Introduction
Has it ever occurred in your mind to consider taking your car for wheel alignment? If yes, what was your before and after experience?
Wheel alignment is as important as sending your car for regular service and engine check up.
What is Wheel Alignment
In a summarized way, most people recognize wheel alignment as adjusting the angles of your car tires to the correct position. This is true but there’s more to wheel alignment. Wheel alignment is attained by adjusting the car’s steering and suspension which adjoins to the vehicle and it’s wheels.
Each vehicle has an alignment angle which depends on the make, standard and manufacturer’s guidance. Proper alignment impacts how the wheels make contact with the road.
Signs That Your Car Needs a Wheel Alignment
- Uneven tire wear
- Car drags to one side
- Instantaneous/quick tire wear
- Squealing tires
- Jagged steering wheel when driving straight
- Pulling to the left or right while driving
- Noisy steering
The signs above might not necessarily suggest that your car needs a wheel alignment but for clarity, it’s better to go for a car check up. In some instances, some signs suggested are not noticeable to the eye and it entails an expert to figure out the problem.
However, some instances might require you to take your car for a wheel alignment or test just to be prudent . These are;
- After getting new tires
- After you have lowered/lifted your vehicle.
- When you have replaced the suspension and steering parts.
- After driving on a rough terrain, in an instance where your car has had a hard hit on dent in the road
People who drive on uneven terrains the most, should go for wheel alignment and checkups more frequently than those who drive on highways. Moreover, replacing the suspension, steering parts and lifting or lowering your vehicle can affect the toe, caster or camber angles which determine how your wheels are in contact with the road.
Misalignment Problems You Can Solve Yourself
- Maintain the correct air pressure in the tires.
- Adopt conservative driving. This puts less strain on the suspension units and the steering wheel.
- Discard bulky/heavy items from your trunk. Too much weight might burden your back end and throw off your car’s alignment.
After you have considered this, be sure to take your car for a wheel alignment check up if it is already affected/ misaligned.
Advantages of Wheel Alignment
- It helps keep the tires edged to the right direction.
- Reduces/ slows down the rate of wear to the wheels.
- Allows even tire wear.
- It eases/ relieves tension when steering.
- Might aid in fuel economy to some extent.
Conclusion
It is advisable to check your wheel alignment periodically to have a smooth experience when driving. In addition, decent tires will also be a plus to the car’s wellness and operation.
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