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Wheel alignment - how to do it professionally?

Leszek Marcinkowski, Dział Wyposażenia Warsztatów Autos

Why is geometry so important in the transportation industry?

Still, a large number of mechanics and owners of transport companies do not pay due attention to such an important issue as correct geometry setting. Due to negligence in this matter, they often silently lose even more zlotys, which brings measurable losses in the case of a large fleet of cars. You probably don't fully believe what you read and say it's just a theory. As a conscious user, owner or mechanic, you always remember to set the alignment after the repair. If your tire treads aren't wearing properly, you also know what to do. All you need is a wrench, a good measuring tape or a rule and that's it. To use the mechanics' jargon: Set it to zero or a little "plus", then drive around the area to check if it "fires" straight and go. After all, nothing else can be set up in a truck.


Of course, in many cases, such action brings seemingly fully satisfactory results. The vehicle drives straight, the steering wheel is set correctly, and the tires look correct after several thousand kilometers. The issues of driving comfort and behavior in unusual road situations can be ignored, as they are often the driver's subjective feelings.



Questions worth answering:

  • But are we sure we did everything exactly as the manufacturer intended?
  • Despite correct driving, are there harmful stresses in the chassis and steering system, causing accelerated wear of some components?
  • Does the car or set drive perfectly straight?
  • Can we afford to wait until the possible destruction of tires becomes evidence of poor regulations?

Every reasonably managed company strives to reduce costs, and in the transport industry, entrepreneurs also pay attention to the savings that can be achieved by aligning vehicles. By keeping an eye on this, they can increase their real income.

The TD8060 TWS model with a turntable and handle (A: 427697) available in the Autos network will certainly fulfill its task in aligning trucks.

It's hard to find answers to these questions using a ruler. In the case of multi-axle cars with several steering axles, the situation is even more complex. Here, setting anything using traditional methods is very time-consuming and requires a lot of knowledge and skills. Moreover, setting the alignment using the methods mentioned above is best done by two people. This is not the end of the problems. When looking through the technical documentation of virtually every car, at least several parameters appear in the section with angles and relationships in the running gear. We can only check one of them with a measuring tape or ruler. And what about it? Can anything else be adjusted at all? Well, many of these parameters have a significant impact on driving comfort, wear and behavior of the vehicle and, contrary to appearances, they can be adjusted. Sometimes adjustment requires washers, sometimes heating. There are also cases where some element needs to be replaced. However, in order to know the condition of the vehicle and to start such work, it is necessary to read its parameters correctly and precisely. An irreplaceable solution here is a wheel alignment measurement device.

What solutions are best for truck wheel geometry?

There are many solutions on the market for measuring truck wheel geometry. These include, among others, laser and optical devices based on CCD (charge-coupled device) technology, based on the car frame or on the rear axle, determining the vehicle's axis computationally. Each of them has its advantages and disadvantages. From the point of view of simplicity of use, speed of reading and driving experience after adjustment (steering wheel position, straightness of driving), also taking into account the economic aspect, a solution worth recommending are wireless measurement devices using technology based on CCD sensors.


Wireless heads are able to read all suspension angles, mutual wheel and axle alignment, and determine the geometric driving axis. Adjustment is facilitated by continuous viewing of the actual value, without the need to turn the wheels. Measurements can be taken on a lift, a channel or simply on a level surface. An excellent solution is the device from the Italian manufacturer, Ravaglioli.

In order to obtain full satisfaction with measurements and adjustments of the geometry of commercial vehicles, a properly selected device and appropriate accessories are crucial. That is why it is worth taking advantage of the knowledge and experience of employees of the Automotive Workshop Equipment Department. We will be happy to answer any questions related to this topic, and at the same time we will try to select a device that perfectly suits the specific work of your workshop.