- Offset of vehicle axles;
- Rear axle rotation;
- Transverse and longitudinal angles tilt of the axis of rotation.
Before starting work, the master inspects the car for faults, measures the tire pressure (it should be the same) and then corrects the angles.
Camber adjustment - do it yourself wheel alignment
Angle adjustment can also be performed at home, especially since not all car services have computerized stands. Therefore, if you have repair skills and a certain skill, then you can perform the camber adjustment - convergence yourself and not overpay money in the car service.
Before starting work, you need to prepare necessary tools and car pad.
From the first, we need a telescopic ruler, a plumb line at the end, chalk and driving tools. The car must be parked on a level surface, preferably with a viewing hole.
The first step is to place the car on a flat surface and make chalk marks on the outside of the wheel at the top and bottom of the tire.
Next, attach a piece of plumb line to the wing of the car so that it and the marks on the wheels are in the same plane. Then the distance from the cord to the upper mark is measured, and then the lower one, you need to measure it along its far part (edge). In this case, the difference should not be more than 3 mm.
At the third stage, you need to turn the wheels 90 degrees, rolling them a little, after that we put two more marks and take measurements. Then we turn the wheel 180 degrees and perform operations similar to the previous ones.
After taking measurements, the car wheel is removed and the bolts that connect the shock absorber bracket to swivel fist, which noticeably moves in the right direction to the required distance according to measurements.
To do this, you need to mark already on inside wheels and push telescopic ruler into these labels. We combine the fixed pointer on the ruler with zero and turn the wheels a little forward, after which we again take measurements. If the results show that the front of the tire is larger than the rear, then the tie rods are lengthened slightly. If, on the contrary, they are shortened.
You need to understand that correctly set camber and toe angles make the car more stable on the road and significantly increase the life of the rubber and suspension.
