About Wheel Alignment
What is wheel alignment?
Wheel alignment is an important part of a properly functioning vehicle. A typical alignment consists of three main angle measurements: toe, camber, and caster. All three of these angles must remain within the specifications provided by the OEM, or original equipment manufacturer. When out of spec, an unalignment affects gas mileage, tire wear, and general safety.
Alignment Angles
Toe
The toe of a vehicle determines if the tires and wheel assemblies are pointing forward, angled in, or angled out. Toe misalignment causes tires to skid, which affects tire life and fuel efficiency. Alignment is determined by total toe, which is made up of angular total toe and linear total toe.
Camber
The camber of a vehicle is determined by the inward or outward tilt of the top of the wheel. Optimally, the camber angle would be at 0 degrees, meaning that the camber is vertical. When this measurement is out of spec, misaligned camber can cause uneven tire wear and create safety issues.
Caster
The caster of a vehicle is determined by the tilt of the steering axis, as viewed from the side. Caster misalignment affects steering. If the caster is negative, the steering axis is tilted forward. If the caster is positive, the steering axis is tilted rearward. Most modern vehicles call for a positive caster.
Benefits of wheel alignment
Protect your investment
A vehicle 1 inch out of alignment is equivalent to dragging the tire sideways 100 feet per mile.
Statistic obtained from Tire Business
Stop safely in wet conditions
The amount of tread on your tire has a direct impact on the stopping distance of your vehicle. In order to prolong tread life, your vehicle must be properly aligned. The example below is the stopping distance of a sedan traveling on a wet surface at 60 mph.
Estimated Stopping Distance. For more details see www.hunter.com/stopping
Maximize fuel economy
Vehicles with wheel alignment conditions can suffer a decrease in fuel efficiency by up to 7%. If your average properly aligned vehicle travels 15,000 miles/year with an average of 25 miles/gallon at $3.50/gallon, the vehicle could save nearly $150 in annual fuel costs.
Statistic obtained from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Reset ALL alignment-related sensors
As vehicle manufacturers equip more vehicles with on-board driver-assist systems, such as the systems listed below, more OEM’s now require a steering system reset during alignment service.
Correct post-collision suspension issues
Hidden, underlying issues may be present after a collision of an magnitude. Ensure that your vehicle is in a healthy condition operate.
ADAS Calibrations
The future of alignment
Historically, alignment was considered complete after setting all four wheels to spec. However, for many vehicles, OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) now require that electronic resets to ADAS (automatic driver assist system) technology accompany standard wheel alignment services. Some popular examples of popular ADAS systems include adaptive cruise control, lane departure warnings, and forward collision warnings.
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
Adaptive cruise control adjusts the speed of your vehicle automatically by matching the speed of the vehicle ahead. Using laser, radar, or optical systems, ACC technology allows your vehicle to maintain a safe distance behind other cars, decreasing the chance of collision and easing the stop-and-start of long-distance commutes.
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
Lane departure warnings alert drivers when their vehicle is drifting outside of its current lane, unless a turn signal is on in that direction. LDW technology uses forward-mounted cameras placed near the front rearview mirror to recognize lane markers. A control module then sends an auditory and/or visual cue to the driver when it recognizes that the vehicle appears to be straying from its proper path.
Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
Forward collision warnings notify drivers in an attempt to avoid a collision with a slower moving or stopped car ahead. Using cameras, radar, and lasers, this FCW technology helps facilitate more of a reaction time for the driver to be able to swerve or slow down before striking the approaching obstacle.
How to check alignment
Hunter provides all of the necessary tools to help you navigate proper wheel alignment ADAS calibrations for vehicles of all shapes and sizes.
Quick Check® Inspection
Unmanned alignment measurements- Drive-through inspection
- Identifies all major alignment and tire wear issues, including camber measurements
- Measures wheel alignment and tread depth
- Prevent false damage claims by capturing 40+ images of every vehicle
- Comes in heavy-duty, medium-duty, and light-duty, covering everything from Class I - VI vehicles
- Save time by reducing vehicle walk arounds
HawkEye Elite®
Fast, precise alignment measurement- Capture alignment measurements in 70 seconds
- Supports ADAS calibrations and OEM resets
- Lessen trips around the vehicle and console interaction
- Uses ADASLink® Full Diagnostic Scan Tool for dynamic and static calibrations
- Creates easy to understand graphics of toe, camber, and caster angles
- Fully Integrated Alignment performs alignments 60% faster, automatically, eliminating errors