Alternator operating principle / Measuring electric current / Measuring front wheel geometry

The maintenance interval had to be increased, as owners of modern cars now drove more miles. There had to be a successor to our old dynamo; it became the alternator. The mechanical collector of the dynamo is replaced in the alternator by four solid-state diodes, these form a rectifier bridge. With this new arrangement in the alternator, we got rid of the sparking between carbon brush and collector that we had with the dynamo, resulting in longer life. Thus, the first hurdle was overcome.

A typical ammeter can measure up to a maximum of 10 A or 40 A, for example. If the measured current is higher than allowed, the fuse of your ammeter will blow. Some ammeters have an electronic current limiter, then you just see an error message displayed. And, this all happens while the ammeter is part of your car`s electrical circuit. So, not a good idea. If you want to measure an electrical current at your classic VW, we recommend doing so with a current clamp. With a current clamp, you don`t need to interrupt the electrical connections, you place the current clamp over the cable whose current you want to know, that`s all.

Alignment is what we will explain in this article (not to be confused with balancing), it is the adjustment of Wheel Camber (Camber angle), King Pin Inclination (KPI), Caster or Toe, in short, the adjustment of wheel geometry. This does not have to be done at every tire change, or at regular intervals, but rather when you fit a different type of rim or tire size, or add or remove wheel spacers, or raise or lower the car. Changing the rim/tire combination changes the wheel geometry (see edition 25 and edition 26). Also, when you install a different type of front or rear axle, the wheel geometry must be changed, or when you replace the suspension arms, King Pins or ball joints. After an accident, a severe shock to the suspension (driven into a deep pit) the wheel geometry should be checked to be sure.