There are several factors that play a role in your car's alignment, including caster, camber, and toe. Hitting a speed bump or pothole can throw any of them out of balance. In this article, we'll take a look at how each of these elements affect your vehicle's steering response and the wear of your tires.
The Influence Of Caster And Camber
Caster and camber may be difficult to visualize if either of them is unfamiliar to you. The former is a measurement involving the front tires' steering axis. Picture the tire from the side. The steering axis's centerline is vertical through the center of the tire. Caster measures the tilt of the axis. If the axis is tilting forward, caster is negative. If the axis is tilting backward, it is positive. Most manufacturers set it between positive 2 and 5.
While an unbalanced caster will affect the handling of your vehicle, it rarely causes premature tread wear. A common problem is that the setting for one of the front wheels is more positive than the other. In such cases, the car will pull to the side of the latter.
Camber measures the tilt of each wheel's centerline when observed from the front. When the top of the wheel tips inward toward the vehicle's center, camber is negative. When the wheel tips outward, camber is positive. Manufacturers typically set it between zero and negative 2.
Like caster, camber influences your car's handling. However, it also affects tread wear. If camber is too negative, the treads on your tires will wear more quickly along the inner edge. If it is too positive, the wear will occur along the outer edge. Too much camber in either direction will also put a strain on your vehicle's suspension.
How Toe Affects Your Tires And Steering
Toe measures the degree to the front of your tires point inward or outward in relation to the rear of your tires when observed from directly overhead. If the front of the wheels point inward, there would be toe in. If they point outward, there would be toe out. If your wheels pointed forward on parallel axes, toe would be zero. Automakers set the default toe differently, depending on a vehicle's drivetrain and other factors.
If toe is adjusted poorly, your treads will wear prematurely. You'll also experience understeer with excessive toe in and oversteer with excessive toe out. Understeer is a condition while cornering in which the radius of your vehicle's path is greater than intended. Oversteer is a condition (again, while cornering) in which the rear tires slide toward the outer edge of the turn. Both circumstances can impair your vehicle's steering response.
Other Factors At Work
Caster, camber, and toe are the most common culprits behind alignment problems. However, other factors, such as the ride height, wheelbase, and track, can also play a role. Your car's ride height refers to the distance between the ground and your car's frame. Some drivers modify this height aftermarket. Other times, it can be affected by worn springs and shocks.
The wheelbase measures the distance between the center of the front wheel and the center of the rear wheel. Aside from special circumstances, it should never be modified.
Lastly, track measures the distance between the center of the wheels that share an axle. It can be modified with offset wheels, but doing so excessively can have unfavorable consequences.
Your vehicle's alignment influences your fuel efficiency, the life of your tires, and the overall steering response and handling of your car. If you believe any of the above items are misaligned, have your mechanic adjust them back to their proper settings.
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