_外文翻译--四轮定位简介.doc

1 英文翻译原文 A Short Course onWheel Alignment by Charles Ofria In its most basic form, a wheel alignment consists of adjusting the angles of the wheels so that they are perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other. The purpose of these adjustments is maximum tire life and a vehicle that tracks straight and true when driving along a straight and level road. This article begins with information that any motorist should know; however, if you are interested in learning more about this topic, click on the underlined words for more detailed explanations of each term. We will cover various levels of detail with the deepest levels containing information that even a wheel alignment technician will find informative. Wheel Alignment is often confused with Wheel Balancing.? The two really have nothing to do with each other except for the fact that they affect ride and handling.? If a wheel is out of balance, it will cause a vibration at highway speeds that can be felt in the steering wheel and/or the seat.? If the alignment is out, it can cause excessive tire wear and steering or tracking problems. If you know anything about wheel alignment, youve probably heard the terms Camber, Caster and Toe-in. Camber Camber is the angle of the wheel, measured in degrees, when viewed from the front of the vehicle. If the top of the wheel is leaning out from the center of the car, then the camber is positive, if its leaning in, then the camber is negative. If the camber is out of adjustment, it will cause tire wear on one side of the tires tread. If the camber is too far negative, for instance, then the tire will wear on the inside of the tread. Camber wear pattern If the camber is different from side to side it can cause a pulling problem. The vehicle will pull to the side with the more positive camber. On many front-wheel-drive vehicles, camber is not adjustable. If the camber is out on these cars, it indicates that something is worn or bent, possibly from an accident and must be