When purchasing a car, every buyer should have a good understanding of the vehicle maintenance features. Knowing the main points, it is easier to ensure reliable operation of the car for a long period of time. By identifying a specific breakdown at an early stage, it will be possible to quickly eliminate it. Owners of Lada or other brands of cars must constantly monitor the condition of the car; in particular, it is important to be able to adjust the wheel alignment yourself on a VAZ 2107. Incorrect wheel alignment is not only rapid wear of the tires, it also significantly increases the risk of getting into an accident.
Description
Many modern cars have negative camber on the rear axle, which is built into the design initially, and this angle reaches 2 or even more degrees. Owners of VAZ cars (except for the latest Grant and Kalina-2 models) have zero wheel camber on the rear axle of their cars. It is possible to establish negative camber of the rear wheels using camber plates , which are installed between the rear beam and the rear wheel hub axle.
As you know, when installing many camber plates widely available on the market, in addition to obtaining a camber of -1°, we also get negative toe-in of the rear wheels, which has a bad effect on handling. This result is obtained due to the fact that when designing these spacers, manufacturers do not take into account the angle of inclination of the rear beam arm. Negative toe-in of the rear wheels increases the likelihood of skidding when cornering, as the car receives excessive oversteer, and when driving in a straight line under the influence of road unevenness and lateral influences (for example, wind or when driving on a rut), the car requires constant steering and becomes excessively sharp and unstable .
When designing the SS20 spacers, the angle of inclination of the rear beam arm was taken into account. The axis of symmetry of the camber plate was shifted by an angle α equal to the inclination of the beam lever. This solution allows you to maintain stable behavior of the car when turning and driving in a straight line. When installing SS20 camber plates, a -1° camber and a slight positive toe-in of the rear axle wheels are provided.
The use of branded SS20 spacers, which give negative camber to the rear wheels, slightly increases their track. This has a positive effect on maneuverability. A wider track allows you to increase cornering speed without the risk of tipping over.
Conservatism or modern approach, which is better?
But such a conservative approach is more suitable for old Ladas, Muscovites, Volgas, Cossacks, as well as ancient foreign cars.
On modern cars, it is, of course, better to carry out such work at a service station, where, with the help of modern laser and computer equipment, everything will be done at a high level without any errors. And we all know that even a small error in this matter can lead to rapid tire wear.
A service station is certainly good, they will do everything quickly and accurately. But there is always a BUT. Firstly , no matter what modern equipment is in a car service center, without a good specialist it is a pile of scrap metal. And here problems can arise:
1. How much do you trust this specialist;
2. How accurately will the work be carried out (when the equipment was checked for compliance with metrological standards) and whether such accuracy is worth the money;
3. What guarantees will you be given for the work performed? Secondly, depending on the condition of the roads in your region, where you generally drive and the intensity of your trips, the period of work on wheel alignment may vary.
Numbers you need to know
To set the wheels at the correct angles, you need to know these angles, everything is logical.
Definitions for front wheels
What is CASTER
The standard value is 6 degrees.
Thanks to this angle, wheel alignment is ensured due to speed. The CAMBER angle (aka CAMBER) determines the correct lateral inclination of the wheel.
Thanks to the correctly set CAMBER angle, the wheels are aligned due to the weight of the vehicle.
Option 4
Option with sporting ambitions: everything is “minus”, with the exception of the caster. A car with such settings turns more confidently and faster, as does the “rearrangement” maneuver. Hence the best result.
So, there are a lot of simple and very effective ways to change the character of a car without resorting to expensive replacements of components and parts. The main thing is not to neglect the adjustments - they often turn out to be very important. Which option should you prefer? For most, the second will be acceptable. It is the most logical for everyday driving, both with partial and full load. You just need to take into account that by increasing the longitudinal tilt of the rack, you not only improve the behavior of the car, but also increase the stabilizing (return) force on the steering wheel. The last, “fastest” tuning option is more suitable for the near-sporting public who likes to improvise with the car. When giving preference to these adjustments, it must be taken into account that with increasing load, the values of the toe and camber angles will increase and may go beyond the permissible limits.
We carry out the camber and alignment ourselves.
We will not repeat the importance of this operation. This process is important and must be taken seriously. To perform it you need tools and accessories:
- Availability of inspection hole.
- Plumb.
- Chalk or felt-tip pen.
- A set of keys.
- Sliding ruler with scale.
Carrying out the operation of checking and adjusting camber and toe for cars with front-wheel drive and “classics” have some differences. To perform this operation at home, it is necessary to ensure the presence of a flat, horizontal platform. Checking and adjustment is carried out in several stages:
- The car is installed on the site so that the front wheels are straight. There are two marks on the outside of the tire, one at the top and the other at the bottom.
- Apply a plumb line to the wing so that it is in the plane with the applied marks. Next, use a caliper or other measuring tool to measure the distance from the cord to the wheel disk near the upper and lower marks. If the difference is about 3 millimeters, this is normal.
- Next, you need to turn the wheels, rolling the car forward so that the applied marks are located horizontally.
- Again, measurements are taken from the cord to the wheel disk in the vertical plane.
- To obtain more accurate measurement data, this operation must be performed several times.
Basic Concepts
If we consider the concept of wheel alignment, it means how the wheel of a car will be installed vertically. If the upper edge of the wheel is pointed outward, this fact means that the camber is positive. If the edge of the wheel goes inward, then the camber is negative, and it is designated accordingly: “-”.
The diagram shows toe-in (a) and camber (b)
If the camber is adjusted incorrectly, and to be precise, when the camber of only the front wheel is adjusted, the car can drift to the side while moving; this is determined quite simply - the driver takes his hands off the steering wheel, and the car “steers away”.
As for toe-in, it shows how the wheels can converge with each other relative to the road. If we consider cars with rear-wheel drive, then their wheels are placed at a positive angle, but on front-wheel drive the angle is determined by a negative indicator. This adjustment is necessary so that at the time of movement and during further driving the wheels can be aligned and continue to remain in the same position. Of course, incorrect toe adjustment quickly wears out tires and other elements of the car, so the motorist must pay close attention to his car and promptly adjust the wheel alignment himself or with the help of specialists.
Tire wear due to correct and incorrect adjustment
Video: consequences of incorrect wheel alignment
Camber adjustment steps
- First of all, set the wheels in a straight position and make chalk marks on the top and bottom so that their connection can form a diagonal.
- Attach a plumb line to the wing and start measuring. Using a ruler, measure the distance between the cord and the top mark, and then between the cord and the bottom mark. If they are the same, you can be calm about the collapse of your car. But if the difference between these indicators exceeds 3 mm, then this directly indicates the need for adjustment.
- Now roll the wheels a little forward or, conversely, back so that the marks are parallel to the floor. Repeat the previous steps.
- Make a few more moves and take measurements in several places. This is necessary to more accurately determine deviations from the norm.
- Remove the wheel and unscrew the bolts between the steering knuckle and the shock absorber bracket.
- Move the steering knuckle according to your measurements - inward or outward.
- Install the wheel and repeat all measurements.
Making a wheel alignment for a VAZ 2110 with your own hands
If you carry out car repairs yourself, then in this case you can save not only money, but also carry out high-quality repair work. And you can even do a wheel alignment of a VAZ 2110 with your own hands, the main thing is to have ideas and a certain set of tools.
Since the concepts of alignment and camber have already been discussed, it is now worth considering what castor is. When a car moves, it is strongly affected by the castor - this is the angle between the represented plane and the rotation of the wheels when the steering wheel is turned. The castor can be either positive or negative; it will determine how the drive axle will immediately return to its place. That is, with such values, the car should move in a normal position. Thus, the camber and toe angles should be checked periodically, but the caster is set by the manufacturers at the factory, and is not changed in the future. Now it’s worth figuring out how to do a wheel alignment on a VAZ 2110 yourself.
Tools for work
In order to make a wheel alignment yourself in your garage, you will need a small set of tools that I have listed below.
| A set of keys | Level | Roulette |
| Ruler | Plumb | Special ruler for determining angles |
Adjusting the camber angle of the VAZ 2110
So we have come close to the question of how to set the wheel alignment yourself on a VAZ 2110.
Most often, data on angle degrees is indicated in the operating instructions for the VAZ 2110 car, and they are presented in 0 degrees.
Before you do the wheel alignment yourself on a VAZ 2110, you need to wet all the fasteners in advance, this is necessary so that all the nuts can be easily unscrewed. To measure the angle of inclination, use a building level.
Camber adjustment:
- On the wheel rim, using chalk, place two marks on the top and bottom.
- The plumb line is fixed on the car fender, and then the distance between the marks is measured; the readings should not differ by more than 1 mm.
- Ideally, the wheel geometry is not accurate; in this case, the car is rolled back so that the risks move 90 degrees, and readings are taken again.
- After this, the wheels are turned again, but by 180° and measured again.
- Now remove one of the wheels using a wheel wrench, then unscrew the bracket on the shock absorber a little.
- then the steering knuckle is moved to the required distance, all this will help make more accurate camber measurements.
- Now you can put the wheel in place and rock the car a little with a little pressure on the wheel and take measurements again.
- All these procedures are carried out until the desired measurement figure is reached.
If we talk about the VAZ 2110, then the readings should have a difference of 1 mm.
Toe adjustment
Most often, ordinary threads are used to carry out such measurements, but in some cases a special ruler is used. To carry out such work, it is necessary to drive the car into a pit and set the steering wheel straight.
And now carry out the work in a certain sequence:
Draw two marks on the tires next to the rims. Next, the ruler is installed so that its ends coincide with the marked marks. You can also use special equipment with a scale here; it should be set to 0. If such equipment is used, then several measurements should be taken with a ruler. The car is moved forward a little so that the marks move and the ruler moves along with the wheel. and at this time monitor the readings of the ruler. readings may be different on the rear and front wheels, although this should not be the case
In this case, it will be necessary to adjust the steering rods. the locking nuts are unscrewed using a 27 wrench. Then, using a 24 wrench, the length of the steering rod is changed; work is carried out only with the coupling. Next, the scale of the ruler must be set so that you can adjust the toe to 0 and you will have to move the car a little back. if the readings agree with the desired value, then the alignment is complete, but it is better to double-check and again move the car forward a little. It is also worth paying attention to the steering wheel; if it is misaligned, it will immediately be clear that the traction is not set correctly. In this case, you need to check which traction is broken, and it will have to be increased.
Checking parameters and vehicle condition
Checking or adjusting any of these parameters should only be carried out on a fully functional suspension in the following cases:
- replacement of any elements of the steering or chassis system, with the exception of wheel bearings;
- replacing wheel rims;
- increased fuel consumption;
- rapid tire wear;
- incorrect behavior of the car when turning;
- the car pulls to the side on a flat road;
- getting into even a minor accident involving wheels hitting obstacles.
The check will not take much time, but will allow you to detect and eliminate the malfunction in time.
Preparatory work and tools
To check the suspension settings, the car must be placed on a perfectly flat surface, for example, using stand boards. They need to be aligned in one plane using a level, after first placing them in the places where the car wheels are supposed to be located. For ease of adjustment, you will need access from below, so it is better to immediately place the machine above the inspection hole, or on an overpass. The steering wheel must be set exactly straight and, if possible, secured to prevent accidental turning.
Before taking measurements, it is necessary to check and, if necessary, adjust:
- Tire air pressure;
- Wheel rim runout;
- Play in the steering wheel, wheel bearings;
- General condition of suspension parts.
Immediately before diagnostics, you need to “squeeze” the suspension by pressing with a force of about 50 kg, first on the rear, then the front bumper.
To adjust the wheel alignment, you will need the following devices:
- Strong thread.
- Small hooks (for example, bent nails) to secure the thread.
- Two sets of lightweight objects that allow a difference in thickness of 15 mm to be established, for example, three boxes of matches.
- Calipers.
- Plumb line (it’s easy to do it yourself by tying a weight to a thread).
- A mug with machine oil, suitable for working off.
- Wrenches sizes 13, 17, 19, 22.
Important points
After adjustment, drive the car on a flat road. If the car pulls to the side, you can try changing the wheelsets - moving the front to the rear, and vice versa. If after this the car pulls, but in the opposite direction, then the problem is not the incorrect camber, but the tires that require replacement.
Do-it-yourself wheel alignment
When you set the steering rod parameters, count how many revolutions you make. If an error occurs, you will know how to return to the previous toe position.
How do front wheel alignment angles affect handling?
To clearly demonstrate the influence of steering wheel alignment angles on vehicle behavior, practical tests were carried out on a VAZ-2114 car. The car is new, after pre-sale preparation. A trip with standard adjustments revealed a “light” steering wheel and “wobbly” responses to its operation. The check showed that all angles, with the exception of the castor, were within factory tolerances.
Option one: negative castor
The longitudinal inclination angle of the struts was set as negative as possible. The front wheels are shifted back as much as possible. This can be observed on old “worn out” cars, or on cars with a strongly raised rear end.
After adjustment, the test “Samara” began to clearly respond to the slightest movements of the steering wheel, the steering wheel became very “light”, but the car began to show a tendency to yaw, the behavior became unstable, and control began to require maximum concentration from the driver. When turning, it is necessary to constantly steer; it is almost impossible to perform a “rearrangement” at high speed.
Installation of camber plates and negative camber of the rear wheels of Lada Priora
The content of the article:
Installation of camber plates Lada Priora
Task: install camber plates on the rear axle of the Lada Priora.
Here is a set of spacers for Lada Priora:
I decided to install everything myself. First, we hang up the car, remove the disks and drums.
Next, you need to remove the pads. There were no particular problems with this, but I had to tinker a little with the upper spring, it was a tight infection.
Then you need to unscrew the 4 bolts securing the hub to the beam with an 8mm hexagon.
We move the hub with the casing away from the beam.
Next, tighten the 4 hub mounting bolts; take the lower bolts that come with the spacers. To make the bolt connection more secure, I decided to apply thread sealant to the bolts.
Toe angles
Angles have the greatest influence on the uniformity of tire wear. This parameter is measured for each wheel and for the entire suspension (total toe). Often, instead of an angle, they indicate the value of the total toe in millimeters. In this case, toe-in means the difference in distances between the extreme rear and front points of the edges of the wheel rims located on the diameter. This measurement method is especially convenient when adjusting the suspension yourself. Priora has normal toe-in – zero, permissible error is ±1 mm.
Operating instructions
Below are step-by-step works for adjustment at home, using the old-fashioned method.
To adjust the camber you need:
Leveling out possible disc runout and, therefore, better adjustment accuracy is achieved by repeating the measurements after turning the wheel by 90.
To adjust toe you need to:
The correct result of the work is the same distance from the extreme front and rear points of the disk to the tensioned thread, measured with a caliper. Additionally, the accuracy of the toe-in setting is checked by measuring the distance between the inner edges of the front wheel disks at the front and rear.
What is negative camber of the rear wheels and why do it?
During the operation of the vehicle, the advantages of the chassis fade away. But this happens not only over time, but also with improper repair of the chassis. If during such a repair a threaded connection was damaged, the wheel alignment will immediately change. You can feel it as soon as you start moving. The car may begin to pull to the side, cornering will become more difficult and problematic, in other words, the vehicle's controllability will decrease. Negative camber of the rear wheels is necessary precisely in order to increase the car's controllability. The grip on the road surface will be better, and cornering will become easier.
