HARNESS AS 5E9212 - Caterpillar

Camber
Camber is the inward or outward tilt of the top of the wheel when compared with a vertical line. See Illustration 1. Camber is obtained by tilting the wheel spindle. Camber is positive if the top of the wheel is tilted outward and negative if tilted in. The distance between the point where the pivot centerline (a line drawn through the center of the kingpin) intersects the road surface and the tire centerline is called the scrub radius. This distance has a direct bearing on the ease of steering and the amount of road shock transmitted into the steering system.
Balloon tires were found to wear excessively on one side due to the large tire area in contact with the road. To offset tire wear, it was necessary to decrease camber and incline the kingpin.
Illustration 1. Location of wheel alignment components.Kingpin Inclination
Kingpin inclination (see Illustration 1) is the angle between the kingpin centerline and a vertical line upward from the point where the kingpin centerline intersects the road surface (viewed from front or rear of steer axle). Inclining the kingpin reduces the scrub radius, camber and tire wear.
Kingpin inclination affects stability when the front wheels are turned. Because the kingpin is inclined, the front axle of the machine is lifted as the wheel is turned away from the straight ahead position. The weight of the vehicle on the front axle tends to force the axle down. Therefore, kingpin inclination, along with the weight of the machine, generates a force that tends to resist turning the wheels away from the straight ahead position and tends to return the wheels to the straight ahead position after they are turned.
Caster
Caster is the angle between the kingpin center line and a vertical line upward from the point (pivot point) where the kingpin centerline intersects the road surface (viewed from the side of the steer axle). Caster is an important factor affecting directional stability. If the top of the kingpin is tilted toward the rear, the caster is positive, and negative if tilted forward. The pivot point tends to either lead the wheel or drag the wheel behind.
Toe-In
Measure the distance, at spindle height, between the front of the wheels. Then measure the distance between the rear of the wheels. If the first distance is the greater, the difference between the measurements is the amount of toe-out. If the second distance is the greater, the difference between the measurements is the amount of toe-in. When the machine is moving forward, a force tends to spread the front of the wheels (toe-out). This is especially true when there is any looseness in the steering system. To offset the tendency of the wheels to toe-out during forward travel, a small amount of toe-in is specified when the machine is at rest. Maximum tire mileage is obtained when the machine is moving with no toe-in or toe-out.
Toe-Out On Turns
The front wheels are turned in order to turn the machine. To turn smoothly and result in minimum tire