2011 Escape, Mariner, Escape Hybrid, Mariner Hybrid Workshop Manual Page 1 of 4
SECTION 204-00: Suspension System — General 2011 Escape, Mariner, Escape Hybrid, Mariner Hybrid
Information Workshop Manual
DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION Procedure revision date: 07/22/2010
Wheel Alignment Angles
Camber
Negative and Positive Camber
Camber is the vertical tilt of the wheel when viewed from the front. Camber can be positive or negative and
has a direct effect on tire wear.
Caster
Caster is the deviation from vertical of an imaginary line drawn through the pivot points (top of strut and
lower ball joint), when viewed from the side. The caster specifications in this section will give the vehicle the
best directional stability characteristics when loaded and driven. The caster setting is not related to tire wear.
The caster setting is not adjustable.
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2011 Escape, Mariner, Escape Hybrid, Mariner Hybrid Workshop Manual Page 2 of 4
Item Description
1 True vertical
2 Positive caster angle
3 Strut-to-ball joint centerline
4 Pivot centerline
A backward tilt is positive (+) and a forward tilt is negative (-). Front caster adjustment is not a separate
procedure on this vehicle. The vehicle will tend to drift/pull toward the side with the lowest caster.
Toe
Positive Toe (Toe In)
Negative Toe (Toe Out)
The vehicle toe setting affects tire wear and directional stability.
Incorrect Thrust Angle (Dogtracking)
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Item Description
1 Vehicle centerline
2 Axle centerline
3 Thrust angle
Incorrect thrust angle (also known as dogtracking) is the condition in which the rear axle is not square to the
chassis. Heavily crowned roads can give the illusion of dogtracking.
Wander
Wander is the tendency of the vehicle to require frequent, random left and right steering wheel corrections to
maintain a straight path down a level road.
Shimmy
Shimmy, as experienced by the driver, is large, consistent, rotational oscillations of the steering wheel
resulting from large, side-to-side (lateral) tire/wheel movements.
Shimmy is usually experienced near 64 km/h (40 mph), and can begin or be amplified when the tire contacts
pot holes or irregularities in the road surface.
Nibble
Sometimes confused with shimmy, nibble is a condition resulting from tire interaction with various road
surfaces and experienced by the driver as small rotational oscillations of the steering wheel.
Poor Returnability/Sticky Steering
Poor returnability and sticky steering are used to describe the poor return of the steering wheel to center
after a turn or steering correction.
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Drift/Pull
Pull is a tugging sensation felt by the hands on the steering wheel that must be overcome to keep the
vehicle going straight.
Drift describes what a vehicle with this condition does with the hands off the steering wheel.
A vehicle-related drift/pull on a flat road causes a consistent deviation from the straight-ahead path
and requires constant steering input in the opposite direction to counteract the effect.
Drift/pull may be induced by conditions external to the vehicle (for example, wind or road crown).
Poor Groove Feel
Poor groove feel is characterized by little or no buildup of turning effort felt in the steering wheel as the
wheel is rocked slowly left and right within very small turns around center or straight-ahead (under 20
degrees of steering wheel turn). Effort may be said to be "flat on-center."
Under 20 degrees of turn, most of the turning effort that builds up comes from the mesh of the gear
teeth in the steering gear. In this range, the steering wheel is not yet turned enough to feel the effort
from the self-aligning forces at the road wheel or tire patch.
In the diagnosis of a driveability problem, it is important to understand the difference between wander
and poor groove feel.
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