Steering Geometry Services
Set-up and Adjustment

Steering Geometry

Steering Problems

The steering geometry system on every car is very important and requires regular maintenance to keep it at an optimum standard. The steering rack on all motor vehicles is easily knocked out of alignment by all the speed humps and potholes in the road. When the wheel alignment becomes out of tolerance the tyres will wear unevenly on either edge of the side walls.

The important wheel alignment measurements include:-

Castor
King Pin Inclination/ SJI/ SAI (terminology differs)
Scrub radius
Included angles
Toot/ Ackerman
Delta curves

A real problem in this industry is that the full global wheel alignment systems, along with the relevant staff training are invariably quite expensive for a company, so this leads many companies to implement the cheaper and far less adequate systems. This problem combined with the fact that the average customer is blissfully unaware that there is anything more their cars setup than simple “tracking” can often result in unhappy customers after poor customer service and poor results.

Be aware of the differences in the systems and make sure that the service you are paying for next time is actually capable of giving you results!

Noticeable signs of displaced steering geometry or wheel alignment are:

Steering wheel is off-set when the vehicle is travelling in a straight line
The vehicle may drift/pull to the left or right
The front tyres will wear bald or show signs of uneven wear on either edge

If any of these steering faults are present on your vehicle we strongly recommend you have your wheel alignment and steering geometry checked and adjusted if necessary. We advise checking wheel alignment and geometry no less than at least once a year though possibly more if there has been noticeable impact or trauma identified.

Visit our technical page Wheel Alignment Explained to learn more about Wheel Alignment Elements

Steering Geometry Services

Steering and Alignment

Our highly trained technicians can be of assistance to advise you of the best solution for any steering geometry problems. We can even repair unsightly dents and scrapes on alloy wheels and have them totally refinished to offer a new lease of life or simply to change the colour scheme. See our Alloy Wheel Repair section.