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The rear end is secured by a number of control arms, making it
possible for the unit to move up and down, but not side to side.
These arms can usually be adjusted, allowing the rear end to be
aligned with the rest of the car.
The growing popularity of front wheel drive and four wheel drive
vehicles has sharply increased the need for correct alignment of all
four wheels. In fact, some designs require "camber" and "toe-in"
adjustments on all four wheels. The four wheel alignment is required
so that correct rear wheel track is established.
The front wheels steer the vehicle, but the rear wheels direct it.
The rear wheels determine the "thrust line" which, in effect, is the
rear rolling direction. When the thrust line is made to agree with
the vehicle frame's centerline (by aligning front and rear wheels and
centering the steering wheel), correct rear wheel track will be
achieved. An out-of-line condition not caused by an accident usually
can be traced to a mechanical defect or sag due to stress in the
middle or corner of the frame. A frame that is out of line must be
straightened before it is possible to get correct steering alignment.
The frame rails must be the same height from the floor on each side
at the spring seats, along with the essential parallel and right
angle relationships.
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