Method of Correction of Wheel Wobble

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18207, 30 September 1933, Page 9

Method of Correction of Wheel Wobble

WVHEEL-wobble is a trouble which is | experienced by most motorists i at some time during the lives of (heir ! cars, and is a. fault which should be j rectified without delay. Not only | does it cause discomfort, but is also i likely to strain the wheels, stubaxles, and steering gear, and perhaps to make the ear unmanageable at a critieal moment. .it is not easy to diagnose tiie real source dt' Wobble, since it may be caused by one serious fault, or the cumulative results of a number ol minor defects. An erroneous argument is to assume that wobble must, necessarily be due to wrong tilting id the front axle, and on that premise to assume that if wedges are inserted between the springs and the axle in order to restore or exaggerate castor action, nothing else need be done, boss of castor setting or axle til! is a common cause ol wobble, but other factors, too, should be considered. When it is found that a car which previously has run well develops wheel-wobble, it is best to look for simple explanations before worrying about more complicated possibilities. The pressure of the front lyres should lie checked, and it is not correct the tyres should be inflated to the advised pressure, care being taken t<< 1 sec that the inflation of both tyres is uniform. Looseness in the steering connections can also induce wobble at certain speeds, and the drag-link and steering tie-rod should lie examined, and a lie excessive play in the steering gear removed by means of the adjustments provided. Checking Toe-in. It is also desirable to cheek Ihe toein of the front wheels. The right do give of toe-in is stated in the instruction book of the car. and on modern vehicles there is always a simple ad just meat by moans of which the length of the tie-rod can be vanned so as to give the correct amount ol for ■ward ‘•gather’' of the wheels. If the wobbling of the wheels is only noticeable at fast speeds, it is possible that hick of wheel balance is the cause. That may be due either Lu the wheel itself or to the tyre, but i more usually might be attributed to an ill-balanced tyre, which has not a tread of uniform thickness, or in which 1 a heavy blow-out sleeve lias been inserted. Accumulations of mud on the rims of the wheel might also induce a similar effect.

Discovering Causes. Although if is often hard for an : expert to determine what precisely is j the origin of wobble, the car owner can discover its source by certain , hints. If the tyre inflation is correct, there is no undue play in the steering and the front wheels have the right amount .of toe-in, then 'wheel-wobble at both slow and fast speeds might be caused either by loss of axle tilt, incorrect alignment of the steering draglink, or, in extreme cases, loss of front wheel camber due to excessive wearing of the king-pins and their bushings. Tf the wobble only occur., •’t very high speeds lack of wheel balance might be the sole cause, i The road springs tend to settle after the ear has seen long service, particularly if it. is overloaded, and settling of the rear springs can aggravate the effect and intensify the loss of the right degree of front axle tilt. But before resorting to the conventional remedy of giving the front axle a more pronounced castor setting by in sorting wedges between it and the springs, ii is best to investigate all 1 lie other conditions which have been suggested, and if possible to have the car tested at a service station where instruments of precision are available for the checking of axle-tilt, toe-in, wheel alignment, and front wheel camber.