An apparatus and method for aligning a rim of a wheel assembly to a wheel hub. The apparatus can include a wheel handler device that is structured to securely engage the wheel assembly. The apparatus can include one or more light emitting devices that project one or more light spots on the face of the wheel hub. The position of one or more light spots relative to another light spot(s) and/or to a reference feature on the face of the hub can provide an indication of the location, orientation, and/or alignment of at least the rim relative to the wheel hub.

Wheel apparatus for use with vehicles are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a wheel for a vehicle. The wheel has a groove disposed on an annular wall adjacent a drop well and extending away from the drop well. The example apparatus also includes a ring positioned in the groove.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a locking turnplate includes a cylinder body having a cylinder chamber. A piston is received in the cylinder chamber and a mid-plate is disposed above the cylinder chamber of the cylinder body. A top plate is supported above the mid-plate by a bearing assembly including a plurality of spaced ball bearings. A bushing is fixedly attached to the top plate and extends through an aperture in the mid-plate. The bushing includes a flange that engages a bottom shoulder of an aperture of the cylinder body, wherein applying a pressure to the cylinder chamber presses the piston toward the mid plate and causes the cylinder body to pull downward on the bushing and the top plate in order to compress the ball bearings and prevent the top plate from moving relative to the mid plate.

A camber adjustment apparatus is provided for alignment of a vehicle wheel. The camber adjustment apparatus includes: a plate member configured to be bolted to the vehicle wheel; an adjuster plate member coupled to a bottom surface of the plate member and comprising a first end and a second end; an adjuster bolt coupled to the first end and the second end of the adjuster plate member; and an adjusting body movably coupled to the adjuster bolt and at least partially disposed between the first end and the second end of the adjuster plate member. The adjusting body is configured so that rotation of the adjuster bolt moves the adjusting body between the first end and the second end of the adjuster plate member such that the plate member is adjusted to a predetermined camber.

An apparatus and method for aligning a rim of a wheel assembly to a wheel hub. The apparatus can include a wheel handler device that is structured to securely engage the wheel assembly. The apparatus can include one or more light emitting devices that project one or more light spots on the face of the wheel hub. The position of one or more light spots relative to another light spot(s) and/or to a reference feature on the face of the hub can provide an indication of the location, orientation, and/or alignment of at least the rim relative to the wheel hub.

A single-point clamp of four-wheel aligner for vehicles connected to a fixing hub nut on the wheel comprises a sleeve, a single-point variable hexagonal grip, a fastening nut, a connecting board, and a target board with magnets. The single-point variable hexagonal grip and the fastening nut are respectively disposed at two ends of the sleeve. The single-point variable hexagonal grip is firmly lodged in the fixing hub nut. Two ends of the connecting board are respectively connected to the sleeve and the target board. A using method includes: (1) loosening the fastening nut of the single-point clamp; (2) inserting the single-point variable hexagonal grip into the fixing hub nut of the wheel; and (3) rotationally fastening the fastening nut for clamping the fixing hub nut firmly.

A camber adjustment apparatus is provided for alignment of a vehicle wheel. The camber adjustment apparatus includes: a plate member configured to be bolted to the vehicle wheel; an adjuster plate member coupled to a bottom surface of the plate member and comprising a first end and a second end; an adjuster bolt coupled to the first end and the second end of the adjuster plate member; and an adjusting body movably coupled to the adjuster bolt and at least partially disposed between the first end and the second end of the adjuster plate member. The adjusting body is configured so that rotation of the adjuster bolt moves the adjusting body between the first end and the second end of the adjuster plate member such that the plate member is adjusted to a predetermined camber.

Vehicle dimension data describing dimensions of a vehicle are obtained, a robotic apparatus is moved to a position about the vehicle, a reference point of the vehicle is determined, and the robotic apparatus is caused to move to positions about the vehicle based on the reference point. The reference point is a center point of a selected wheel of the vehicle. A coordinate system of the robotic apparatus is aligned to the reference point of the selected wheel of the vehicle. Based on the aligned coordinate system of the robotic apparatus, operations are performed by the robotic apparatus to remove lug nuts from a wheel hub of the vehicle.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a locking turnplate includes a cylinder body having a cylinder chamber. A piston is received in the cylinder chamber and a mid-plate is disposed above the cylinder chamber of the cylinder body. A top plate is supported above the mid-plate by a bearing assembly including a plurality of spaced ball bearings. A bushing is fixedly attached to the top plate and extends through an aperture in the mid-plate. The bushing includes a flange that engages a bottom shoulder of an aperture of the cylinder body, wherein applying a pressure to the cylinder chamber presses the piston toward the mid plate and causes the cylinder body to pull downward on the bushing and the top plate in order to compress the ball bearings and prevent the top plate from moving relative to the mid plate.