Vehicle alignment and verification system

A method for factory pre-aligning vehicle wheels comprising providing a frame, providing a bracket rigidly connected to said frame, providing a vehicle wheel control arm and pivotally mounting said arm to said bracket by mounting means including a rotating eccentric cam for changing the pivot axis of said control arm according to the rotational position of said cam, singularly pre-setting the pivot axis of said control arm with pre-alignment insert means removably mounted to said mounting means, providing said mounting means with tightening means and tightening same to hold said cam in place to in turn hold said pivot axis in the pre-set position, with said insert means remaining installed, providing said bracket with a sideface having a guide channel defined by at least one guide rail therealong, non-rotatably installing said insert means between said cam and said sideface, providing said bracket with an elongated slot formed all the way therethrough, without partial punching, and providing said mounting means with a bolt mounting said control arm to said bracket and defining said pivot axis, with said bolt being laterally movable along said slot to change the pivot axis, and with said bolt extending through said slot, said insert means and said cam, and keying said insert means to said bolt and said bolt to said cam such that non-rotation of said insert means prevents rotation of said bolt which in turn prevents rotation of said cam which prevents said cam from riding up and over said guide rail in a canted cam condition, and instead provides flush contact of said cam against said insert means along said channel to provide a tightly fastened assembly and prevent premature loss of alignment.

A method for factory pre-aligning vehicle wheels and for subsequently re-aligning the vehicle wheels after usage and for verifying such re-alignment, comprising providing a frame, providing a bracket having a sideface with a guide channel therealong, forming an elongated slot all the way through said sideface without partial punching, rigidly connecting said bracket to said frame, pivotally mounting a vehicle wheel control arm to said bracket by a bolt extending through said slot and through an eccentric cam confined along said channel and rotatable to change the pivot axis of said control arm by changing the lateral position of said bolt along said slot, providing a pre-alignment insert for singularly pre-setting the pivot axis of said control arm by setting the position of said bolt in said slot, installing said insert on said bolt between said cam and said sideface and having a portion occupying a portion of said slot and preventing lateral movement of said bolt to limit said bolt to a singular pre-set position, providing tightening means on said bolt and tightening same against said cam to hold said cam against said insert and to hold said insert against said sideface to in turn hold said cam in a pre-set position in said channel to hold said bolt in the pre-set position, to provide factory pre-alignment, and further comprising, after vehicle usage, loosening said tightening means, removing said insert, laterally moving said bolt in said slot to a desired re-set position to provide re-alignment of the pivot axis of said control arm, re-tightening said tightening means against said cam to hold said cam against said sideface, without said insert interposed therebetween, to hold said cam in place in said channel to prevent lateral movemnet of said bolt to limit said bolt to the re-set position, to provide re-alignment, and forwarding said removed insert to the vehicle manufacturer for verifying re-alignment.

Apparatus for vehicle wheel alignment, comprising:

• a frame;
• a bracket rigidly connected to said frame and having a sideface with a guide channel therealong and an elongated slot therethrough;
• a control arm for mounting a vehicle wheel;
• a bolt mounting said control arm to said bracket and extending through said elongated slot and laterally movable therealong to adjust alignment;
• a generally flat disc-like cam having an opening therethrough offset from the center of the cam to provide an eccentric cam, wherein said bolt extends through said opening;
• a nut tightened on said bolt against said cam to hold said cam against rotation in said channel to in turn prevent lateral movement of said bolt along said slot, and such that upon loosening of said nut, said cam may be rotated in said channel to laterally move said bolt in said slot to in turn adjust alignment;
• factory-installed pre-alignment means providing precise pre-alignment during assembly, comprising an insert between said cam and said sideface, said insert having an opening therethrough receiving said bolt, said insert having a given dimension matching a given dimension of said bracket such that upon tightening of said nut, said insert assumes a singular position between said cam and said bracket which singularly locates said bolt in said slot and said cam in said channel, said insert being removable to allow alignment adjustment after vehicle usage, such that upon loosening of said nut and removal of said insert, said cam may rotate in said channel and said bolt may move laterally in said slot to a desired position, and such that upon re-tightening of said nut, said cam is tightened against rotation in said channel.