Front end alignment question

[ChrisW]

understeer (front rotating) is easier for most people to control versus oversteer (rear end rotating).

and on a FWD car, you do not want the front wheels to lock up. Then you can't steer, and you really lose. Thats why trailbraking in a corner is difficult with a FWD, you are trying to grip (turn), accelerate and decelerate with the same wheels/tires; they can only do so much.

 

[Thatwouldbegreat]

I accept the argument that best tires go on the rear.

If a tire hydroplanes on the front you could feel the onset through the steering wheel.

If a tire hydroplanes on the rear, you may not know until the car is spinning rapidly.

 

[XS650]

Quote:

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I accept the argument that best tires go on the rear.

If a tire hydroplanes on the front you could feel the onset through the steering wheel.

If a tire hydroplanes on the rear, you may not know until the car is spinning rapidly.

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Right. If the fronts lose traction and the rears keep traction, the car tends to go straight. If the fronts keep traction and the rear loses traction, the rear tends to become the front.

Shoot an arrow out of a bow backwards and observe.

You can also take toy car, lock the wheels on one end so they will be the wheels that lose traction, and then tip the surface it's on until it goes down the slope. Then observe. Turn the car around and repeat. Observe.

Try putting 2/3 of the weight on the free rolling wheels and repeat the above. Observe what happens.

 

[idunno]

Quick question...any way of doing a 4 wheel alignment without going to an expensive shop?something like that
I've had too many bad experiences with alignment shops to ever go to one again. I will be doing front wheel alignments myself from now on because all my cars are solid rear axle. However, this might be good to know for the future.
Well, can it be done?

 

[CapriRacer]

Quote:

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Quick question...any way of doing a 4 wheel alignment without going to an expensive shop?something like that
I've had too many bad experiences with alignment shops to ever go to one again. I will be doing front wheel alignments myself from now on because all my cars are solid rear axle. However, this might be good to know for the future.
Well, can it be done?

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Yup!!!

Get Fred Puhn's "How to make your car handle" It explains everything you need. Be prepared for it to take a long time and once you've measured everything, then you'll have to figure out what is needed to fix the problems you discover - which is why many folks use an alignment shop that has all that fancy equipment and expertise.