Wheel alignment can only be checked on a suitable measuring stand.
Therefore, here we restrict ourselves to a description of the basic concepts.
Convergence / camber / lateral inclination of the axis of rotation / longitudinal inclination of the axis of rotation
Convergence is the difference in distance between the side surfaces of the front wheels in front and behind. Positive toe-in means that the wheels are set so that, when measured at the height of the center of the front wheel, they are slightly closer apart at the front than at the rear. Negative toe means that the front wheels - when measured at wheel center height - are slightly further apart at the front than at the rear.
Camber and lateral tilt of the steering axle reduce the transmission of shocks from bumps in the road and friction when cornering.
Camber is the angle at which the plane of the wheel is deflected from the vertical. The front wheels are mounted at an angle, for example, with negative camber, the wheels are tilted towards the vehicle.
The angle of the transverse inclination of the axis of rotation is the angle between the axis of rotation of the wheel and the vertical passing through the point of contact of the tire, the backlash does not exceed the allowable values in the transverse plane of the car.
Due to the presence of the distribution and the transverse angle of rotation of the wheel, the points of contact of the wheels with the road surface approach the axis of rotation of the wheel. Thus, the so-called rolling shoulder is kept to a minimum. The smaller the rolling shoulder, the easier the steering becomes. At the same time, the impact of bumps from uneven road surfaces on the steering rods is also significantly reduced.
The longitudinal angle of the axis of rotation of the wheel is the angle between the axis and the vertical passing through the point of contact of the tire, in the longitudinal plane of the car. This angle greatly affects the straight line while driving. An angle that is too small contributes to vehicle yaw on rough roads and crosswinds and does not sufficiently return the steering to the center position after cornering.
With the COLT/LANCER model, the lateral inclination of the steering axis and camber, as well as the angle of the longitudinal inclination of the steering axis, are not set, but only controlled. If the measured value is out of tolerance, the suspension parts are damaged or worn.
Adjustment
To adjust the wheel alignment, a pit or a measuring jack must be available. When measuring, the following conditions must be met:
- Tire pressure must be correct.
- the vehicle must be fully fueled.
- Before the measurement, the vehicle must be strongly reined in from the front.
- the steering wheel is set to the straight ahead position.
- in the steering joints, the backlash does not exceed the permissible values (maximum play of the steering wheel on the outer diameter of 30 mm).
- backlashes in the suspension do not exceed the permissible values, backlashes of wheel bearings are within tolerance.
- radial and lateral runout of rims must not exceed 2.0 mm (disc runout must be compensated using a measuring device).