QualityTyres Resources: Informative Articles on Tyres, Wheels, and Automotive Maintenance

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31 December 2022

Wheel Alignment is the Measurement of complex suspension angles and the adjustment of a variety of suspension components. It is a suspension-tuning tool which significantly influences the vehicle’s handling and tire wear. A wheel alignment consists of adjusting the angles of the wheels so that they are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the ground, thus maximizing tire life and ensuring straight and true tracking along a straight and level road. The primary static suspension angles that need to

What is Wheel Balancing?

31 December 2022

Wheel Balancing: Out-of-balance tires will cause a car to vibrate at certain speeds, usually between 50 and 70 mph. A tire is out of balance when one section of the tire is heavier than the others. One ounce of imbalance on a front tire is enough to cause a noticeable vibration in the steering wheel at about 60 mph. To balance a wheel, the technician will mount it on a balancing machine which spins the wheel to locate the heavier

What is Tyre Rotation?

31 December 2022

Four (4) Tire Rotation What should tire rotation pattern be followed? The Tire & Rim Association has identified three traditional rotation patterns covering most vehicles (with non-directional tires and wheels of the same size and offset). The first is the “Rearward Cross” (Figure A); the second is the “ForwardCross” (Figure C), and the third is the “X-Pattern” (Figure B). The X-Pattern can be used as an alternative to A or C. Today’s performance tire and wheel trends have provided the

What is Camber?

31 December 2022

Camber is the angle of the wheel, measured in degrees; if the top of the wheel is tilted out, then the camber is positive; if it’s tilted in, then the camber is negative. If the camber is out of adjustment, it will cause premature tire wear on one side of the tire’s thread. When the camber is out of adjustment, it can cause a pulling problem to the side with the more positive camber. This usually happens when the vehicle

What is Caster?

31 December 2022

Caster is the angle of the steering pivot, measured in degrees. Viewed from the side, the caster is the tilt of the steering axis. The caster is positive when the wheel is in front of the load. Three to five degrees of positive caster is the typical range of settings, with lower angles being used on heavier vehicles to reduce steering effort. If the caster is out of adjustment, it can cause problems in straight-line tracking. If the caster is

What is Toe-In & Toe-Out?

31 December 2022

The vehicle’s Toe is the most critical alignment setting relative to tire wear. if the toe setting is just 1/32-inch off of its appropriate setting, each tire on that axle will scrub almost 3 1/2 feet sideways every mile, therefore reducing tire life. Like camber, the toe will change depending on vehicle speed, as aerodynamic forces change the riding height, affecting the steering linkage due to the geometry of the steering linkage in relation to the geometry of the suspension.

Tyre Related Causes & Conditions

31 December 2022

Condition Possible Cause Front End Shimmy • Excessive wheel/rim ruinous. • Power steering reaction bracket lose. • Steering gear box (rack) mount lose. • Steering gear adjustment lose. • Tires out of balance. • Tires or Rims out of round. • Wheel bearings worn or loose. • Worn steering/suspension components. Hard Steering • Ball joint tight or seized. • Bent steering knuckle or supports. • Damaged suspension components. • Front tire pressure low. • Idler arm bushing is too tight.

Tyre Wear & Causes

31 December 2022

IRREGULAR WEAR - COMMON CAUSE FEATHERING • TOE out of adjustment • Worn or damaged steering and/or suspension parts CUPPING • Defective Shocks • Improper balancing • Worn or damaged steering and/or suspension parts ONE EDGE • CAMBER out of adjustment • Worn or damaged steering and/or suspension parts CENTER OR BOTH EDGES • Center wear - over-inflated • Both edges - under-inflated and or overloaded