It's no news that the wrong-regulated wheel camber can lead not only to a deterioration in the quality of the tire, but also increase fuel consumption. That is why, you should approach responsibly to the wheel camber alignment.
DIY wheel camber alignment regulation is not difficult as it may seem at first. We try to consider this issue in detail and give the best advice to beginners. Control Wheel Stability Control is the most important aspect that affects the stability of the car on the road. What does this mean? The wheels must move in a straight line and passing the turn get back to the starting position.
Following this, an urgent need to stabilize the wheels is explained very simply. When the vehicle is moving, the wheels, which are not stabilized, leave aside as a result of the road shocks. Then, the driver should return the wheel to the right (straight) position. Given the fact that it happens all the time, the driver becomes very tired. In addition, the steering actuator contacts are worn faster. And with increasing speed, the growing instability becomes not safe.
What determines the stabilization of the steered wheels? The answer is simple: on their toe in or out. The wheel camber alignment regulation can be made in car repair shops, but it is possible to solve this problem by your own.
The first thing to do is to determine the need for adjustment of toe in / toe out.
Let’s consider this step-to-step:
- Continuous vehicle course off, rectilinear motion in one direction or another.
- Non-uniform tire worn.
- When viewing the front wheel tread groove along the axis of rotation, it is necessary to examine the edge of the groove. If the edges are the same, it means that there is no reason for concern, but if one of them has some sharpness, then you have a problem. But it is worth paying attention in a calm drive. If you are a fan of fast speed, this condition can be deceiving.
- The difficulty of control when maneuvering. The presence of at least one of these symptoms says you need to adjust toe in / toe out. Drivers who have some experience in auto repair by their own with a strong desire can perform wheel camber alignment regulation by themselves.
How Do I Regulate Toe In / Toe Out?
For repair, you will need the following:
- A ruler;
- A chalk;
- Standard Toolkit;
- A plumb line;
- Flat surface with a pit or lift.
You first need to find out: how well toe in has been made before. I.e. if the rack has zero position in rectilinear motion. How to do it? Follow the instructions: put the car on a level surface. Then turn the steering wheel as much as possible in one direction, making the label on top of the steering wheel (in the middle of circle), turn the steering wheel to the other side. It is necessary to count the number of whole turns and parts of a whole circle (shares). Having counted, divide the resulting number by 2 and turn the steering wheel in this position. If the result coincides with the usual position of the steering wheel, the zero position of the rail exposed. If not, you will have to do it by yourself.
How Do I Set Zero Position?
Remove the steering wheel and unscrew the nut. After fix it in the counted zero position (the steering spokes must be symmetrical). Now we will focus on this position. In order to check yourself, you need to turn the steering wheel left / right, on both sides, it should turn to the same number of turns. That is why, when turning the wheel in both sides to the limit, count these turns.
Next, you need to loosen the lock nuts of the steering draft tips. One draft should be pulled out a little, and the second one is to be tightened in the same number of turns (it is very important!). This procedure can be done once and no longer change the position of the steering wheel. And in the future, you need to just adjust the alignment.
How Do I Regulate Wheel Alignment?
After checking the straightness, check the load on transport, tire pressure, the suspension mount and steering mechanism. After that, you can proceed directly to check and adjust the alignment.
To determine the level of the wheel alignment, calculate the difference between points on the rim of the front and rear part of its axis geometry. To do this, use a special chain with a ruler or tensioning device.
To measure the alignment, set the ruler between the wheels so that the tip rest in the side of tires and chains touch the ground. When you set the arrow at zero position, the vehicle should be put slightly forward so as the ruler is behind the wheel axle. The arrow should indicate the level of alignment. In case of discrepancy with the norm, it should be adjusted.
In order to adjust the toe in, rotate side steering draft joints. When this operation is performed, the control nuts should be securely tightened.
Camber Angle Adjustment
The most difficult process is checking and adjusting the camber, but it is possible to perform on your own. To do this, the car is lifted so that the wheels do not touch the ground. Then you need to calculate the locations of the same swash of tires. Putting the wheels in the straight-ahead position, hung the load next to the wheel. Make marks with a chalk on the circumference of the wheel, above and below. Using a plumb line, calculate the distance from the rim to the line.
The difference between the distances of the load thread load and the top of the rim is a level of camber. For accuracy, drive the car so that the wheel has turned 90°. Repeat this several times and record the results.
Next, remove the wheel and release 2 bolts mounting shock absorber bracket to steering knuckle. Then, shift the knuckle inwards or outwards in the direction and at the distance depending on your measurements. In this way, you can set the desired camber angle. After the procedure, you need to tighten the bolts, put the wheel and repeat measurements.
Doing toe in / toe out on your own, remember that you must carry out measurements several times (at least three), then take the average arithmetic value. If the toe in / toe out are adjusted correctly, the vehicle will not go away in the direction of motion, and the tire tread wear is uniform.
The whole procedure is repeated if after servicing the car still “crab” from the straight course. Uneven tire wear also informs about wrong toe in / toe out procedure, so diagnosis of the tires is not superfluous.
Independent performance of such procedures is not easy, but it can save a decent amount of money. Remember however that manufacturers of the most modern vehicles recommend performing toe in / toeing out at the car repair shop.
