Wheel Setback

steering wheel

Front-wheel setback is measured through the spindles perpendicular to the vehicle's centerline. Front-wheel setback causes a vehicle to drift to the side with the least setback.

Leaf spring components labeled.

A rear-wheel setback is when one of the rear wheels sits further back than the other. It causes the vehicle to drift to the opposite side. Look for a bent component or a broken leaf spring or center bolt.

Crowned Roads

The center of a crowned road is higher than its shoulder.

Check the vehicle manufacturer's specifications for a built-in setback to compensate for road design and crowning. Designed for water drainage, the center or dome of a crowned road is higher than its shoulders. A vehicle with an even setback drifts towards the shoulder of the road. Some manufacturers compensate for this drift with wheel setback.