So ignoring this angle can undermine even the most accurately aligned front suspension. It can result in a crooked steering wheel as the front wheels steer to align themselves with the rear wheels. Also, a miss-aligned thrust angle can cause the vehicle to handle differently when turning one direction versus the other.
But, the thrust line is a very important angle that can help you diagnose other problems. If the rear live axle vehicle has a greater than normal, thrust angle is an indication that the axle has shifted or the mounting points on the frame have shifted. To get a better picture of the damage, look at the setback of the front wheels. Setback is a diagnostic angle that measures the difference in distances between the centers of the front wheels. Differences in the setback angle can indicate damage in the frame or within components like control arms and bushings.
Take a closer look at caster angles from side to side to see if there is a larger problem. A setback and thrust angle misalignment could be an indication of frame damage.
On a vehicle with an independent front suspension and a rear live-axle, the shifted rails will cause the front suspension to have an increased setback and thrust angle. This is caused by the mounting points of the suspension moving. Another piece of diagnostic information to look at is the ride height.
On rear suspensions with leaf springs, the leaves of the springs can become damaged and can change the ride height and the position of the axle. One remedy for this problem is a plate that can go between the axle and springs, and allows some fore and aft repositioning of the axle to equalize rear toe readings on both sides.
When performing four-wheel alignments, the thrust angle must be checked and corrected before the front end alignment can be performed. Inspect the vehicle for collision damage and rear toe. Axle offset occurs when the rear axle tilts sideways, causing both rear tires to point in the wrong direction. Like a forklift, if the rear tires point to the left, the vehicle will steer to the right. This condition is typically caused by a broken leaf spring center bolt or problems with the shackle.
It is one of the most important diagnostic angles during an alignment. Click Here to Read More Advertisement To measure the thrust angle on a vehicle you have to perform a four-wheel alignment. Even if the rear axle is non-adjustable, you need to take rear axle readings to properly align the front suspension.
A thrust condition exists when the rear individual toe is not equal. The thrust angle of a vehicle can be generated by two conditions or angles. This makes it difficult for some technicians to properly diagnosis the problem. First, the thrust angle could be generated by the angle of the axle or a misaligned rear suspension cradle that can change the toe angles. Also, a thrust angle can be generated by rear toe settings that are independent of the axle angle or implied axle angle.
The thrust angle can determine the straight-ahead position of the front wheels. So ignoring this angle can undermine even the most accurately aligned front suspension. It can result in a crooked steering wheel as the front wheels steer to align themselves with the front wheels.
Also, a miss-aligned thrust angle can cause the vehicle to handle differently when turning one direction versus the other. But, the thrust line is a very important angle that can help you diagnose other problems. If the rear live axle vehicle has a greater than normal, thrust angle is an indication that the axle has shifted or the mounting points on the frame have shifted.
To get a better picture of the damage, look at the setback of the front wheels. Setback is a diagnostic angle that measures the difference in distances between the centers of the front wheels. Differences in the setback angle can indicate damage in the frame or within components like control arms and bushings.
Take a closer look at caster angles from side to side to see if there is a larger problem. Advertisement A setback and thrust angle misalignment could be an indication of frame damage.
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