Everything You Need to Know About Wheel Alignment
Total Auto Care is going to talk about wheel alignment in this blog post. Wheel alignment is important for two reasons. First, it helps you control your automobile easily. Second, it gives you more life out of your tires. Misaligned wheels can reduce the lifespan of your tires, which means you won’t get the guaranteed mileage you paid for. Here’s everything you need to know about wheel alignment.
What Is Wheel Alignment?
Wheel alignment adjusts your vehicle’s suspension to ensure that the tires make even contact with the road. Camber alignment adjusts the tires from their inward and outward angles from a side view. Toe alignment adjusts the tires inward and outward angles from a top and bottom view. Caster alignment helps align your tires so that your vehicle’s cornering, stability, and steering are where they should be.
Signs My Wheels Are Misaligned
Wheel alignment needs to be done when you have a new set of tires put on your automobile and every two years after that. You can tell that your wheels are misaligned if you notice any of the following symptoms:
- Your vehicle drifts to the right or left side when you are driving straight
- The logo in the center of your steering wheel is crooked when your wheels are straight
- Your tires squeal when you go around corners
If you notice any of these things, bring your car, truck, or utility vehicle to our shop for a wheel alignment. You’d be surprised how much easier it is to control your automobile when the wheels are aligned properly.
Ways I Can Knock My Wheels Out of Alignment
As we said above, your wheels need to be aligned every two years, but this does not mean that you cannot knock them out of alignment beforehand. You can. In fact, it’s pretty easy to do. Ways you can knock your wheels out of alignment include
- Going over bumps too fast
- Flying over speed bumps
- Hitting curbs
- Hitting parking space markers
- Driving over parking space markers
- Flying through potholes
- Getting into an automobile accident
Take it easy on your automobile and avoid road hazards to prevent knocking your wheels out of alignment. If you can, avoid things like large bumps and potholes. Also, drive over speed bumps at less than five miles per hour.Total Auto Care in North Branch, MN, can help if you believe your wheels are out of alignment. Call us for a service appointment today.