Correct wheel alignment or tire alignment is essential to good handling capability of your vehicle and plays an important role in tire life. Misalignment and improper inflation (see tire pressure) are considered the two principal causes of premature tire wear. Improper alignment can reduce a tire’s life by more than 70%. The effect is so great, in some extreme cases, that a new set of tires can be completely worn out in a modest week-end trip.
Signs of incorrect tire or wheel alignment include vibration, shimmy or a tendency for the vehicle to wander, or pull to one side when driven at highway speeds. If you notice, when you’re driving on the highway that the vehicle starts edging to one side or the other rather than maintaining a straight line when you loosen your grip on the steering wheel for just a second, you likely have an alignment defect. Things which cause misalignment include aggressive cornering, hard braking or bumping a curb. Alignment involves adjusting the wheels to specifications set by the vehicle manufacturer so they track in a straight line. Mechanics often talk of a front-end alignment since the front wheels are more often the ones that become misaligned.
When your Performance Truck and Automotive mechanic does the alignment, several measurements are checked and adjusted if necessary. These include camber, caster, and toe. This is all done with computerized, laser leveled, alignment machines. When a vehicle that is out of alignment is driven the tires to will wear unevenly, usually on an outer or inner edge (just one side). To avoid damaging your tires, and to make sure the alignment problem doesn’t get worse, it’s important to correct the situation as soon as possible.
Do I need to check my Wheel Alignment?
Each vehicle has factory specifications for camber, caster and toe which should be followed precisely. Improper alignment not only causes poor handling and premature tread wear, it also reduces fuel efficiency. The alignment of your vehicle can be knocked out of adjustment from daily impacts such as potholes and railroad crossings or by more severe accidents.
You might want to have your vehicle’s wheel alignment checked by Performance Truck and Auto if:
–You know you have hit something with your wheel.
–You see distinct wear on the shoulders of the tires.
–You notice a change in the way your vehicle handles, such as pulling to one side, vibration, wandering, etc.
