Abstract: A vehicle wheel alignment method and tire force measuring system is disclosed which enables lateral forces generated by a vehicle tire so that vehicle alignment adjustments may be made to compensate for these as well as other tire generated forces or to enable matching of tires on a given vehicle axle to compensate for such forces. The apparatus provides a pair of tire supporting rollers each of which is supported for independent lateral movement and together are supported for movement in a horizontal plane. In this way, forces resulting from conicity and ply-steer may be measured in addition to the forces from camber and toe in which have been measured in the past. Once the magnitude and direction of these forces has been determined suitable adjustments to the vehicle suspension system may be made so as to net the given force to substantially zero for a given axle.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel alignment method and tire force measuring system is disclosed which enables lateral forces generated by a vehicle tire so that vehicle alignment adjustments may be made to compensate for these as well as other tire generated forces or to enable matching of tires on a given vehicle axle to compensate for such forces. The apparatus provides a pair of tire supporting rollers each of which is supported for independent lateral movement and together are supported for movement in a horizontal plane. In this way, forces resulting from conicity and ply-steer may be measured in addition to the forces from camber and toe in which have been measured in the past. Once the magnitude and direction of these forces has been determined suitable adjustments to the vehicle suspension system may be made so as to net the given force to substantially zero for a given axle.

Abstract: A method of aligning front wheels of a vehicle so that the steering wheel of the vehicle is centered when the vehicle is driven including the steps of aligning the front wheels in centered positions corresponding to straight ahead driving while the steering wheel is immobilized in a centered position likewise corresponding to straight-ahead driving and then turning the steering wheel from a first off-center position through its centered position in a first direction and from a second off-center position through its centered position in an opposite second direction with at least a fraction of the weight of the vehicle on the front wheels.