Overall, keeping your semi-trailer tires properly aligned is a small investment with big returns in safety, fuel economy, and tire life. Listen to the latest episode on "What's Treading". Total toe is the angle formed by two horizontal lines drawn through the centerline of two corresponding wheels. On a single-axle vehicle, the axle is positioned relative to the vehicle. This article was authored and edited according to the standards of HDT's editors to provide useful information to our readers. When taking measurements, the suspension should be at ride height, slider suspensions should be slid to the most rear position, pull pins should be engaged, and the trailer pulled into the service bay in a relaxed suspension running position. Use a tape measure to determine the kingpin height by measuring from the ground to the kingpin mounting plate. Trailer axles have no easy toe or camber adjustment. A pre-alignment maintenance inspection check for condition and wear includes: cold tire pressure; Pitman arm for proper torque on steering box; draglink for wear; steering arm in the knuckle to make sure it's working properly; tie-rod ends. Use a trammel bar to mark the tire centerline with chalk on both outside tires on the front axle. This is a big opportunity for commercial tire dealers to work with their customers trailers and help improve tire removal miles through proper alignment. But even though improvements have been made, the lingering perception is that if a tire goes down there might be rim damage or there may not be a replacement readily available. What most drivers are not aware of is that if both axles are out of alignment, the trailer may track straight. That's something to know on any suspension. Shock absorbers can get overextended. There's no way every one of us can answer all questions about everything technical. One-sided wear is defined as excessive wear across the entire tread surface where the fastest wear is on the outside or inside shoulder rib and each of the adjacent ribs also are worn, but to a lesser extent. The camber angle is not adjustable. Toemeasured in inches, millimeters, or degreesis a critical alignment setting for the steer axle. What's maximum life for you? You can take four-, six-, eight-foot bar and jam it against the I-beam and push up on the cross tube and always get movement out of tie-rod assembles. Martin listed the ride-complaint condition types: shimmy; harsh ride; handling; pitch/back slap; stability; bounce/hop; and vibration. GIRARD, OHIO Have you ever seen someone going down the road pulling a trailer that is tracking to the side? There are two things I deal with at Meritor shimmy and vibration, he said. But when they wear unevenly due to improper alignment, youll likely have to replace them prematurely. Even a small collision can cause misalignment. Tires underinflated against fleet specification will magnify these irregular wear alignment-related conditions and lead to even earlier removal miles and reduced overall fuel economy. Generally, by the time youre able to visibly detect the scrubbing, the wear has become significant. When that axle not in there straight and parallel to the front steer axle, then you will have a push situation, he said. The same analogy holds for vehicle alignment. If the ride height isn't set correctly, what can go wrong? When your truck feels like its pulling to the side, its a sure sign that its time to get that alignment checked. If the front end on a truck is improperly aligned, problems similar to those in cars can arise. Depending on the wheel-end extender length and the width of the axle track, the front axle target length (A & B measurement) is either +/- 3/16-inch or +/- 7/32-inch. For the past 18 years Girard Equipment Company has been providing their customers with exacting Protrak QCT Lasar Alignment. The secure and easy all-access connection to your content. Peace of mind when it comes to your trailer is not as expensive as you think. And that's called a zero.. A plumb bob is dropped from the trailers side rail at the front of the trailer. Inside tire wear on conventional duals requires that the inside set of tires be replaced, however, both tires have to be replaced for inside wear on wide-based tires. The distance between axles from the center of one hub to the other hub center is the C and D measurement. Newer trailers are quickly and easily adjusted with factory installed quick-align systems, older trailers will require more time. Thrust angle problems occur if both axles are parallel but not perpendicular to the centerline of the vehicle. Not only is this harmful to your wallet, but it's also dangerous for you and others on the road around you.Prevent uneven truck or trailer tire wear by hiring the pros at Statewide Trailer Alignment Frame to align your tires. Comments are moderated and may not appear for 24 hours or more. Our skilled technicians are trained to work specifically with medium and heavy trucks and tractor trailers. Driving with improper alignment can also cause suspension component strain. On some tractors out there, they may have dual height valves. Rear-axle dimensions are measured from the forward axle centerline to the rear axle centerline. Recently I had the opportunity to be educated about trailer alignment by John Carlson, Service Manager at Girard Equipment Company and Trailer Technician Steve Wayland. This crown can cause some tracking and there is virtually no way to compensate for it. Sorry the page you are looking for may have been moved or deleted. In my 20 years with this company I've replaced three axle beams. They're talking about when you bring the vehicle in and do an alignment, he said. Girard Equipment will provide an alignment form with a diagram that will show the alignment specs. You won't get brake alignments coated with grease.. As regional service manager, I cover eight states and two Canadian provinces, and am in charge of training, he said. It's manufactured at positive degree. Info on Commercial Truck Alignments. Truck alignments are part of basic truck maintenance and need to be performed regularly. The only way to be absolutely sure about your trailer alignment is to have it checked. Unfortunately this means youll be buying new tires before getting the full life out of your current tires. When it gets into a truck, it can be a positive or negative. Ted Armstrong is OEM technical support manager for trailer products at SAF-Holland. That's why there's supporting literature. Truck, Van & Trailer Service in and Arou How to Tarp a Trailer Safely & Other Tra Truck, Van & Trailer Service in and Around Utah, How to Tarp a Trailer Safely & Other Trailer Tarping Tips, Van & Truck Safety: Avoid Incidents on the Road, 3 Questions to Ask Before Leasing a Commercial Vehicle, Tips for Handling a Truck Breakdown on the Road, Winter Driving Tips to Stay Safe on the Icy Roads, 5 Things You Must Know Before Buying a Snow Plow Truck Attachment. If the top of the kingpin axis is toward the rear of the vehicle, the caster is positive. I've spent 43 years in this industry. Schedule affordable alignment services today. HDT file photo. When you add in the fact that the majority of fifth wheel pins are not exactly centered (some can be off by as much as ), a backyard alignment can become frustrating. Every other time, they're scuffing. We all agreed upon that and hopefully the industry can run with that. Sat: 8am-12pm. Even though your trailer manufacturer sets the alignment, it can change because of operating characteristics. We set the toe at the plant.. You also need to measure the length between the center point of the two outside tires on each side of the trailer (C & D). If the toe is 0, the second line marked will be superimposed on the first line. Very little equipment investment is required by a commercial tire dealer to check a trailer for alignment. The last pre-alignment check is to inspect the trailer and suspension for any damaged components. Contact us for more Serving Car & Truck Fleet Management Professionals, Serving EV Intenders & Professionals In Commercial & Public Fleets, Serving Corporate, Executive, & Financial Managers Of Large Commercial Fleets, Serving Leaders In Fleet Mobility & Emerging Technology, Serving Public Sector Fleet Professionals, Serving Medium & Heavy Duty Commercial Truck Professionals, Serving Transit Bus, Private Motorcoach, & Passenger Rail Professionals, Serving School & Pupil Transportation Fleet Professionals, Serving Vocational & Service Fleet Professionals. That's the big axle housing under fifth wheel. The constant fighting at the wheel to keep the truck in the lane can wear a driver out. All tires should be set to the same pressure. The steer axle is aligned to the rear axle, or the reference axle. Checking the alignment will take about 45 minutes to an hour and costs a little over $50.00. Another consideration is axle camber, which if not specd properly for your application could lead to inside tire wear, because of suspension axle deflection under load. If the measurement between A and B is greater than 1/8", the forward axle must be adjusted. You might be surprised at how under inflated some trailer tires can be, and thumping will only find the ones that are severely under inflated. Electronic sensors are mounted on the steer axle and the tandem axles. If you like, you can take your alignment profile, go home and adjust the trailer yourself. If so, just remember your last plumbing job. It is machined into both the axle beam and the knuckle. Copying or reusing articles is strictly prohibited. Now lower the trailer landing legs. Toe adjustment is the responsibility of the vehicle manufacturer. The Technology Maintenance Council (TMC) publishes the bible of the industry when it comes to tire conditions: Radial Tire Conditions Analysis Guide (volume 4). We set the toe at 1/16" because when you're going down the highway with the wheels toe-in, the road friction between the rubber and road is going to pull the tires out in a straight direction, which is steering deflection, he said. When you think of a negative, you think that's going to be tire-wear issue. If they do, you have to do each side separately. When the lasar is turned on, it will instantly show how much the axle is out of alignment. The Ackerman angle is not adjustable. Proper mounting of the wheel to the hub-pilot, and properly centered is also necessary. Dont put off this important service. The second-highest issue is axle-camber alignment. But a two-year study shows that camber is not one of biggest tire-wearing issues. Proper maintenance of suspension components is critical to establishing and maintaining alignment to maximize tire life. You can achieve axle alignment that appears correct, but dont be fooled by only this measurement; tires can still wear. Toe-in is when the horizontal lines intersect in front of the wheel. The industry spec is plus or minus 1/8" of what the ride height is., https://www.facebook.com/trailerbodybuilders/, Registration opens for NTEA leadership summit, High Bar Brands releases Premier Mfg Couplings, International eMV Series explores vocational range, FleetPride extends lead in ecommerce and digital solutions, Wil-Ro wins Tennessean Top Workplaces for second consecutive year, Terex hosts technicians at service school, New LUVERNE grille guard a 'game changer' for medium-duty trucks, Registration opens for NTEA Upfitting Summit, AXLE alignment is necessary to set the wheels and tires in the optimum position for maximum tire performance, according to Rick Martin, Meritor LLC's.
Improve fuel economy and maximize tire performance through proper trailer alignment. Tony Kockritz, Hendrickson International's regional service manager, said it's important to check trailer ride height, truck ride height, shock absorbers, and bushings. A trailer axle out of alignment as little as of an inch can cause the trailer to track to the side and make it nearly impossible to keep both tractor and trailer centered within your lane. Excessive toe usually is due to a spindle bent from an impact. There are all kinds of ways to check them, he said. The trained technicians at Girard Equipment will also do a visual inspection of the trailer suspension and let you know if you have any problems. With a little practice and the right tools, you quickly can measure trailer alignment and help your customers optimize tire wear and fuel economy by ensuring their vehicles are rolling down the highway in a straight line. This designed height should be listed on the trailer ID tag. The only adjustment is the thrust angle, which is the direction the axles are headed compared to the frame of the unit. When your semi-trailer is out of alignment your gas mileage, pardon the pun, tanks. Get the latest industry news, business tips, new product releases, and more. Fatigue can lead to drowsiness and even take a toll on the drivers overall health. Experts recommend realigning your tires approximately every 6,000 miles. There are all different methods of doing this, he said, and they're all proven., You can't over-preload a wheel bearing or it will burn up in a quick time frame, so you have to have wheel bearing end play if you're doing a commissioned wheel bearing adjustment, he said. The thrust angle is an angle formed by the centerline of the vehicle frame and the direction that an axle points (square). The importance of inspecting suspension components, bushings and fasteners during routine maintenance checks cant be overlooked. Why? Scrub angle problems occur when the axles are not parallel. Wide-base tires used to be more susceptible than dual-tires for uneven wear, but its not necessarily the case anymore. It's a very high-tech, awesome product, he said. Excessive wheel end play can also cause premature tire wear. Toe-out is when these lines intersect in the rear of the truck. Much like the simple plumbing job that turns into 3 hours and 4 trips to the hardware store, sometimes its better to call someone who knows what they are doing. In the old days a guy would take a tape measure, go underneath the trailer and measure the distance from the king pin to the wheel. The angle is built into the design of the tie rod arms to give the best possible road contact and to minimize tire wear during turns.