Truck Alignment Diagnosis

ALIGNMENT
DEFINITION: The process whereby the
vehicle and all the tires are traveling in the
same direction.
Plays a significant role in

Tire performance
Reducing Tire Costs
Vehicle handling
Driver control
Improving fuel economy
Component life

8 Components of Alignment
CASTER
CAMBER
KING PIN INCLINATION
TOE
ACKERMAN ANGLE
TURNING RADIUS
AXLE PARALLELISM (thrust and scrub)
AXLE SETBACK

AXLE MISALIGNMENT
1. Drive axle misalignment most frequent
2. Trailer misalignment 2nd most frequent
3. Steer axle misalignment least frequent

CASTER- Forward or backward tilt of

the steering axis as viewed from the side
Necessary to provide self aligning forces on steer tires
Assists in turning wheels to straight ahead position
when going around corner
Stabilizes vehicle when:

braking

accelerating

Gives directional stability

Decrease susceptibility to crosswinds
Helps offset effects of road crown

CASTER PROBLEMS
INSUFFICIENT CASTER
Reduces stability
Vehicle wanders

EXCESSIVE CASTER
Increases steering effort
Can cause a shimmy
Can cause shoulder wear on tires in city operation

INCORRECT CASTER CAUSED BY:

Incorrect shims or installed improperly
Sagging springs
Worn shackles and bushings
Twisted axle

CAMBER- INWARD OR OUTWARD TILT OF THE

WHEELS WHEN VIEWED FROM THE FRONT OF THE
VEHICLE
NECESSARY TO :
REDUCE SIDE THRUST
COMPENSATE FOR WEAR ON STEERING KNUCKLE
COMPENSATE FOR WEAR ON WHEEL BEARINGS
SHIFT WEIGHT TO INNER WHEEL BEARING
BUILT INTO AXLES - NON ADJUSTABLE
TRUCK WILL LEAD TO THE SIDE WITH MOST
POSITIVE CAMBER.

INCORRECT CAMBER

INCORRECT CAMBER CAN CAUSE:

EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR
WANDER (PULLS TO SIDE WITH MOST POSITIVE CAMBER)
HARD STEERING
EXCESSIVE TIRE HEAT

KINGPIN INCLINATION-The amount, in degrees,

that the top of the kingpin inclines away from the vertical as
viewing from the front of the truck.

Kingpin Inclination working

together with camber angle are
called Included Angle. Included
Angle puts the approximate center
of the tire tread in contact with the
road. Kingpin Inclination has the
effect of reducing steering effort
and improves directional stability.

Preferred tolerance is 1 degree

from side to side. Can be used to
help determine if an axle or spindle
is bent.

TOE - The inward or outward pointing of the wheels

when viewed from the top of the vehicle.
Necessary to compensate for tendency of wheels
to deflect rearward when loaded or in motion.
Goal - zero toe when loaded and in motion
Incorrect toe shows up as feathering of tread on
both ends of axle - greatest tire wear problem

Preferred Specs. For radial tires

are .03 to .07 (1/32 to 1/16)
toe-in.

A feather or saw tooth edge

pointing outward will
indicate a toe-out problem.

A feather or saw tooth edge

pointing inward will indicate
excessive toe-in

ACKERMAN ANGLE (TOE OUT ON

TURNS)

CHECKING ACKERMAN ANGLE

Measure WT (width of tires) and WB
(wheel base)
Read intersection of WT and WB
Turn outside wheel to 20 degrees, and read
turn table dial on opposite side to verify
proper toe out on turns

Preferred Tolerance +/- 2 deg. for

Over the road and +/- 1 deg. For
city
Note: readings from left to right
should be within 1 degree.
Correction: replace ackerman arm

AXLE SETBACK

AXLE PARALLELISM All axles should be

perpendicular to the frame
and parallel with each other
(Steer, drive, and trailer)
The rear axles are what
determine the direction the
vehicle is going to travel.
Rear axle misalignment
result in excessive tire wear
on front and rear axles.

Thrust Angle - axles not

perpendicular to frame but are
parallel to each other.
Tends to push vehicle off course
Driver feels pulling
Steer axle tires feather in same
direction
Drive tires show I/W

Scrub Angle - Axles NOT perpendicular to

the frame and not parallel to each other.
Constant pull in one direction
Need to continually steer against pull
Drives scrub as vehicle is forced to go
straight
Also affects steer tires

Trailer Thrust will cause Dog

Tracking
Easily visible in tractor mirrors
Effects all tires on tractor and
trailer
Vehicle wanders

AXLE PARALLELISM IS CORRECTABLE

SOURCES:
Uneven axle springs
Broken leaf springs
Worn springs
Loose U bolts
Bent frame
Adjustment of torque rods /axles
Worn torque rod bushings

DRAG LINK ANGLE

Parallel to mid-point of spring mounting +/- 15
degrees upward or downward

EFFECT: Bump steer or directional change - steering

stability - no set wear pattern

Four Damage Conditions

Twist
Side Sway
Sag
Diamond

Side Sway

S ID E S W A Y
F r a m e is b e n t
to th e s id e .

Kenworth says if the

frame is bent laterally
enough to cause tire
wear and handling
issues then the frame
rails must be replaced.
If someone were to try
and correct the frame
then Side Sway should
be corrected first.

Sag

SA G
T h e fr a m e is b e n t
d o w n in th e m id d le .

Kenworth says that if

bent, Frame rails should
be replaced- not
repaired.
If someone were trying
to correcting a bent
frame rail then Sag
would be corrected after
side sway and before a
Twist or Diamond

Twist

T W IS T
T h e v e h ic le s fr o n t
e n d r o lls to o n e s id e
a n d th e r e a r r o lls to
th e o p p o s ite e n d .

Twist is generally caused by bent

cross members. Locate the
strongest Cross members (from
back of cab to back of frame) they are the ones that usually hold
in the twist
Twist normally will show up in the
front because of lighter springs but is actually held in the back.

Diamond
Caused by bent Cross
members.

D IA M O N D
O n e fr a m e r a il h a s
m o v e d a h e a d o f th e
o th e r fr a m e r a il.

Occurs most often today

when a vehicle is hit
directly on the frame rail
front or rear or most likely
if the vehicle has been
towed or pulled on one
frame rail.

TRUCK ALIGNMENT
RENTON ASSEMBLY
PLANT

ALLWHEELALIGNMENT

CHECK RIDE HEIGHT

ZERO TO FRAME

CHECK PINION ANGLE

LATERAL
OFFSET

SWAY BAR
BUSHING GAP

CHECK
THRUST
BUSHINGS

CHECK
VEHICLE
LEAN

INSTALL
HEADS

RUNOUT
COMPENSATION

CHECK
THRUST
ANGLE

PERFORM AXLE SWEEP

CENTER
WHEELS
AND SET
TOE-IN

SET UP TO
CHECK REAR
AXLE SCRUB

SCRUB ANGLE

CHECK TURNING RADIUS

SET AXLE STOPS

ADJUST BRAKES

CHECK STEEING SHAFT

ALIGNMENT