Why adjust wheel alignment?

Wheels have a decisive influence on the performance of a car, because this is the only part that comes into direct contact with the road surface, and also has the task of supporting the entire weight of the car.

There are many reasons, both objective and subjective, that cause the wheel alignment to deviate from the manufacturer's standards. After a period of use, the suspension and steering system connections on the vehicle will be worn or loose, especially in cases where the vehicle often has to travel on bad terrain, mountainous roads, gravel, etc. Or it could be because the driver often climbs the vehicle onto the sidewalk at an angle, the vehicle is hit, scratched, overloaded, etc.

Because wheel alignment errors occur gradually and do not have immediate consequences, most drivers are either complacent or unaware of the problem. Some vehicles with misalignment are not detected early and the effects are insignificant, but some vehicles have obvious consequences before their owners take them in for repair.

Failure to detect and adjust in time can lead to a number of dangerous situations for both the vehicle and the user, such as uneven tire wear, wheel vibration, steering wheel tending to deviate to one side when the vehicle is running straight, wheel misalignment, or even becoming the cause of "loss of control".

Whether a car feels light, precise and agile to drive, or requires a lot of effort to steer the car in the right direction, is greatly affected by the wheel alignment. The optimal wheel alignment design not only helps to operate more smoothly and safely, but also ensures the durability of mechanical parts. Therefore, in actual use and maintenance, car owners need to maintain the original standard by periodically checking and adjusting when necessary.

Toe - wheel camber is the difference between the distance between the two tire treads measured from the rear and the distance between the two tire treads measured from the front on the same axle, Toe adjustment is the alignment in the translational direction of the two wheels on the same axle. Toe is 0 when the two wheels are parallel, Toe-in (positive toe) occurs when the distance between the two tire treads in the front is shorter than the distance between the two tire treads in the rear, and Toe-out (negative toe) is the opposite.

Both Toe-in and Toe-out affect the smoothness of the vehicle when operating, which is manifested by the vibration of the front end and steering wheel, the vehicle "lurching", uneven tire wear and often creating sawtooth wear between the tire treads, severe cases can even cause the tire to fail very quickly, which many people call "tire eating": Too much positive toe will corrode the outer side of the tire, too negative will corrode the inner side of the tire.

Camber is the angle between the vertical axis of the drive wheel and the vertical axis of the vehicle when viewed from the front or rear. Camber is measured in degrees and minutes, with Zero Camber when the wheel is perpendicular to the road surface, Positive Camber when the wheel is tilted outward, and Negative Camber when the wheel is tilted inward.

Whether positive or negative camber reduces the contact surface of the wheel with the road, affecting the grip, thereby reducing the stability of the vehicle when operating, and causing uneven tire wear. If the tire wear on the inside shoulder is more, it is due to negative camber.

Conversely, if the outer shoulder is worn more, it is due to positive camber. In addition, this condition can make the tire noisier, even causing discomfort to the occupants inside the car.

Caster is the measure of the angle between the vertical column of the wheel and the steering column. When the Caster is positive, the wheel will be in front of the vertical column head, and vice versa, it will be behind the column head in the direction of the vehicle's progress. Caster directly affects the steering speed of the steering wheel and the turning radius, the smaller the Caster, the lighter the steering wheel travel. When the vehicle is overloaded, the spring will weaken or sag downwards, which will affect the Caster. In addition, ensuring the frame is at the design height is also a factor that should be noted if you want to keep the Caster at the standard level.

Caster is zero when the steering axis coincides with the vertical, positive Caster when the steering axis is tilted backwards, negative Caster when the steering axis is tilted forward. Although incorrect Caster does not cause tire wear, if one wheel has more positive Caster than the other, then the wheel will pull towards the center of the vehicle, causing the vehicle to tend to lean towards the wheel with less positive Caster.

With the naked eye, it is difficult to detect the effects caused by wheel alignment errors, until the consequences occur, it is too late. Therefore, it is better to check and readjust the wheel alignment at least once a year, or after 10,000 km, to prevent damage and prolong the life of the vehicle.

Furthermore, thanks to a variety of high-tech machines, the process of checking and adjusting wheel alignment has now become more accurate and convenient than traditional techniques.