Wheel alignment has a significant effect on vehicle stability, tire wear and fuel consumption. There are the following wheel alignment angles. camber is the angle between the plane of rotation and the vertical of the wheel. It can be positive if the wheels are tilted outward, or negative if the wheels are tilted inward. The camber angle mainly affects the uniformity of front tire wear. If the camber angle of one wheel is positive and the other is negative, then the car will pull to the side when driving in a straight line;
Convergence - the difference in the distances between the side flanges of the rims, measured behind and in front of the wheels at the level of their centers. Positive toe means that the wheels in front are closer together than behind, at the level of their centers. Negative toe means that the wheels in front are further apart than in the rear.
The transverse inclination of the axis of rotation of the wheel is the angle between the axis of inclination of the steering knuckle and the vertical drawn through the wheel attachment point in the longitudinal plane of the vehicle.
Due to the camber angles and the transverse inclination of the axis of rotation, the points of contact of the wheels with the road are located closer to the axis of the steering knuckle. This supports the so-called «running shoulder». The less «running shoulder», the easier it is to drive. In addition, bumps from uneven surfaces are less transmitted to the steering.
The caster angle is the angle between the axis of inclination of the steering knuckle and the vertical through the wheel attachment point, in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The axis about which the wheel turns is placed in space so that its lower part is tilted forward. Such an angle of longitudinal inclination is called positive. With a positive value of the angle, the best stability and stabilization of the steered wheels in a straight line is provided.
Wheel alignment must be checked and adjusted at a workshop due to the complexity of the equipment used.
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