Aligning an ATV

Misaligned ATV tires will cause excessive wear on the tires and stress on the axle, both of which lead to dangerous driving conditions. To align a tire means to straighten it. Two alignments to check at home are the camber and toe. The camber is the vertical alignment of the tires in relation to the body of the ATV; the toe is the measurement of distance between two tires on the same axle. You will need an extra set of hands to properly take some measurements.

Things You'll Need

• Metric wrench set
• Tape measure
• Leveling tool
• Straight-edge tool
• 2 tie-down straps
• Adjustable wrench

Instructions

Toe

1. Park the ATV on a flat surface like a garage floor. Center the handle bars.

2. Strap down the handle bars with two tie-downs, one on each side, to prevent them from moving. Tie the handle bars to an available part of the ATV frame.

3. Hold a leveling tool against the rear tire on the left hand side of the ATV. Position the leveling tool so it extends forward to the front tire. Hold the leveling tool so it is perfectly level. Keep it pressed against the rear tire. There will be a gap between the front tire and the leveling tool.

4. Measure the distance between the side of the front tire and the edge of the leveling tool. The gap should measure about an eighth of an inch. If it is not, the toe needs to be adjusted.

5. Loosen the nuts on the tie-rod with an adjustable wrench. There are two nuts, one on each end of the tie rod.

6. Grasp the squared nut on the tie-rod (not the nuts you just loosened) with an adjustable wrench. Twist the nut until the gap between the front tire and the edge of the leveling tool measure an eighth inch.

7. Tighten the squared nut on the tie-rod, but leave the other two nuts loose for the time being.

8. Repeat this process with the front tire on the right side of the ATV.

Camber

1. Hold a leveling tool against the rear tire on the left side of the ATV. Position the level vertically. Press the level against the side of the top of the tire. Center the level vertically.

2. Measure the distance between the inside edge of the level and the side wall directly above the top of the tire. The distance should measure between and an eighth and a quarter inch. If it is not, the camber needs to be adjusted.

3. Loosen the lock nut on the ball joint with an adjustable wrench.

4. Grasp the nut on the A-arm with an adjustable wrench, and turn it until the distance between the inside edge of the level and the side wall measures between an eighth and a quarter inch. Depending on the model of A-arm with which the ATV is equipped, you may have to remove the ball joint before adjusting the camber.

5. Tighten the nut on the A-arm and the lock nut on the ball joint.

6. Repeat this process with each tire.

7. Tighten the nuts on the front tire tie-rods (the ones you left loose when you adjusted the toe) with an adjustable wrench.

References

• ATV Rider: Toe and Camber Adjustment

Resources

• Family Car Parts: Wheel Alignment a Short Course
• Allpar Repairs: Do-It-Yourself Alignment