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Wheel Alignment

An important part of vehicle ride control is directional control. Will the vehicle travel straight down a highway? Will it steer easily? Will the tires be subject to minimum wear? Will the steering wheel return to the straight ahead position after turning a corner? For the answer to be YES to all these questions, the vehicle must be properly aligned.

Wheel alignment is the adjustment of angles made by the front wheels in relation to:

  • The vehicle's suspension, or Caster
  • The road, or Camber
  • Each other, or Toe
  • Rear wheels

The alignment of one of these angles affects the others. All angles are adjustable on most suspension systems.

Wheel Alignment Problems?

Pay attention to your car. It's trying to tell you something. Notice that when you're driving straight ahead, your steering wheel is turned a bit to the side? And notice how your car pulls to one side when you take your hands off the wheel? And what about uneven tire wear? Your car is trying to tell you it needs wheel alignment.

Caster

Caster is the forward or backward tilt of the steering axis. Most cars are designed with positive caster which provides good directional stability by tending to return the front wheel to the straight-ahead position.

Toe

Toe is the difference in the distance between the front of the front wheels and the distance between the rear of the front wheels. Toe is the most critical tire wearing angle. If either wheel has too much toe-in or toe-out, the tires will sideslip.

Camber

Camber is the inward or outward tilt of the tire as seen from the front. The purpose of camber is to uniformly distribute vehicle load across the tire face to minimize tire wear. Excessive positive or negative camber, however, will increase tire wear dramatically. Incorrect camber angles can also cause steering problems. Today's 4-wheel independent suspension systems require a 4-wheel alignment to ensure that all four wheels are travelling in the same exact direction. Come to Fast Lane for an alignment done to Ford specifications by our Ford-trained specialists.