When should you get a wheel alignment?
Proper front wheel alignment is one of the most neglected requirements of automobile care and management. Proper wheel alignment of your car can affect the car handling, steering, the rate at which the tires wear, and ultimately road safety. This important service, if not provided, can cause other related problems that affect not only your car’s performance but even your safety on the roads.
Effects of Poor Front Alignment
- Handling: Misaligned wheels at the front have large consequences on the car’s behavior during the ride. One sign that misalignment may bring is that the vehicle may pull to the left or the right, making it hard to maintain direction.
- Steering: Wheels that are not aligned correctly will cause the power steering system to work harder to turn the vehicle. The alignment of the front and rear wheels can also be a problem, and drivers may also realize that the steering wheel is off-center even when the car is going straight.
- Tires: Misalignment can result in differential and irregular tire wear. When the wheels of a car are not correctly aligned, excessive pressure is put on the tires, which results in rapid tire wear on one particular side.
The Importance of Regular Wheel Alignment
- Preventative Maintenance: Alignments keep your car on track by making sure the wheels’ orientation is accurate and parallel to each other. This prevents uneven tire wear and challenging maneuvering.
- Safety: Correct alignment also enables better and safer control of the vehicle due to the increased balance and contact with the road. It is useful in ensuring that there is optimum contact with the road surface and helps in preventing the incidence of accidents due to wrong handling or steering.
- Cost Savings: Scheduling alignments, if only for routine use, is advantageous because consistent use of your tires saves more money than having to spend much more money on expensive suspension and steering machinery replacements.
- Fuel Efficiency: Properly tuned wheels ensure that the rolling resistance is kept to a minimum, which may increase fuel economy.
To avoid such issues, one should ask the auto shop, "When should you get a wheel alignment?" Constantly inspecting and correcting it plays a critical role in avoiding the consequences affecting cars with misaligned wheels. It is advisable to have wheel alignment as often as after 6,000-12,000 miles or when the wheel is losing its alignment, signs like deterioration of the tires, or problems with the steering wheel. This shows that if you are active in relating front alignment issues, to your vehicle; you will be in a position to ensure that the vehicle has smooth handling. The best time to recall is when you plan to ask your mechanic, “When should you get a wheel alignment?”
Have more questions about when should you get a wheel alignment? Contact our ASE Certified Technicians at Clausen Automotive, The Hybrid Shop, for more information about front alignment and to schedule an appointment. Since 1975, our family-owned auto shop has proudly served vehicle owners in Madison, WI, and the surrounding communities.
Proper front wheel alignment is one of the most neglected requirements of automobile care and management. Proper wheel alignment of your car can affect the car handling, steering, the rate at which the tires wear, and ultimately road safety. This important service, if not provided, can cause other related problems that affect not only your car’s performance but even your safety on the roads.
Effects of Poor Front Alignment
- Handling: Misaligned wheels at the front have large consequences on the car’s behavior during the ride. One sign that misalignment may bring is that the vehicle may pull to the left or the right, making it hard to maintain direction.
- Steering: Wheels that are not aligned correctly will cause the power steering system to work harder to turn the vehicle. The alignment of the front and rear wheels can also be a problem, and drivers may also realize that the steering wheel is off-center even when the car is going straight.
- Tires: Misalignment can result in differential and irregular tire wear. When the wheels of a car are not correctly aligned, excessive pressure is put on the tires, which results in rapid tire wear on one particular side.
The Importance of Regular Wheel Alignment
- Preventative Maintenance: Alignments keep your car on track by making sure the wheels’ orientation is accurate and parallel to each other. This prevents uneven tire wear and challenging maneuvering.
- Safety: Correct alignment also enables better and safer control of the vehicle due to the increased balance and contact with the road. It is useful in ensuring that there is optimum contact with the road surface and helps in preventing the incidence of accidents due to wrong handling or steering.
- Cost Savings: Scheduling alignments, if only for routine use, is advantageous because consistent use of your tires saves more money than having to spend much more money on expensive suspension and steering machinery replacements.
- Fuel Efficiency: Properly tuned wheels ensure that the rolling resistance is kept to a minimum, which may increase fuel economy.
To avoid such issues, one should ask the auto shop, "When should you get a wheel alignment?" Constantly inspecting and correcting it plays a critical role in avoiding the consequences affecting cars with misaligned wheels. It is advisable to have wheel alignment as often as after 6,000-12,000 miles or when the wheel is losing its alignment, signs like deterioration of the tires, or problems with the steering wheel. This shows that if you are active in relating front alignment issues, to your vehicle; you will be in a position to ensure that the vehicle has smooth handling. The best time to recall is when you plan to ask your mechanic, “When should you get a wheel alignment?”
Have more questions about when should you get a wheel alignment? Contact our ASE Certified Technicians at Clausen Automotive, The Hybrid Shop, for more information about front alignment and to schedule an appointment. Since 1975, our family-owned auto shop has proudly served vehicle owners in Madison, WI, and the surrounding communities.
