10 Alignment Tips To Help You See Past The Angles
Suspension angles are dynamic. As the body moves, the camber, caster and toe will change in the front and rear. OEMs tune these angles for the best tire wear and stability at a set ride height. If a spring is weak or missing a coil, the alignment angles will be off from these calculations.
Toyota Sienna Alignment Service
The Toyota Sienna minivan is based on the Camry platform and comes in both 2WD and AWD versions. When aligning this vehicle, there are three things you should know.
Alignment: 2006-2010 Ford Explorer
The fourth-generation Ford Explorer was a complete redesign of the platform and was the last to have a body-on-frame design. Overall, this is an easy vehicle to align with most of the adjustments built into the suspension.
Specialty Wheel Alignments And Parts
While the alignment is perfect when it rolls out of the factory, what happens when it starts to age and the body and cradle start to settle?
Alignment Specs: 2006-2016 Chrysler LX/LD
When something works, you don’t change it. This is the case with the Chrysler LX/LD platform used for the Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300.
2006-2013 Toyota RAV4 Alignment Specs
The third generation of the Toyota RAV4 shares all of the same infrastructure with the Corolla and many other Toyota vehicles. The front suspension is easy to adjust, while the rear requires a little more attention.
Hyundai Alignment: Curing ‘Drift And Pull’ Conditions
Drift/pull conditions occur at all speeds. But, the amount of force on the steering wheel or steering angle will increase with speed. If the customer states the drift/pull problem is sporadic, the cause could be the stability control system, or the electric or hydraulic power steering system.
Stacked Alignment: Solving Lead/Pull Conditions
An engineer’s definition of lead/pull condition is chassis and tire conditions that require steering input to achieve travel in the desired direction. For a technician, it is about capturing what the driver is experiencing.
The Dynamic Alignment Perspective
One of the most difficult concepts for any technician to grasp is how alignment angles change when a vehicle is accelerating, braking and cornering. The view seen when the sensors and targets are on the vehicle in the alignment bay is just a small snapshot into the suspension’s geometry.
Chevrolet Cobalt 2005-2010 Alignment
If you were to look at the underside of a 2005-’10 Chevy Cobalt or Pontiac G5, the layout doesn’t look that much different than a 1995-2004 Chevrolet Cavalier or Pontiac Sunfire.
VIDEO: Alignment Kits And Net-Build Vehicles
Andrew Markel discusses net-build vehicles and how alignment kits are helpful when servicing them.
Alignment Jobs: 10 Tips To Increase Productivity
These 10 tips will allow future alignment jobs to be completed more quickly and efficiently. This article reminds techs to check steering angle sensors, look at tire pressure before performing an alignment, and take notes.
