asymmetry of the wheel alignment problems
asymmetry of the wheel alignment problems
(OP)
Hello ,
How way the asymmetry of the toe alignment (thrust angle) affects tire wear and car stability?
Thank you
Radek
How way the asymmetry of the toe alignment (thrust angle) affects tire wear and car stability?
Thank you
Radek
RE: asymmetry of the wheel alignment problems
If you arbitrarily lengthen the left tie rod by (let's say) one turn and shorten the right one the same amount ... is that an example of what you are talking about?
If you were to do this with the steering wheel locked in place then the effect will be to put the car into a right turn (assuming rear steer). If you allow the driver to do what needs to be done to drive straight ahead then the steering wheel won't be centered when driving straight ahead. Depending on how the steering stops work, maybe the turning circle won't be the same left vs right. If the steering wheel angle is an input to stability-control, that system might be unhappy. The thing that clicks the turn signal off when re-centering the steering wheel might be unhappy, too.
Or did you mean something else?
RE: asymmetry of the wheel alignment problems
Cheers
Greg Locock
New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?
RE: asymmetry of the wheel alignment problems
In front view, tierods may have different lengths because steering wheel or steering shaft is not positioned to design intent.
so, count threads showing to verify. should be same count. if different, then slope of tierod is different, too. slope is ride/roll steer.
if different, then asymmetric ride steer and higher tire wear from scrub. can also cause steering lead: car moves to right or left on its own. no feel in steering wheel.
RE: asymmetry of the wheel alignment problems
On Ford vans that I've driven, which have all been old crapboxes, what the driver did with the steering wheel was a vague suggestion. They're notorious for wearing out front tires, too.
RE: asymmetry of the wheel alignment problems
I'm will trying to be more specific,
toe setting recommendation is +1mm per left wheel, +1mm per right wheel (+2mm total)
If is +2mm left and 0mm right wheel
I know about steering wheel position change, but exist difference in tire wear and car stability?
RE: asymmetry of the wheel alignment problems
RE: asymmetry of the wheel alignment problems
RE: asymmetry of the wheel alignment problems
I somewhat disagree. Asymmetric toe like this can be compensated for by turning the wheel slightly. The last time I had my sierra worked on the steering wheel was installed about 15deg off center and I haven't bothered to fix it, but beings as 15deg is a lot, I know that I need to hold the steering wheel considerably to the left to keep things straight. However, that small amount of asymmetric toe could be enough to make the vehicle pull to one side but with how small that amount is you may not know to compensate for it, so it will feel like something is out of whack. This is especially going to be the case since it is the left wheel that is toed in, it will be pushing to the right, compounding the already rightward slope of the road (this is totally assuming you are in a country where you drive on the right side of the road. If you drive on the left side of the road these forces may actually cancel out and it will track straight when on a sloped road, but still pull right when on a flat road.)
If I were doing the alignment myself (which I have done before) or paying someone else to do it, I would not want one side to be on one end of the tolerance range and the other side to be on the other end. There is a reason that total toe, left toe and right toe are all called out separately.
Sierra 4k -- This is not going to hurt anything, you can run it just fine, but I would hope that a quality alignment shop would get you to where everything will track true, not just get things more or less in spec and call it a day. This may be perceived as being nitpicky so take this how you wish.
RE: asymmetry of the wheel alignment problems
In the case of MacPherson you've also got the front view installed angle of the strut, since the spring tower's relationship to the lower suspension arm is by guess and by god, in production, as it involves a tolerance path of many stampings welds and bolted joints.
Your tie rod adjustment for toe and steering wheel on centre is being affected by all of this, as is your kinematic roll steer.
Cheers
Greg Locock
New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?