Tire Alignments for Your Spring Road Trip
With spring comes spring break, and with spring break comes road trips! But road trip prep takes more than just packing and planning out your route. To make sure your trip goes smoothly and safely, you should also prepare your car so it’s also ready to face the long road ahead. Before you set out, Total Auto Care recommends a tire alignment for your spring road trip.
What is a Tire Alignment?
A tire alignment is a service that adjusts your vehicle’s suspension and steering system to correct your tire’s angles in relation to the car, the steering wheel, and the road for max efficiency. The auto technician at your alignment shop will adjust each tire on three angles — camber, caster, and toe — based on a computer readout to bring it back to its optimal position.
Camber
Camber is the inward or outward tilt of the tire when viewing the car from the front. When the wheels are pointed outward — the tops of the tire point out and bottoms are angled inward — it is referred to as positive camber. When the wheels are pointed inward, the tires have negative camber.
Caster
Caster is the angle of the steering axis relative to the vertical axis. Essentially, it is the tilt of the tire when viewing the car from the side. If the tire tilts towards the back of the car, there is a positive caster. If it tilts towards the front of the vehicle, there is a negative caster.
Toe
The toe angle is the inward or outward tilt of the tire when viewed from above. When the tires are pointed inward towards the front, it is referred to as toe-in, and when pointed outward, it is called toe-out.
Why Are Tire Alignments Important?
Having properly aligned wheels is a safety matter. When your tires are misaligned — out of alignment or at the wrong angle — they will wear down unevenly, and you won’t be driving on the strongest part of the treads. This can lead to difficulty maneuvering, reduced fuel efficiency, and even tire blowouts. Additionally, steering and handling depends on alignment, so wheel alignments determine how much control you have over your vehicle.
What Are Signs of Wheel Misalignment?
When a car’s wheels get out of alignment, it isn’t always obvious at first; after all, it isn’t difficult to be knocked a couple of degrees out of line. Sometimes it only takes hitting a pothole or curb just right. But as the misalignment becomes more severe, there will be noticeable signs:
Your steering wheel is off-center or vibrating
Steering is either hypersensitive or sluggish to respond
Your car pulls to one side or the other while you drive
Your tires have uneven wear in the tread
Your tires are squealing
When Should I Get a Wheel Alignment?
You should get a wheel alignment regularly as part of your vehicle’s routine maintenance schedule. Your Total Auto Care technicians recommend every two to three years, though you can check your car’s owner’s manual for your specific schedule. However, sometimes things don’t align to schedule. If you start to notice the signs listed above, don’t hesitate to bring your car in for alignment early. You should also get an alignment when you get new tires, have been in an accident, or are preparing to drive a long distance — road trip prep, remember? Don’t risk that low fuel economy costing you extra at the pump, or worse, a blowout in the middle of the highway.
Other Things to Check Before Your Road Trip
Your car’s tire alignment isn’t the only thing to check before you drive off into the sunset. To make sure your vehicle — and your passengers — can make it the whole way safely and comfortably, we have a few more recommendations on what to take a look at. Check the condition of your tires now that they’ve been aligned. Make sure the tread is still deep enough to grip the road, even in the spring rain, as well as the air pressure. Take a peek at your brakes; do you need new brake pads? Take the time to top off your oil, coolant, and windshield wiper fluid so you know your engine is set and you’ll be able to see. And finally, have your battery tested. No one wants to discover midway through the trip that the car won’t start.
Total Auto Care Road Trip Inspections
Total Auto Care in North Branch takes pride in being your local mechanic shop. We are happy to take care of your wheel alignment and other checks so you have peace of mind on your vacation. Our wheel alignment price starts at $99 for two wheels and $149 for all wheels, the process takes one to two hours, and all of our services come with a complimentary basic inspection to check for any problems that might hold you back. Stop by for a same day service or schedule an appointment, and we’ll get you and your car ready for your spring break.
