WHEEL TRACKING
Misaligned wheels can generate greater resistance with the road, reducing fuel economy and overall performance. A range of factors can disrupt a vehicle’s suspension, causing the wheels to be misaligned. They include:
– an imperfection resulting from the welding/manufacturing process
– a road hazard (pothole, curb)
– a road accident
– uneven tyre wear
Laser wheel alignment (“tracking”) is typically achieved by installing brackets with position scales or a camera to the vehicle’s wheels. Laser dots or lines are projected parallel to both sides of the vehicle, typically in conjunction with another laser to locate the vehicle centreline. The laser beam illuminates the scale or camera, the position of the wheel is determined, and the degree of misalignment is established with high precision. The suspension and wheel angles (“camber”, “caster”, and “toe”) may then be optimised to provide maximum contact with the surface of the road resulting in longer-lasting tyres, better handling, and reduced fuel consumption.
CHASSIS ALIGNMENT
Chassis alignment is typically achieved by mounting a laser directly onto each wheel hub (or adjacent wheel hubs), ensuring that the beam is aimed at right angles to the mounting device and towards a target or measuring scales. In this way, the following checks can be performed:
– Wheel runout
– System-to-frame
– Centre the steering box
– Rear-end alignment
– Ackermann in the steering system