A wheel alignment is an
important part of assuring you the maximum possible amount of tire life.
Also, in some cases, a misaligned vehicle can cause some safety concerns
as well.
There are three important angles that
are adjustable on the front wheels of MOST vehicles. They are
Camber, Caster and Toe. The following is and explanation of each:
Camber: This is the
measurement of how your tire "stands up." Auto manufacturers
specify that the tops of your tires lean in at the top. If the
adjustment is too little then the tire will have smooth tread wear on
the inside whereas too much camber will cause smooth wear on the
outside. This angle can also cause a car to pull or drift to one
side of the road. Camber is adjustable because with the advent of
independent front suspension, this angle changes as the vehicle corners
and also decreases as the springs which hold the vehicle up weaken with
time.
Caster: This angle is the only angle
that does not cause tire wear. If you were to look at your front
tires from the side of the vehicle and draw a line through the center
from the bottom to the top, this is your caster angle. If you tip
the top of this line to the front of the vehicle, this is negative
caster, tip the line to the back, positive caster. This angle is
used mostly to keep the front wheels centered during forward motion as
well as help the steering return to center after a turn and compensate
for a vehicles natural tendency to pull or drift
to the right due to the design of roads for water run off. Caster
is what allows people to ride bicycles no-handed and also makes shopping
carts easier to handle. The difference between positive and
negative caster effects can be felt best with a shopping cart. Push it
forward and then pull it back and note the difference in handling.
Toe: Toe
is the biggest cause for tire wear and is also the biggest cause for
handling problems. The best way to understand toe is to sit in a
chair with your feet flat on the floor and perfectly straight out in
front of you, you have perfect toe. If you point one or both feet
in from center, you have toe in. If you point one or both feet out
from center, you have toe out. Toe wear is evident when you have
choppy inside or outside wear on your tires. The choppiness is
caused by the tire "skipping" along the road trying to turn the vehicle.
Extreme toe problems will cause the tread of the tire to feel "sharp"
and feathered across the whole face.
Your car may require a four wheel
alignment also. All front wheel drive and some rear wheel drive
cars
have adjustments for the rear tires, however only camber and toe
adjustments are provided - caster is not needed in the rear.
Bay Town Tire Center offers complete
computerized two and four wheel alignment service for all makes and
models of cars and light trucks* with prices starting at $64.95.
It is a good idea to at least have your alignment checked after a new
tire purchase. The price for this service is $21.50.
*sorry, no cube vans, motor homes or trucks over
12,000 lbs
