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It is not just the tires
that get worn on a vehicle, it is much more than that. The
examples below show several different causes and effects of
incorrect wheel angles.
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If a
diagnosis in the workshop shows that a vehicle has incorrect
wheel angles it will result in different consequences when the
vehicle is driven on the road depending on what the problem is.
When it comes to tire wear and excessive fuel consumption,
foresight is very important. By the time abnormal tire wear is
discovered the damage is already done. A lot of energy has been
consumed just for moving the tire footprints sideways on the
road. Because of this it is important to check the wheel angles
of your vehicle regularly. |
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Before carrying out a
wheel alignment it is also important to fix wear and tear on
bushes and bearings to get correct measurements. |
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The measurements indicate incorrect
toe-angle. |
The front
wheels veer in different directions. |
Results:
• Bad steering abilities
• Longer braking distance
• The tires ”slide” sideways which results in mechanical wear in
wheel suspension
• Increased rolling resistance - increased fuel consumption
• Abnormal tire wear |
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The measurements indicate rear axle
out of square. |
The driver must
parry the out of square by turning the steering wheel. The total
vehicle width gets wider, typical dogrun. |
Results:
• Hazardous vehicle because of increased width
• Increased drag gives increased fuel consumption |
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The measurements indicate rear axles
out of square. |
The conflict
between the rear axles’ forces F1 and F2 is transferred to the
frame and results in the force R1. The resulting force R1 must
be countered with the force CF1 by turning to the left. |
Results:
• Hazardous vehicle with bad driving abilities
• Increased rolling resistance gives increased fuel consumption
• Mechanical wear and tear in suspensions |
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The measurements indicate out of
square on the semitrailer. |
R1 is the
resulting force of F1 and F2. R1 must be countered with CF1 and
CF2 by turning to the right. |
Results:
• Hazardous carriage with bad driving abilities
• Increased rolling resistance gives increased fuel consumption
• Mechanical wear and tear in suspensions |
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Tire wear on your vehicle has
several reasons and consequences
As a preventive measure it is
important to turn to an expert with the right competence and
equipment to measure the wheel angles and optimize your vehicle
so that:
• it avoids abnormal tire wear and fuel consumption
• it rolls straight on the road and avoids ”dogrun”
• it gets good steering abilities and shortest possible braking
distance
• it avoids abnormal mechanical wear and tear
Another aspect is the driver’s way of driving. A jerky way of
driving has of course great influence on tire wear and fuel
consumption. ECO-driving is an important concept that the driver
needs to take into account.
Tire pressure, way of driving and tire type are also important
factors that affect the economy. Freeway traffic and urban
traffic affects a vehicle in
different ways and results in different types of wear and tear.
Therefore, it is also a good idea to contact a tire specialist
for guidance on what kind of tires suits your vehicle the best.
JOSAM has the solution
- 40 years’ experience in wheel alignment
With JOSAM’s wheel alignment systems you can quickly carry out a
diagnosis on your vehicle and find out if your wheel alignment
is correct. A vehicle diagnose is carried out in just a few
minutes. If the wheel angles need to be adjusted this can be
done right away, or you can reserve a time for adjustment on a
later occasion.
With JOSAM’s experience in wheel alignment and adjustment of
heavy vehicles you can rest assured that your vehicle rolls
straight and secure on the road. The JOSAM measuring systems of
today are superior in speed, precision and safety which along
with our 40 years’ experience makes JOSAM the obvious choice in
wheel alignment for heavy vehicles. |