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Mitsubishi 4D56 engine factory workshop and repair manual download

1) Overview — what geometry controls and why you adjust it
- Camber: wheel tilt in/out. Changes contact patch and camber thrust during cornering. Excess negative camber → inner wear, reduced straight-line grip. Excess positive camber → outer wear.
- Caster: steering axis tilt fore/aft. Produces self-centering torque and affects high‑speed stability and steering feel. Wrong caster → poor returnability, wandering, reduced straight‑line stability.
- Toe: angle the wheels point toward/away from centreline. Creates steady lateral forces; toe-in stabilizes, toe-out helps turn‑in. Wrong toe → rapid tyre wear, tram‑lining, vague steering.
- Thrust angle / rear toe: direction rear wheels point relative to vehicle centreline. Mis‑matched thrust → vehicle tracks crooked, steering wheel off‑centre.
- Secondary factors: ride height, worn bushings/ball joints, bent arms, strut top position, scrub radius/steering axis inclination affect symptoms and limit achievable alignment.

2) Pre‑alignment diagnosis and why it matters (do this first)
- Inspect tyres for wear pattern, pressures and damage. Theory: tyre wear pattern tells which geometry is off and whether wear is from static geometry or dynamic movement (worn bushes).
- Check suspension/steering for play: ball joints, tie‑rod ends, control‑arm bushings, struts, wheel bearings. Theory: any free play changes geometric pivots under load; adjusting alignment with worn parts only hides the problem and the settings will move when driven.
- Check ride height and body/load. Theory: camber and caster are set relative to ride height; sagging springs/change in height shifts camber/caster and will make a correct alignment under wrong height fail on road.

3) Set vehicle to reference condition
- Standardise weight (fuel, spare, driver or specified mass) and set on flat level alignment rack.
- Measure ride height and compare to spec. If out of spec, repair springs/shocks. Theory: correct pivot geometry depends on correct ride height.

4) Measurement order (why this order)
- Measure static camber and caster first, then toe, then thrust angle. Theory: camber/caster are affected by control arm positions; toe is easiest to adjust and is influenced by camber/caster if suspension is moved. Thrust is a rear reference that finalises the vehicle centreline.

5) Camber adjustment — method and why it fixes faults
- How it’s changed: on many Mitsubishi front suspensions camber is adjusted by eccentric bolts in lower control arm or by moving strut top (or using shims). Some models require replacement or adjustable camber bolts.
- Theory of repair: camber sets the nominal tilt so the tyre’s contact patch is correct when vehicle is level. Adjusting camber centers the vertical load distribution across the tread, eliminating excessive inner/outer wear and restoring predictable lateral grip.
- What to do/expect: adjust until camber is within spec; correcting camber can also slightly change toe, so toe must be rechecked.

6) Caster adjustment — method and why it fixes faults
- How it’s changed: caster is usually altered by moving the lower control arm forward/back with eccentric bolts, adjustable ball joints, or strut top position. Some Mitsubishi variants allow minor caster change via eccentric bushes or adjustable bolt positions.
- Theory of repair: increasing positive caster moves the steering axis rearward at the top, creating a self‑centering moment and mechanical trail. Fixes poor return‑to‑centre, wandering and high‑speed instability. Extreme caster changes can alter camber during steering and affect steering effort.
- Note: caster changes will alter steering effort and can affect camber under cornering — recheck camber and toe after caster adjustment.

7) Toe adjustment — method and why it fixes faults
- How it’s changed: toe is adjusted by turning the tie‑rod ends (change length) and centering the steering wheel. Rear toe uses adjustable toe links or shims on solid axles.
- Theory of repair: toe sets the small lateral force direction at low speeds. Proper toe prevents scrubbing that causes rapid tread wear and poor straight‑line tracking. Toe-in generally adds stability; toe-out improves turn‑in but causes instability if excessive.
- Procedure rule: set front toe to spec with steering wheel locked straight, then set rear toe/thrust to align vehicle centreline.

8) Thrust angle / rear alignment — method and why it fixes faults
- How it’s changed: adjust rear toe links or add/remove shims on solid axle mounts; on independent rear suspension adjust toe links or eccentric bolts.
- Theory of repair: if rear wheels point slightly off centreline the whole vehicle will follow that vector and the steering wheel will be off‑centre. Correcting thrust aligns rear axle with vehicle centreline so steering inputs produce intended direction.

9) Steering axis inclination and scrub radius — recognition and limits
- These are determined by suspension design; you rarely adjust them. But bent knuckles, incorrect ball joint heights or the wrong wheels/offset will change scrub radius or SAI and cause kickback or pull. Repair involves replacing components or correcting wheel/tire/wheel offset, not simple shims.

10) Finalise, verify, and road‑check
- Torque all fasteners to spec because eccentric bolts must be locked at the correct point to maintain geometry. Theory: loose hardware will rotate under load and geometry will shift back.
- Road‑test: check steering return, straight‑line tracking, steering‑wheel centering, and feel. Recheck alignment after road test because bushings can settle and shock compression under load can reveal errors.

11) How specific repairs restore correct geometry (cause → cure → effect)
- Replace worn control‑arm bushing: cause — bush play allows arm to move laterally/fore‑aft under load → geometry varies with steering/load → symptom: wander, uneven wear. Cure — new bush restores correct pivot point → geometry holds under load → result: stable tracking, even wear.
- Replace bent control arm/knuckle: cause — wrong arm length/angle → permanent camber/caster error. Cure — new straight component restores correct pivot geometry → result: you can set camber/caster to spec and restore tyre contact.
- Replace tie‑rod/end: cause — play produces variable toe. Cure — new tie rod gives fixed steering linkage length → toe remains stable, wear stops.
- Replace sagging spring: cause — incorrect ride height shifts camber/caster beyond spec. Cure — new spring restores vehicle height → static geometry returns to spec when adjusted.
- Adjust eccentric bolts/shims: cause — small factory or crash mis‑locations or wear. Cure — repositioning corrects control arm location relative to chassis → restores intended camber/caster/toe.

12) Practical alignment workflow summary (in order)
1. Inspect and repair worn components, tyres and correct pressures.
2. Set/repair ride height.
3. Place vehicle on level alignment rack; measure baseline camber, caster, toe, thrust.
4. Adjust camber to spec.
5. Adjust caster to spec (if adjustable).
6. Recheck camber; correct if shifted.
7. Set front toe and centre the steering wheel.
8. Adjust rear toe/thrust angle to align vehicle centreline.
9. Torque hardware and road test.
10. Recheck alignment and make final corrections.

Done.
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