Different between Side slip and aligment

[Robertoon]

Can anyone tell me the difference of the 2 terms? Whats the cost of doing it.

[Yeobh]

When you send your car for wheel alignment, it is done at static. The mech will check toe angle, toe angle on turn, camber and caster angle. That is only for the front wheels. If you are doing 4 wheels there are more complicated checks to be carried out.

Unless you car has suffered undercariage damage or the rear suspensions are just replaced, then it is necssary to do a thorough 4 wheel alignement ( unless offcourse yr ride has 4 independent suspensions)

Car will still sometime pull to the left or right (side slip) even the wheels have just been adjusted using computerised alignment machine. This is because the whole adjustment excercise is been carried out at static without taking in consideration wheel bearing conditions, tie-rod conditions ,tyre wear conditions etc. The reading are perfect but in actual rolling the wheel sometimes still develop lateral pulling force.

So to detect and overcome these lateral pulling force, it is best to drive the car over a side slip tester (tester with moving plate(s))If the reading show either within -5m or +5m then yr wheel slip is not that bad. The mech can make minor adjsutment on the toe angles to offset the pulling and do a re-test. Most customers always insists on the side slip tester meter to read "0".

 

Hope this helps

[Robertoon]

so to say to perfect it, must do both excerise right? whats the cost of it

[Soya]

"...Unless you car has suffered undercariage damage or the rear suspensions are just replaced, then it is necssary to do a thorough 4 wheel alignement ( unless offcourse yr ride has 4 independent suspensions)..."

But most cars nowadays hv 4-wheel independent suspension. Does that mean 4 wheel computerised alignment is not necessary?

[Yeobh]

Right, in many countries, wheel aligner tech will always drive across the side slip tester ( aka scuff tester in US and Europe)before putting the car on to the lfit for wheel alignement adjsutemnt.Once the adjsutment is over they will again drive over the side slip to confirm the adjustment are all OK.

[Yeobh]

No, pl read what I have written. 4 wheel alignement is necessary if the car has suffered undercarrigae damage due to an accident, the rear drive axle or suspension were replaced or driver experience difficulties in keeping the car going straight at high speed or cornering etc. Car pulling to the left or right at normal driving speed is due mainly to toe angle and in extreme case can be due to excess camber angle, loose wheel bearing, or disc bark conditions, loose ball joint, loose wheel steering , uneven tyre wear etc.

[Robin]

any idea where this side slip test can be performed? i've only seen workshops with alignment machines

[Owen_fan]

I have do side slip test in July at 1 of a workshop in tampines b4 my 1st inspection.

[Robin]

how much

[Owen_fan]

i think is between $24-$26, can't really remember the exact cost

[Robin]

k thanks 4 the info

[Yeobh]

Up to date there are more than 250 car workshops in Singapore providing wheel side slip testing and adjustments. Here are few shops that you can contact to check out their service charges

 

a) TJ Car Care Services

Blk 1010 Bt Merah Lane3 #01-11( Alexander Village)

Tel : 6278567

Boss : Mr Dennis Cheong

 

b) Poh loon Auto Service

71 Frankel Ave ( caltex s/stn)

Tel : 62453403

Boss: Mr Richard Choy

 

c) Weltune Auto Services

Blk 1018 Yishun Ind Pk A #01-354

Tel: 67554064

Boss: Mr Phua Lian Chye ( Ah Chye)

 

d) M & Q Auto Work

Blk 9004 Tampines St93 #01-96

( behind SAFRA Tampines)

Tel: 67881256

Boss: Mr Chia Cheng Sun

 

 

Hope this helps

Edited September 22, 2006 by Yeobh

[Robin]

wah... thanks

[Subutai]

Thanks for the info...

[atlantis]

I watched this being done on the right front wheel of my RWD car (Japanese) at UBI today. The reason it was done is because the tire is a bit worn on the inside (at 12K mileage).

 

The side slip meter reads 7.8 when it is driven over. The technician has to adjust the left wheel as well as right wheel but the side slip is tested only on the right front wheel? Eventually, he got -1.x... for the reading.

 

Question: is side slip test to be done on one wheel only?

 

 

 

When you send your car for wheel alignment, it is done at static. The mech will check toe angle, toe angle on turn, camber and caster angle. That is only for the front wheels. If you are doing 4 wheels there are more complicated checks to be carried out.

Unless you car has suffered undercariage damage or the rear suspensions are just replaced, then it is necssary to do a thorough 4 wheel alignement ( unless offcourse yr ride has 4 independent suspensions)

Car will still sometime pull to the left or right (side slip) even the wheels have just been adjusted using computerised alignment machine. This is because the whole adjustment excercise is been carried out at static without taking in consideration wheel bearing conditions, tie-rod conditions ,tyre wear conditions etc. The reading are perfect but in actual rolling the wheel sometimes still develop lateral pulling force.

So to detect and overcome these lateral pulling force, it is best to drive the car over a side slip tester (tester with moving plate(s))If the reading show either within -5m or +5m then yr wheel slip is not that bad. The mech can make minor adjsutment on the toe angles to offset the pulling and do a re-test. Most customers always insists on the side slip tester meter to read "0".

 

Hope this helps

Edited January 15, 2007 by atlantis

[Yeobh]

European designed side slip ( tyre scuffing) tester ) use only one plate - normally about one meter in length. The Japanese design their side slip tester using two plate and the width of each pale is 0.5 meter.

The main function of side slip tester is to measure the difference of lateral pulling force of each wheel. If the left develop less force than the right then the car will pull towards the right.

 

The testing standard for side slip is -+5m/km ,that means if yr car side track more than 5m to the left or right over a 1 km then it is considered dangerous and therefore yr ride will not pass the bi-annual inspection.

 

7.8m is way far from the permissible max of 5m.

 

What the mechanics is doing is to compensate the toe setting to increase the pulling force of the "weaker" wheel.

 

After setting, so long as the test reading is within the -+5m/1km the car is considered safe to drive. Most mech will try to acheive the 0m /km reading to satisfy their customers

[atlantis]

Thank you. Your replies are most educational.

 

Can I clarify again:

 

- Are all designs in m/Km? Can there be an American version in say foot/miles? This is a single plate with digital meter output on the wall. I did not pay attention to the brand.

 

- You are saying that it does not matter which wheel is driven over it. All it takes is one wheel on it to measure the pull (to the left or right). Correct?

 

 

 

What the mechanics is doing is to compensate the toe setting to increase the pulling force of the "weaker" wheel.

 

So, there is a possibility that toe settings on both sides are over (or under)done (but compensated each other to produce a zero reading). Is that possibility harmful?

 

Thanks again.

Edited January 15, 2007 by atlantis

[Yeobh]

Yes for UK and US they use xxft/miles. The set maybe from Demark. Generally the driver side wheel is driven over the plate. If you drive the other wheel across and compare the reading - they should be the same , if there is a difference, chance one of the balljoints or wheel bearing is bad.

 

Not harmeful so long as the tyre do not move side way. Toe in or out angle, in fact is set to counteract forces develop due the wheel camber angle setting.