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Isuzu Diesel Engine Workshop Manual 4BB1 4BD1 6BB1 6BD1 6BG1 4BDIT 6BD1T 6BG1T

1) Purpose and fundamentals (theory)
- Wheel alignment sets wheel angles so tires contact road with intended camber, toe and steering geometry; correct angles ensure straight tracking, stable steering return, predictable cornering and even tyre wear.
- Primary angles:
- Toe: angle wheels point in/out viewed from above. Toe determines scrub and rolling tracking. Incorrect toe → feathered/inner/outer wear, steering wander, reduced fuel economy.
- Camber: tilt of wheel inward/outward top-to-bottom. Camber controls lateral load distribution on the tyre. Excessive positive or negative camber → inner or outer shoulder wear and reduced traction.
- Caster: longitudinal tilt of the steering axis. Caster provides self-centering and directional stability; wrong caster → poor straight-line stability and heavy or light steering, pull if caster is unequal.
- Thrust angle / rear axle alignment: the direction the rear wheels point relative to vehicle centerline; mis‑thrust causes the vehicle to track off-center.
- Steering axis inclination (SAI) and scrub radius affect returnability and steering effort; they are usually fixed by geometry, not frequently adjustable.
- Alignment must be done at normal ride height and with no driveline/tyre anomalies. Worn components change geometry under load; replace before measuring.

2) Preparation (order)
1. Park on flat level surface or lift with four-post alignment rack. Ensure suspension at normal ride height and fuel/loads representative if specified.
2. Inflate tyres to correct pressure; confirm tyre size/section and match left/right where required.
3. Remove heavy load from one side (tools, cargo) so vehicle is centered as it would be in service.
4. Visually inspect and correct: tyres for uneven wear, wheel damage, rims, bent/loose wheel studs, correct tyre/wheel fitment.
5. Inspect steering and suspension components for play or damage: tie-rod ends, drag link, ball joints, kingpins/pivot bushings, control arm bushings, track rod, shock absorbers, leaf spring shackles, spring seats, axle U-bolts, wheel bearings. Repair or replace any worn/bent parts before alignment — worn parts invalidate measurements.
6. Check and correct steering free-play at steering gearbox and wheel (remove excess slack at steering linkage/box).
7. Check toe-in at hub runout: measure wheel runout and rim runout; correct if excessive before alignment (rim runout can falsely read camber/toe).

Why: worn/bent parts or wrong tyre pressure change geometry or measurement; replacing them restores the physical geometry so adjustments can be accurate.

3) Measurement sequence (order and why)
1. Establish reference centerline of vehicle (string method or rack reference). This gives a baseline for thrust and individual wheel angles.
2. Measure thrust angle and rear axle alignment relative to centerline. If the thrust angle is off, front toe adjustments that center the steering wheel will still make the vehicle track crooked. Fix rear alignment or axle centring first if possible.
3. Measure camber and caster per wheel. These affect toe behavior and steering return; set them before final toe.
4. Set toe last (after camber/caster are correct) because toe is most sensitive to small geometry changes and is the primary driver of tyre scrub.
5. Re-check steering wheel center and thrust angle after toe set; slight iterative adjustments may be needed.

Why that order: camber/caster change the effective toe during travel and steering; if toe is set first then camber/caster are changed, toe becomes wrong. Thrust angle affects straight-line travel independent of front wheel toe.

4) Typical adjustments and how they fix faults (components, what they change)
- Tie-rod/track-rod (inner/outer) — adjusts toe.
- Fault: vehicle wanders, tyres feather.
- Repair/Adjustment: lengthen/shorten tie-rod ends to set toe to spec and center steering wheel. New tie‑rod ends remove free play so toe stays stable. Tightening/torquing locknuts prevents change.
- Theory: toe is direct function of relative fore/aft positions of steering knuckles; changing tie‑rod length rotates knuckle to achieve desired toe.

- Steering gearbox pitman arm drag link geometry/steering box play
- Fault: steering pull, off-center steering wheel, inconsistent toe under load.
- Repair: correct pitman arm position, replace worn gearbox or bushings, adjust sector mesh. Once play removed, toe adjustments hold.
- Theory: play in gearbox allows uncontrolled wheel angle change; fixing restores precise input-output relationship.

- Control arm bushings / kingpins / ball joints / shackles
- Faults: intermittent toe/camber changes under load, wandering, vibration.
- Repair: replace worn bushings/joints, rebuild pivot clearances, shim or fit new eccentric bushes to restore factory offsets.
- Theory: worn pivots permit lateral/axial movement so geometry shifts under load; replacing re-establishes rigid pivot points so static alignment equals dynamic alignment.

- Bent steering knuckle or axle
- Fault: persistent wrong camber, caster, or toe that cannot be adjusted into spec; vehicle pulls.
- Repair: replace knuckle/axle or straighten if within safe repair limits.
- Theory: physical deformation changes pivot locations/angles; replacement restores correct geometry.

- Camber/caster shims or eccentric bushes
- Fault: camber out of spec (uneven shoulder wear); caster imbalance (pull, poor return).
- Repair: install shims at spring mounts or eccentric bushings on control arms to move wheel plane; adjust to specification.
- Theory: shims change the lateral position or pivot angle of the suspension member, altering the wheel tilt (camber) or steering axis tilt (caster).

- Leaf spring eye/shackle wear, spring pack sag
- Fault: changed ride height causes camber and toe drift, nose-up/down handling.
- Repair: replace springs, replace shackles, refit U-bolts and axle seat, re-shim axle to center.
- Theory: ride height sets suspension geometry; sag changes static camber and toe settings. Restoring height returns geometry to design values.

- Wheel bearings and hub play
- Fault: shimmy, uneven wear, inconsistent toe readings.
- Repair: replace bearings, adjust crown nut preload.
- Theory: axial or radial play moves hub relative to knuckle, altering camber/toe under load and causing oscillations.

- Rear axle centering / spring offset / toe-in on multi-axle
- Fault: thrust angle wrong, vehicle tracks off-center even when front aligned.
- Repair: reposition rear axle with shims or reposition spring seats/eye bolt to center axle, correct lateral location.
- Theory: if rear axle is not parallel to vehicle centerline, front will be forced to toe to compensate; centering rear returns overall vehicle direction.

5) Practical adjustment steps in order (high level)
1. Correct tyre pressures and tyre/wheel condition.
2. Repair/replace worn parts found in inspection (tie-rod ends, ball joints, bushes, bearings, springs, steering box).
3. Place vehicle at correct ride height and support; set centerline and measure baseline.
4. Measure thrust angle/rear axle alignment; correct rear axle lateral position if required.
5. Measure and correct camber and caster (use shims or eccentric bushes as specified).
6. Set toe to specification (adjust tie-rods equally, then lock nuts).
7. Center steering wheel (adjust tie-rods so wheel centered while toe in spec).
8. Tighten all fasteners to torque specs; re-check measurements.
9. Road test at low to moderate speed to confirm tracking and return; re-check and fine-tune.

6) Examples of cause → symptom → repair → why it fixes it
- Symptom: heavy inner shoulder wear on front tyres.
- Cause: excessive negative camber or excessive toe-out.
- Repair: measure camber, if excessive negative, correct via shims/eccentric; set toe to slight toe-in as spec. Replace worn bushings if camber drifts under load.
- Why it fixes: camber corrected evens lateral load; correct toe removes scrub that wears inner shoulder.

- Symptom: vehicle drifts/pulls to right with steering wheel nearly centered.
- Cause: thrust angle offset (rear axle off-center) or front camber/caster imbalance.
- Repair: measure thrust; shim or re-center rear axle; correct camber/caster left/right to balance steering axis.
- Why: centering rear axle aligns rear tracking with vehicle centerline; balancing caster/camber restores symmetric steering responses so vehicle tracks straight.

- Symptom: wandering and poor straight-line stability.
- Cause: worn tie-rod ends, steering gearbox play, or worn bushings.
- Repair: replace tie-rod ends/play components, set toe correctly.
- Why: removing play ensures wheel angles respond predictably to steering input and maintain set toe.

- Symptom: steering wheel off-center after alignment.
- Cause: toe adjusted without centering steering wheel; unequal left/right steering arm positions.
- Repair: re‑adjust tie‑rods to center wheel while toe in spec; ensure steering gear and pitman arm indexed correctly.
- Why: tie-rod length changes steering wheel position; centering aligns steering column to wheel angle.

7) Final verification and maintenance
- After alignment: torque all fasteners, re-check after 50–100 km, inspect tyre wear at intervals.
- Note: use vehicle-specific specs for allowances (caster, camber, toe, thrust). For Isuzu truck variants, some adjustments use shims at spring seats, eccentric bushes or specific sleeve positions — follow workshop manual for those locations and torque values.

Concise summary: inspect and repair worn or bent components first, set vehicle to correct ride height, measure thrust/rear position, set camber/caster, then set toe and center steering wheel, torque and road test. Each repair restores the intended geometry by removing play, relocating pivot points to nominal positions or restoring ride height, so when you set angles they remain stable under load and produce correct tyre contact, steering return and straight-line tracking.
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