Passenger Car Wheel Alignment Seminar

CO-ORGANISED BY
PT KAWAN LAMA SEJAHTERA
&
LAUNCH MALAYSIA SDN BHD
PRESENTED TO YOU BY :
YIAW CHIN TANG
Master In Management, MIMI,AAE,DKM. JUDGE
TECHNICAL SKILL CONSULTANT
013 3365488 / [email protected]

PT KAWAN LAMA SEJAHTERA LAUNCH

1.
INTRODUCTORY
THE IMPORTANT
OF
WHEEL ALIGNMENT
 INTRODUCTORY
THE IMPORTANT OF WHEEL ALIGNMENT

The purpose of wheel alignment adjustments is to:

1 - reduce tire wear 2 - ensure that vehicle travel

is straight and true
“without pulling" to one side.
 INTRODUCTORY
THE IMPORTANT OF WHEEL ALIGNMENT

Safer Driving

A suspension system
inspection is part of our
alignment procedure.
 INTRODUCTORY
THE IMPORTANT OF WHEEL ALIGNMENT

Better Gas Mileage

Gas mileage increases as

rolling resistance
decreases.

4 wheels alignment sets

all four wheel parallel
which, along with proper
inflation, minimizes
rolling resistance.
 INTRODUCTORY THE IMPORTANT OF WHEEL ALIGNMENT

Improved Handling
Many handling problems can be
corrected by
4 wheels alignment
With all the system components
aligned properly, road shock is
more efficiently absorbed for a
smoother ride.

>Does your car pull to one side?

>Does the steering wheel vibrate?
>Do you constantly have to move
the steering wheel to keep your
car traveling straight ahead?
 Wheel alignment is part of
1 - standard Automotive maintenance
that consists of
2 - adjusting the angles of the wheels
so that they are
3 - set to the car maker's specification
2.
Pre-wheel
alignment inspection
3. Pre-wheel alignment inspection

Pre-Alignment Procedures

1 - Tire & Wheels Inspection

2 - Component Inspection

- Steering , Suspension, Brakes

3 - Ride Height Inspection & Measurement

Tires & Wheels:
1. Measure tires for wear
2. Check tires for cuts, snags, and cracks
3. Check tires for bumps, bulges, and knots
4. Check tire labeling for restricted usage
5. Check wheel bolts, nuts, or lugs
6. Check wheel for damage
7. Check for proper tire size
8. Check for proper inflation
9. Ensure tires do not protrude past fender walls
Steering System:

1 - Check for lash or free play in steering system

2 - Check power steering system for operation,
fluid level, and leaks
3 - Check tire rod ends
4 - Check tie rods for seizure due to rust
5 - Check condition of shock absorbers
and struts
Suspension System:

1 - Check ball joint assembly for seizure due to rust

2 - Check ball joints for movement If ball joint movement
is detected, check tolerance with tool (use
manufacturer spec's)
3 - Check torsion bars or springs
4 - Check condition of shock absorbers and struts
5 - Check wheel bearings
6 - Check axle shaft
Brakes:

1 - Check for brake failure and ABS indicator lamp operation

2 - Check brake system integrity
3 - Check parking brake functionality
4 - Check master cylinder lines and wheel brakes for signs
of leakage
5 - Check brake hoses for integrity, cracks, and wear
6 - Road test brakes (stop within 25 feet at 20 mph)
Ride Height Inspection and Measurement
Additional Angles – Ride Height Measurement
 WHY THE PROPER RIDE HEIGHT IS SO IMPORTANT

Ride height determines

control arms operate within their normal range of
travel.

The control arms are positioned to operate at a

specified ride height to determines the amount and
direction of camber change that occurs as the
suspension moves from jounce to rebound which can
cause undesirable changes in camber and toe.

Unequal camber can cause a vehicle to lead to one

side.
 WHY THE PROPER RIDE HEIGHT IS SO IMPORTANT

1 - Differences in ride
height front-to-rear can
also upset the steering
geometry of the front
suspension.

2 - Depending on the
amount of change, it may 3–
have an adverse effect Raising or lowering the rear
on steering stability, effort of the vehicle will change
and returnability the angle of the steering
a x i s ( c a s t e r ) .
Tire Wear Diagnosis

Tire Smooth On One Side

Feather Edging

Cupping Appearance

Shoulder Wear (Both Sides)

Center Wear
 When a tire is wearing smooth on one
side, it can safely be assumed that the worn area is
where road contact is being made.

Tire Wear Diagnosis In this case, not only is the tire wear being
significantly accelerated, but control of the vehicle
and handling performance are reduced.

The major cause of this tire wear pattern is

camber misadjustment. Incorrect camber
adjustment can result from worn chassis parts,
(springs, steering linkage, bushings, ball joints,
etc.) or previous misalignment.

Excessive positive camber will wear the outside

edge of the tire and excessive negative camber
will wear the inside edge of the tire.

Sometimes, incorrect toe adjustment will cause shoulder wear on one

side (outside wear for toe-in and inside wear for toe-out). To correct the
condition, alignment and tire rotation or replacement is necessary.
 Tire Wear Diagnosis
Feather edging will normally occur if the
toe adjustment is incorrect.

Misadjustment of toe can develop from

defective chassis parts, incorrect
turning radius or misalignment.

Feather edging is identified by sliding

the hand across the tire tread surface.
Depending to which extreme the toe is
misadjusted (in or out), sharp edges
will be felt in one direction and
smoothness will be felt in the opposite
direction.

Feather edging can result in a direction pull and eventually ruin the tires
 Cupping Appearance Tires will begin to
develop a “cupping” appearance
when the vehicle suspension loses its
ability to absorb “jounce travel.”
Tire Wear Diagnosis “Jounce travel” is the upward movement
of the tire in relation to the vehicle’s
downward movement.

This condition most commonly

occurs with weak shock absorbers or
incorrect shock application.

Other factors that should be considered

when tires “cup” are the springs,
tire balance and wheel alignment (in this
order). As the springs sag, the shock
absorber shaft will be lowered
out of its effective range. When a vehicle
has ineffective shocks and soft sagging
springs, the vehicle becomes susceptible
to excessive bouncing.
3.
Wheel alignment Types
3 - Wheel alignment Types

A CENTERLINE alignment is a
basic alignment procedure
front wheel TOE is adjusted to
the center line of the vehicle.

Essentially, the position of the

rear wheels is not considered.

This alignment type corrects all

front wheel alignment angles,
but the rear wheels may not
track correctly behind the front
wheels, resulting in DOG-
TRACKING and a mis-aligned
steering wheel.
3 - Wheel alignment Types

A THRUSTLINE alignment is a specific . alignment procedure where

the front wheel TOE angle is set relative to the rear wheels.
Specifically, the THRUST ANGLE is measured at the rear wheels,
then the front wheel toe angle is set to compensate for any
variation of the thrust angle value from (usually) zero degrees
3 - Wheel alignment Types

A 4-WHEEL alignment is a specific alignment procedure where both

front and rear wheels are adjusted in relation to the thrust
line. Essentially, the THRUST ANGLE is adjusted first (usually to zero
degrees) by adjusting TOE at the rear wheels, then the front wheel toe
angles are set to compensate for any variation of the thrust line from the
center line of the vehicle. This results in the rear wheels tracking
correctly behind the front wheels with no DOG-TRACKING, as well as
the steering wheel in the correct position.
 4 - Wheel alignment measurement

WHEEL ALIGNMENT ANGLES ARE BASICALLY

DIVIDED INTO THE FOLLOWING:

1 - Primary angles
2 - Secondary angles
3 - Additional angles
 Primary angles

There are three adjustment parameters

involved on each axle
in order to
properly align a vehicle.
These adjustments are:

CAMBER
CASTER
TOE
Primary Angles
CAMBER ANGLE
CAMBER ANGLE - ZERO
CAMBER ANGLE - POSITIVE
CAMBER ANGLE - NEGATIVE
CASTER ANGLE
CASTER ANGLE - POSITIVE
CASTER ANGLE - NEGATIVE
CASTER ANGLE – SOLID AXLE
CASTER ANGLE – INDEPENDENT SUSPENSION
TOE ANGLE – POSITIVE
TOE ANGLE – NEGATIVE
TOE ANGLE
 Result –
All four wheels are parallel and the
steering wheel is centered.

Steering Center
 IMPORTANT NOTE
Alignment angles can also be altered
beyond the maker's specifications
to obtain a specific handling characteristic
Secondary Angles
They are:

SAI (left & right)

Included angle
Toe out on turns
Maximum Turns
Secondary Angles Influence on Vehicle
SAI / KPI Handling:
King Pin inclination defines the Non-adjustable angle that, with
angle of inward lean (upwards, camber, controls "scrub radius"
towards the centre of the car) to minimize effects of road
of the King Pins (the bolts that bumps on steering.
hub carrier/stub axle rotate
around).

This angle promotes some Influence on Tire

steering self-centering, and
also modifies some of the Wear:
camber change induced by Rapid tire wear can result from
increasing steering angle in mounting new wheels with
association with caster: it
different offset that may increase
lessens the negative camber
change on the outer wheel, scrub radius by moving tire
whilst increasing the positive footprint outside projected pivot
camber on the inner wheel. point.
SCRUB ANGLE
Non-adjustable
angle that, with
c a m b e r, c o n t r o l s
"scrub radius" to
minimize effects of
road bumps on
s t e e r i n g .
Secondary Angles

Included angle

= SAI / KPI
+
Camber
 Secondary Angles
Toe out on turns - Ackerman Angle
Toe Out on Turns

Toe-Out-In-Turn
If not within manufacturer specifications,
check for bent or damaged components
 Secondary Angles
Toe out on turns - Ackerman Angle
Definition:
Amount that front wheels
tow out during turns. Ideal
angle reduces tire
scrubbing. Measured in
degrees.
Influence on Tire Wear:

Influence on Vehicle Handling:

Does not influence vehicle
handling qualities.
Maximum Turns
Maximum turning steering angle

The maximum
steering angle is
the toe-in angle of
the front wheel by
max. left and right-
hand turn.

It is based on the
circle-internal in
each case wheel
and referred to the
vehicle
longitudinal centre
plane.
 Setback (front & rear)

Setback (front & rear) is often referred as

a wheel alignment angle.

However setback simply exists because

of the measuring system
And does not have any specification from
car manufacturers.
Additional Angles - Setback (front & rear)
 5
ANALYZE
MEASURED VALUE
VERSUS GIVEN VALUE
6
Wheel alignment
adjustment and correction
 Wheel alignment adjustment and correction

>Does your car pull to one side?

>Does the steering wheel vibrate?

Do you constantly
have to move the
steering wheel to
keep your car
traveling
straight PULLS
Left or
ahead? right
 7
Test drive / car handling
 7 -Test drive the vehicle.

An alignment
should always start and end with a test drive.

This way you will

know what
symptoms
to look for while
performing the
alignment.
7 -Test drive the vehicle

Test drive the vehicle

to ensure the symptoms OR
it had before are gone

can be explained (like

cupped tires
vibrating) that the
alignment service will
SAFETY
not immediately
FIRST correct.
 7 - Test drive / car handling

Factors that affect a car's handling:

Weight distribution
Center of gravity height
Center of gravity forward or back
Roll angular inertia

Steering Electronic stability control

Static alignment of the wheels
Rigidity of the frame

Suspension travel
Tires and wheels
Track and wheelbase
Unsprung weight
Aerodynamics
Delivery of power to the wheels and brakes
7 - Test drive / car handling

External conditions that affect handling

Weather
Weather affects handling by making the road slippery.
Different tires do best in different weather.
Deep water is an exception to the rule that wider tires improve
road

Road condition
Cars with relatively soft suspension and with low unsprung
weight are least affected by uneven surfaces, while on flat
smooth surfaces the stiffer the better. Unexpected water, ice, oil,
etc. are hazards.
7- Test drive / car handling

External conditions that affect handling

Road condition
Cars with relatively soft suspension and
with low unsprung weight are least
affected by uneven surfaces, while on
flat smooth surfaces the stiffer the
better. Unexpected water, ice, oil, etc.
are hazards.
7- Test drive / car handling

Common handling problems

Usually most desirable to have the car adjusted for a

small amount of understeer

The front wheels tend to crawl slightly or even slip and

drift towards the outside of the turn. The driver can
compensate by turning a little more tightly, but road-
holding is reduced, the car's behaviour is less predictable
and the tires are liable to wear more quickly.
7 - Test drive / car handling

oversteering on a wet surface

Common handling problems

Oversteer - the rear wheels tend to crawl or slip towards

the outside of the turn more than the front. The driver
must correct by steering away from the corner,
otherwise the car is liable to spin, if pushed to its limit.

Oversteer is sometimes useful, to assist in steering,

especially if it occurs only when the driver chooses it by
applying power.
 Ideally,
understeers
the vehicle will
travel along the line
marked with
GREEN DOTS.

If the vehicle
understeers, the
front wheels lose
traction and the
vehicle tends to
follow the
RED DOTTED LINE.
Steps Can Be Taken To Decrease Oversteer
(Increase Understeer)

•Increase Front Tire Pressure • More Rear Wheel Toe Out

•Decrease Rear Tire Pressure • More Negative Front Wheel
Caster
•Smaller Front Tire Section
• Stiffer Front Springs
•Larger Rear Tire Section
• Softer Rear Springs
•More Positive Front Wheel
Camber • Stiffer (Heavier) Front Sway
Bar
•More Negative Rear Wheel
Camber • Softer (Lighter) Rear Sway
Bar
•More Front Wheel Toe In
• More Forward Weight
Distribution
 7 - Test drive / car handling

Common handling problems

Bump steer:
the effect of irregularity of a road surface on
the angle or motion of a car. It may be the
result of the kinematic motion of the
suspension rising or falling, causing toe-in or
toe-out at the loaded wheel, ultimately affecting
the yaw angle (heading) of the car. It may also
be caused by defective or worn out suspension
components
7 - Test drive / car handling

Body roll - the car leans towards the

outside of the curve. This interferes
with the driver's control, because he
must wait for the car to finish leaning
before he can fully judge the effect of
his steering change. It also adds to
the delay before the car moves in the
desired direction.
 7 - Test drive / car handling

Slow response –
Sideways acceleration does not start immediately when
the steering is turned and may not stop immediately
when it is returned to center.

This is partly caused by body roll. Other causes include

tires with high slip angle, and yaw and roll angular inertia.
Roll angular inertia aggravates body roll by delaying it.

Soft tires aggravate yaw angular inertia by waiting for the

car to reach their slip angle before turning the car.
7 - Test drive / car handling

Weight transfer -
The wheels on the outside of a curve are
more heavily loaded than those on the
inside.

This tends to overload the tires on the

outside and therefore reduce road
holding. Weight transfer (sum of front and
back), in steady cornering, is determined
by the ratio of the height of a car's center
of gravity to its track.

Differences between the weight transfer

in front and back are determined by the
relative roll stiffness and contribute to the
over or under-steer characteristics.
 8
Question and Answer
 TRAINING PERSONNEL 2/2

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OR AND
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2/2

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