Summary

– What is misalignment?

– Parallelism defect: causes and symptoms

– Consequences of a lack of parallelism

– Parallelism error: adjustments to be made

A misalignment on a vehicle can sometimes be the cause of an accident. For everyone’s safety, it is essential to have the alignment checked regularly and corrected if necessary.

What is misalignment?

A misalignment is a severe defect that happens when the wheels are not perpendicular to the road or parallel to each other.

There are two cases of misalignment:

– The opening: the 2 axes of the wheels tend towards the outside of the vehicle.

– Toe-in: the 2 axes of the wheels tend towards the inside of the car.

Caution: do not confuse “parallelism” and “geometry.” The geometry designates all the characteristics of the connection system between the vehicle wheel and the suspended part called the body.

Misalignment: causes and symptoms

The apparent signal of a problem with alignment is a vehicle that tends to swerve to the left or right. This phenomenon can lead to difficulties in maintaining the car’s trajectory correctly since the train’s alignment is distorted.

A misalignment can be caused by:

– Climbing a sidewalk at high speed;

– passing over a pothole;

– a collision in which the bearing is damaged.

To maintain correct alignment, it is always advisable to handle your vehicle with the utmost care.

Recommendation: If the misalignment still exists, it is best to have the vehicle checked by a specialist as soon as possible.

Consequences of misalignment

A lack of parallelism is to be taken seriously, as it often leads to :

– Premature wear of the tire treads;

– poor road holding of the vehicle, especially at high speeds;

– a modified trajectory in straight lines and curves;

– over-consumption of fuel.

Misalignment: adjustments to be made

If a defect in parallelism is found, it must be corrected without delay. The safety of passengers and road users, in general, is at stake.

The adjustment can be carried out in a garage or a car center, but also by anyone with real experience in car mechanics. It is indeed a delicate operation which, if it is carried out incorrectly, can lead to severe consequences, such as a road accident. A test bench is also necessary to check the correction angle.

Parallelism adjustment consists of checking the wheel alignment angles. If there is a difference between the two-wheel axles, the correction must be carried out by intervening at the level of the shafts. With the use of a nut, the connection rod is extended or shortened, depending on whether it is open or toe-in.

Good to know: the price of a wheel alignment is usually between 60 and 100 dollars.

Hope the above helps you out. If you suspect your vehicle has an alignment issue, you should contact the professional nearest to your place immediately!