>From: "Larry and Sandi Miller" <millerls@email.msn.com>
>
>Peter
>
>What is a "Thrust" alignment?
>
>Larry
Instead of just setting the toe-in on the front wheels. Optical devices
are clamped to the front and rear wheels these send information to a
computer that tells it when each front wheel is parrallel to the rear
wheel behind it. Then from this the same amount of toe in is calculated
for each front wheel. This ensures that the car is not crabbing
(travelling slightly sideways) as it goes down the street. In other
words it will be set up so that when the front wheels are pointed
straight ahead the rear wheels are also pointed straight ahead and are
directly behind the front wheels. This is a lot easier to explain in
person with diagrams but I hope I have explained it properly. I always
have thrust alignments done on my cars. Most good alignment shops only
do either thrust or 4 wheel alignment, very few just set the toe-in
which used to be called a two wheel alignment.
Thrust Crabbing
aligned
front | | | |
rear | | | |
Both these cars are travelling in a straight line but the right one is
doing it sideways. If the crabbing cannot be corrected your frame is
probably bent.
Regards,
Peter.
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