Suspension Alignment

Positive caster in cars helps with stability, and also brings the steering wheel back to center when the turn is completed. No car runs with negative caster, for a reason. Shopping cart front wheels are an example of negative caster, which is why shopping carts handle negatively. Out of whack caster won't cause tires to wear, but can cause a drifting effect—or a steering wheel that likes to stay turned instead of returning to center.

Toe—Sole Pointing

Figuring out what toe is all about as it applies to cars is as easy as gazing down at your feet. Point your toes inward. That's toe-in. Turning your feet out is toe-out. If your feet, or the tires on your car, are parallel to each other they have zero toe. Incorrect toe angle can not only cause the car to pull left or right, but can also wear out tires quicker than you can say 500 bucks.


Imagine walking about soley on the insides or outsides of your feet and the picture of tire wear is clear. While toe is the easiest to understand, it is also the most important when it comes to handling and tires. Rear-wheel drive, front-wheel drive, and all-wheel-drive vehicles all have unique toe adjustment requirements. Discussion of each type of suspension and drivetrain gets into Ackerman steering geometry and linkages, which is the subject of many books. Neglecting alignment can be dangerous at worst, and can surely tie you up in tire bills.