Wheel alignment is the adjustment of wheel alignment in relation to the suspension and the road. If the wheels are out of alignment, this not only affects the handling of the car, but also increases the rate of tire wear. For the front wheels, the convergence, camber and caster angle of the kingpin are usually adjusted (See Fig.). Toe/camber adjustment is a very precise operation. High-quality wheel alignment requires the use of complex and expensive equipment. In view of this, it is recommended to contact specialists to adjust the toe / camber. The following is a general description of wheel alignments to give you a general idea of them so that you can better understand this issue when you visit the bodyshop.
Toe-in is the angle at which the wheels are turned inward. The purpose of wheel alignment is to keep the wheels running parallel. On a car with zero toe angle, the distance between the front edges of the wheels will be the same as the distance between the rear edges of the wheels. In reality, the toe-in is usually a few millimeters. On the front wheels, the toe angle is adjusted by the position of the tie rod end. On the rear wheels, it is controlled by the length of the rear tie rods (N2). Improper wheel alignment will cause improper tire wear, causing them to rub against the road surface.
Camber is the deviation of the wheels from vertical when viewed from the front or rear of the vehicle. If the wheel is tilted outward at the top, the camber is positive (+). If the wheel is deflected at the top inward, then the camber is negative (-). The amount of deflection is measured in degrees from the vertical and this value is called the camber angle. The value of this angle determines how many tread tracks will be in contact with the road, and this angle is also necessary to compensate for changes in suspension geometry when cornering and when driving on rough roads. Its adjustment is carried out using special tools designed to adjust the camber.
The caster angle of the kingpin is the deviation of the axis of the kingpin from the vertical. Deviation back is called the positive tilt of the kingpin, and deviation forward is called negative.