Importance of a Wheel Alignment
Importance of a Wheel Alignment
Posted on September 18, 2023
You should never overlook a wheel alignment as it's an essential service to keep your vehicle in top shape. So why is it important? The answer is simple; it is important to keep your tires pointed in the same direction. Many things like rapid acceleration, or hard braking can cause your wheels to misalign overtime. Things like hitting a pothole or going over a curb can throw your alignment off quickly.
When your wheels aren't aligned properly, it can cause costly repairs which can all be potentially dangerous. Here are a few impact your misalignment might cause:
1. Shorter Tire Life
It is no surprise that when your tires are pointed in different directions it causes them to wear quickly. However, the rapid tire wear isn't the only issue. Your tires will also wear unevenly which can cause bald spots or different levels of tread wear. As this progresses, it will become difficult to predicate the handling of your vehicle.
2. Fuel Economy
It might be hard to believe, however when you wheels are misaligned it can actually effect your fuel economy. When you're vehicle is due for an alignment your vehicle tends to pull to one side, whether you notice it or not. This seems like a minor inconvenience but it actually causes the vehicle to slow down. As you may already know, if your speed is constantly fluctuating it actually increases your fuel consumption.
3. Rough Ride
When your wheels are misaligned, they are constantly fighting which direction the vehicle should be going. This will cause vibrations and bumps that will be felt by the passengers inside your vehicle. These will start out as small vibrations only the driver might feel but leads to larger more uncomfortable rough ride for all passengers.
4. Suspension Damage
Extra vibration puts your vehicle's bearings, ball joints, and other suspension parts under great stress. This added stress will wear them out quickly which can be quite costly to repair.
To avoid these issues, it it important to have your alignment checked at least once a year or every 20,000km. You should consider having your alignment checked more if you live on rough or dirt roads, have hit a lot of potholes, or drive through construction zones frequently.
What does a wheel alignment check include?
Each wheel has 3 directions it should be aligned to - all of which are carefully inspected during an alignment check.
- Camber - this is the inward/outward angle of your wheel. Your wheel should be at a 90 degree angle with the road.
- Toe - this is the direction your wheels point when looking from above. Think of this like your feet. When standing straight, you want your toes pointing straight not inward or outward.
- Caster - this is the angle of your steering axis when looking from the side of your vehicle. Like the camber, your steering axis should be at a 90 degree angle from the road.
Click here to schedule your alignment check today!