Apparatus and method for adjusting camber and toe

Claim 2

A shim for use in adjusting the camber and toe of a wheel comprising: a tapered shim hub having a periphery; and a plurality of outwardly extending tabs operably, removably coupled to the periphery of said shim hub, said tabs varying radially in thickness around said periphery in accordance with the taper of said shim hub such that said tabs and shim hub together define a shim angle.

Claim 3

A shim as recited in claim 1 wherein the shim hub is generally annular and said plurality of tabs extends radially outward from the shim hub.

Claim 4

A shim as recited in claim 2 wherein said tabs are of substantially equal length and said plurality of tabs forms a generally annular pattern around and concentric to said shim hub.

Claim 5

A shim as recited in claim 3 wherein the tabs vary continuously in thickness from a first peripheral location of the shim where a tab of greatest thickness is located to a second peripheral location 180° opposed to said first location where a tab of least thickness is located.

Claim 6

A shim as recited in claim 1 wherein the variation in tab thickness forms a shim having a shim angle between one-eighth degree and two degrees.

Claim 7

A shim as recited in claim 1 wherein each tab is removably coupled at a score line.

Claim 8

A shim as recited in claim 1 wherein the shim hub is generally annular, said plurality of tabs extends radially outward from the shim hub and each tab occupies between four and ten degrees of arc.

Claim 9

A shim as recited in claim 7 wherein each tab occupies seven and one-half of degrees of arc.

Claim 10

A shim as recited in claim 1 wherein each tab is separated from the next adjacent tabs by a slot.

Claim 11

A shim for use in adjusting the toe and camber alignment of a wheel in a vehicle wheel assembly, the wheel assembly including a spindle for rotatably supporting said wheel, a spindle face plate, an axle, an axle face plate and a plurality of bolts received through said spindle face plate and said axle face plate for detachably, operably coupling said spindle face plate to said axle face plate, said shim comprising: a shim plate having a first, generally planar, spindle face plate engaging surface, and a second, opposed, generally planar, axle face plate engaging surface, said first and second surfaces lying in nonparallel planes whereby said shim plate presents a generally tapered profile, said shim plate including structure defining a peripheral edge and a plurality of slots extending inwardly from said peripheral edge to define a centered, tapered shim hub and a plurality of outwardly extending shim tabs removably coupled to said shim hub, said tabs varying radially in thickness around said periphery in accordance with the taper of said shim hub such that said tabs and shim hub together define a shim angle, whereby predetermined ones of said shim tabs can be removed from said shim hub to present bolt clearing gaps such that said shim plate can be positioned between said spindle face plate and said axle face plate at a preselected angular orientation to selectively adjust the alignment of said wheel, said bolt clearing gaps receiving said bolts and said hub and said tabs not removed from said hub engaging said spindle face plate and said axle face plate.

Claim 12

A shim for use in adjusting the toe and camber alignment of a wheel in a vehicle wheel assembly, the wheel assembly including a spindle for rotatably supporting said wheel, a spindle face plate, an axle, an axle face plate and a plurality of bolts received through said spindle face plate and said axle face plate for detachably, operably coupling said spindle face plate to said axle face plate, said shim comprising: a shim plate having a first, generally planar, spindle face plate engaging surface, and a second, opposed, generally planar, axle face plate engaging surface, said first and second surfaces lying in nonparallel planes whereby said shim plate presents a generally tapered profile, said shim plate including structure defining a peripheral edge and a plurality of slots extending inwardly from said peripheral edge to define a centered, tapered shim hub and a plurality of outwardly extending shim tabs removably coupled to said shim hub, said tabs varying radially in thickness around said periphery in accordance with the taper of said shim hub such that said tabs and shim hub together define a shim angle, whereby predetermined ones of said shim tabs can be removed from said shim hub to present bolt clearing gaps such that said shim plate can be positioned between said spindle face plate and said axle face plate at a preselected angular orientation to selectively adjust the alignment of said wheel, said bolt clearing gaps receiving said bolts and said hub and said tabs not removed from said hub engaging said spindle face plate and said axle face plate.

Claim 13

A shim as recited in claim 10, said shim plate being generally annular and said notches extending radially inwardly such that said shim hub is generally annular and said shim tabs extend radially outwardly from said shim hub.

Claim 14

A shim as recited in claim 11 wherein said tabs are of substantially equal length and said plurality of tabs forms a generally annular pattern around and concentric to said shim hub.

Claim 15

A shim as recited in claim 12 wherein the tabs vary continuously in thickness from a first peripheral location of the shim where a tab of greatest thickness is located to a second peripheral location 180° opposed to said first location where a tab of least thickness is located.

Claim 16

A shim as recited in claim 13 wherein the variation in tab thickness forms a shim having a shim angle between one eighth degree and two degrees.

Claim 17

A shim as recited in claim 10 wherein each tab is removably coupled at a score line.

Claim 18

A shim as recited in claim 10 wherein each of said tabs occupies between four and ten degrees of arc.

Claim 19

A shim as recited in claim 16 wherein each of said tabs occupies seven and one-half of degrees of arc.

Claim 22

The method of claim 18, said step of determining the angular orientation of said shim including the steps of providing a chart presenting desired angular orientations of said shim for a plurality of combinations of adjustments of toe and chamber, and using said chart to determine said angular orientation.

Claim 23

The method of claim 18, said step of detaching required ones of said shim tabs including the steps of providing a template having positions for said bolt clearing gaps marked thereon, aligning said shim on said template in accordance with said angular orientation, and marking the shim tabs at said positions as the required ones of said shim tabs.