What You Need to Know About Tire Alignments

Posted August 4, 2023

You probably don’t think about your tires when you’re driving. The only time you do is if one of them gets a hole in it and you have to hope you get to an auto shop to get it fixed. You should be thinking about the tire alignment – according to Bus-New, if your tires are even 2mm out of alignment, you could have a sideways drift of up to 24 feet per mile when you travel. Here are other things you need to know about tire alignment.

What Mechanics Are Looking For

According to Bridgestone, there are three things they will check. The first is Camber. That means they see if the tire is tilted too far inward or outward when they look at the car from the front. Then they look at the toe alignment, which is what the tired look like from above – kind of like how your toes look when you look down. Lastly, they look at the caster, which is what the steering axis looks like when you look at the side of the vehicle. You want the axis to point toward the driver. That’s positive caster. Negative caster means that it points toward the front.

Why Alignment Matters

Having issues with any of these things can cause wear in certain areas. It can also affect the balance of the tires. If you have an imbalance, it can either cause vibrations or it can cause issues with vertical or lateral movement. This is not something you want to have happen on the road.

Here are the things that you should be looking for to tell if you should take your vehicle to an auto shop to have tire alignment work done: You notice that there is uneven tread wear, your vehicle pulls to the left or the right, your steering wheel is not centered when you are driving straight, and your steering wheel vibrates. Any of these things can be dangerous, so it’s better to be safe than sorry and have them looked at so you can drive confidently on the road.

Do you need to go to an auto shop to have your tires looked at? We can assist with tire alignment, inspections, and all other sorts of regular maintenance. Contact us today!

Categories: Tires and Wheels

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