The term “wheel alignment” refers to getting the position of the car wheels aligned with each other and with the car body. The wheel alignment guide will give you these measurements and they are extremely important to the handling and driving of the vehicle. There are some types of wheel alignments which can be performed at home without going to the local car shop. However, there are other types are more suitable to the expert technicians and the modern equipment and should be carried out in a professional garage.
Toe In
“Toe In” is the easiest kind of wheel alignment that needs to be done and you can check the alignment and make the necessary adjustments at home. The word “Toe” refers to the relation between any pair of wheels – the distance they are from each other, and the distance that both sides of the wheels are from each other. Almost all cars are produced with their front wheels pointing slightly in to each other. This places a certain amount of load on the car’s wheel bearings and affects the car’s handling in a definitive manner. It is up to you to make the decision between keeping that slight inward turn and making the tires precisely parallel to each other while you are performing the adjustments. Camber is the setting of car wheels close together at the wheel bottom rather than at the top. Camber may also be verified at home by referring to the wheel alignment guide. However, if you need any changes done to this type of setting, it has to be performed by a professional mechanic.
The equipment you will need on hand will include a level space, a reliable tape, a note card, a piece of chalk or something similar for marking the tires and some help from a friend. You can check the car manual as a wheel alignment guide to find out the type of toe system the car has and how the system must be adjusted. Almost all cars will have toe lines, adjustable bolts or bars along with cam wrenches and other similar tools. However, you need to assess the actual adjustment of toe in and out, as the actual process will differ from vehicle to vehicle. Your wheel alignment guide can be invaluable for this verification.
Process of Wheel Alignment
Park your car on a level surface and select the wheel pair that you want to align. You can use your note card for making a mark on the tire rims. Remember to have the lines at exactly the same height on both tires and also have them placed at the exact same place at the back of your tires. Have your friend help you to measure the difference between the two lines by using the measuring tape. This will ensure that your measurements are correct.
Roll the car forward slowly until the lines are touching the tire front at exactly the same height from the ground level, as they were previously. Measure the distance again. If these two distances are the same, you can conclude that the tires are parallel and there are no toe problems. If you are required to adjust them, remember to measure them again to ensure that the angles are what you wanted. You can get some tools that are specifically designed to mark recommended angles and toe positions. However, you will be required to pay extra for them.