How Often Should I Have A Car Alignment
For most cars, there arent specific requirements. However, most auto repair shops recommend performing an alignment every 2 or 3 years, or at the first signs of trouble. Car alignments typically need to be performed more often if the vehicle is a sports car, or the wheels are wider than normal. If you frequently drive on rough roads, end up hitting a pothole or rough bump, the vehicle can end up being thrown out of alignment and should be checked out by a qualified technician. Its also recommended that the car alignment should be inspected every 15,000 miles, even if you dont notice a problem, to catch issues before they happen.
Driving with car alignment problems costs you money, not only decreasing tire life and gas mileage, but adding unnecessary stress to the cars steering equipment and framework. Hi-Tech Car Care employs superior quality technicians , and our shop uses top of the line alignment equipment. Were also a AAA Approved Auto Repair shop, and weve been a AAA Top Shop Award Winner since 2003.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment for car alignment service at the first sign of trouble, or during your next oil change to catch problems early on.
Why Wheel Alignment Is Important
Wheel alignment, or tracking, is the process of ensuring your vehicles wheels are set to the optimum position, as per the car manufacturers specifications.
Incorrect alignment can result in rapid irregular tyre wear and can even affect the handling and safety of the vehicle.
Wheel alignment problems can be caused by hitting a kerb, driving into a pothole in the road or by excessive wear to steering or suspension components. It is important to get your wheel alignment checked annually to ensure you get the most out of your tyres.
Keep an eye out for unusual wear on your tyres, such as premature wear on the inside or outside shoulder, which could be a sign of incorrect alignment.
What Is An Alignment
An alignment is the adjustment and correction of a cars suspension geometry in association with its tires. When the cars tires are aligned, it will track straight and true and will not pull to the right or left when driving. Also, a proper wheel alignment can prevent any premature or weird tire wear as well as any potential suspension issues later on.
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Some Cars Just Dont Hold Alignments
Some older cars with mileage in the six digits can have worn steering components that make it difficult to stay within alignment specs, but in general, if a car is falling out of alignment soon after having the repair done, the blame can be placed on the mechanic whos missing one of the crucial adjustment angles.
What Is Car Alignment
A car alignment refers to an adjustment of a vehicles suspension the system that connects a vehicle to its wheels. It is not an adjustment of the tires or wheels themselves. The key to proper alignment is adjusting the angles of the tires, which affects how they contact the road. A car alignment is a complex combination of suspension angles that are measured and suspension elements that are adjusted. This makes a car alignment an important suspension-tuning application that significantly influences the operation of the cars tires.
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Wheel Alignment Vs Front End Alignment: Is There A Difference
Do you ever find that your vehicle seems to veer, even slightly, to the left or to the right? If so, this could be the result of poor wheel alignment. This is both a simple yet urgently needed fix. Not only will an alignment make for a smoother and safer ride, but it will also extend the lifespan of your tires.
How Wheel Alignment Affects Your Vehicle
No matter what kind of vehicle you drive, it has exact alignment specifications determined by the automaker. Everything from the vehicles overall size to its weight to its intended use goes into calculating these specs, which are unique to your make and model.
Driving your car when the wheels are out of alignment can cause a number of problems. Your tires can wear unevenly, which can make your vehicle unable to grip the road properly or handle safely. Your car can also suffer in terms of performance, since a car thats out of alignment cant handle as cleanly. Continuing to drive a car with poor alignment will just make the situation worse and can even compromise your ability to control the vehicle or damage other components of your car.
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What Is A Car Alignment
As you might imagine, a car alignment requires aligning components of your vehicle to meet certain specifications.
There are three parts the mechanic will inspect:
- The caster
- The camber
- The toe
The mechanic may also analyze how well the vehicle drives on the road to check for any issues before starting work, looking for issues like a vibrating steering wheel or veering to one direction, both of which signal alignment issues. The mechanic may also make sure your suspension parts are in good working order, which is essential to safely driving your vehicle.
Using their eyes and an alignment machine, he or she will ensure that the casters, cambers, and toes align at the proper angles recommended by the manufacturer. After completing repairs, the mechanic will test the alignment on an alignment rack and will typically take it for a test drive to make sure everything is in working order.
A standard car alignment should only take an hour or so to complete.
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How Often Do I Need An Alignment
Under normal driving conditions, an alignment once or twice per year is recommended. However, this recommendation is very fluid. If you drive on particularly rough roads, or have a habit of contacting curbs , then you should probably be on a first-name basis with your alignment professional.
Keep in mind that theres no guaranteed length of time that a vehicle will stay in alignment. If you hit a New York City-sized pothole leaving the shop, the alignment could be undone right then.
Other Factors Affecting Tire Wear And The Final Answer
While your vehicles alignment can, and often does, play a major role in how well or poorly the tires wear, other factors can also cause similar issues. One of the most common issues concerns worn or damaged steering and suspension parts. These parts include all moving and stationary steering parts, shocks, struts, and springs. Before you invest in either a new set of tires or an alignment for your vehicle, you might be better off having a certified technician inspect your vehicles steering and suspension for you.
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What Type Of Alignment Do I Need
The type of alignment you need depends on your vehicles suspension. A four-wheel alignment is performed on front-wheel or all-wheel drive vehicles with adjustable or independent rear suspensions. If you dont have an all-wheel or four-wheel drive vehicle, youll probably only require front-end alignment.
What Is Digital/computerised Wheel Alignment
Our Digital/computerised wheel alignment provides the highest degree of accuracy and ensures your tyres are set back to the exactly to the vehicle manufacturers original angles and the optimum position. Our digital equipment also features a simple to understand Reception viewing screen, so you can view the pre and post readings according to the manufacturers original specifications and see the adjustments made in real time, giving you extra peace of mind. You will also be able to request before and after print outs of your alignment so you can keep a record of the improvements made.
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How Much Will A Car Alignment Cost
The Balance / Hilary Allison
If you drive a vehicle, wear and tear on your tires is a fact of life. In addition to being a safe driver, having your car aligned regularly can help extend the life of your vehicle. It can also extend the life of your tires and keep you driving safely and smoothly.
As long as your car does not have any particular issues or unusual designs, a car alignment is relatively inexpensive. After comparing prices at national auto shops across the nation, the average cost of a wheel alignment runs between $75 for a single alignment and up to $200 for an extended warranty, depending on the type of vehicle and where you live.
Often, an alignment is covered under your warranty or extended warranty, so make sure to check the terms of any warranty coverage you have to see whether you qualify for a free alignment.
You may require additional services or have issues with your cars suspension or tire balance. If that is the case, the mechanic might need to repair the issues to properly align your tires, driving up the cost of alignment. Likewise, a specialized or peculiar car design may be trickier to repair and thus cost you more.
Some companies that perform alignments offer limited or even lifetime warranties on their work. If you often drive through rough roads and plan on keeping your car for a long time, this can be a good idea.
Front End Alignment Vs 4 Wheel Alignment
Along with wheel alignment you may have also heard of the term front-end alignment. Do these two things mean basically the same thing? For all intents and purposes, yes. Wheel alignment may refer to the alignment of all four wheels, especially in four-wheel drive vehicles. Front end alignment only references the front two wheels. But no matter what you call it, getting your wheels aligned is something every vehicle owner should invest in from time to time.
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How To Check Headlight Alignment
First, you need to check the headlight alignment to see if its correct and whether it needs adjusting. You can do this in a few easy steps.
Start by removing any excess weight such as items in the boot, as these may give you an incorrect reading. You should also ensure that your tyres are inflated to the manufacturers recommended pressure. Then, park your car about 60cm away from a wall or garage door.
Once your car is inposition, push down on each corner of your car to ensure that the shocks arelevel. Then, measure the distance to the ground from both front headlights toensure the suspension is level.
Now you can turn the headlights on, making sure theyre on the standard setting and not the beam or fog light settings. The headlights will produce a circle shape on the wall. Mark a plus sign on the wall using two pieces of tape or a pencil. One line should go vertically from the top of the circle to the bottom and the other should go horizontally from side to side. Where the two lines meet in the middle is the centre of your headlights.
The centre of both plus signs should be the same height, so use a tape measure to check. If they arent, you may need to lower one plus sign so that they are the same height.
What Is Laser Wheel Alignment
Our Laser Wheel Alignment service sets your vehicles wheel positions back in line with manufacturer guidelines. Our expert technicians will ensure your front wheels are correctly aligned to the optimum position measuring and adjusting your wheels using laser technology to ensure your car handles well, and that you get the most life out of your tyres.
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Do I Need A Front Or Four
This depends on your vehicle, and whether there are rear adjustments available. Not every vehicle has rear adjustability. If front and rear alignment adjustments are possible, then you’ll want a four wheel alignment. With many shops, the price difference between front and four-wheel alignment services is not significant.
Along with regular tire rotation, keeping your vehicle aligned and within specification will provide proper vehicle handling, and optimum tire wear and longevity. Your local TireBuyer installer can perform vehicle alignments use the link below to find one near you.
Increased Fuel Consumption Caused By Bad Wheel Alignment
The last symptom would be the increased fuel consumption that you will notice if your alignment is not good enough. So, why is this the case?
This is the case because when the alignment is bad, your car will not roll freely and the tires will not stick evenly. Resulting in a bigger load to the engine. And bigger load in the engine means that you will press on the gas pedal far more frequently than you used to when the alignment was okay.
So, your fuel consumption will take its toll. With a bad wheel alignment, you could end up losing up to 5 mpg of fuel consumption. And 5 mpg on the course of 20,000 miles is quite a lot, to be honest.
This bad wheel alignment will make a hole through your wallet and make you regret that you didnt do that $40 wheel alignment that we are discussing in this article.
Keeping everything in check will result in a ton of money saved in the long run. Many people dont have that way of thinking and they usually see the short-term rewards and benefits instead of the benefits in the long run. And frankly, when it comes to cars, everything gets back in the long run when it comes to repairs and avoiding possible problems that cost a fortune to fix.
So, make your $40 wheel alignment appointment and make sure that your car drives straight. More on that in a bit.
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Car Bibles Favored Wheel Alignment Products
You can buy tire tools at almost every auto parts and home improvement store, as well as online stores like Amazon. Car Bibles editors grabbed a few from our archives, including a selection of Lug Wrenches, Tire Pressure Gauges, and Cordless Impact Wrenches to help you along with any wheel and tire job.
Disclosure: Carbibles.com is also a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associate Programs, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Pages on this site may include affiliate links to Amazon and its affiliate sites on which the owner of this website will make a referral commission.
Steering Wheel Slightly Off Center After Alignment
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GR8YTE said:Hi all,I had to get my car aligned after screwing it up changing snow tires on 2 side wheels. The car is driving straight again. Is there any way I can adjust the steering wheel myself? I hate taking it back. How is this adjusted? 2015 SRT392
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Can You Get An Alignment Before New Tires
The life of your vehicles tires can be shortened by a number of factors, including worn suspension and steering parts, your driving habits, the type of road surfaces you drive on, and your vehicles alignment. Most tire dealers recommend checking the alignment regularly, especially if you buy new tires, but should you get your tires changed before you get an alignment on your vehicle?
Symptoms Of Bad Wheel Alignment
We briefly hinted at some of the symptoms of bad wheel alignment above. Now its time to discuss them in great detail for you to learn how to recognize when your car desperately needs that $40 wheel alignment.
After learning the symptoms, you will be able to tell whether your car is ready to take it to a shop and make an alignment on your wheels. So, lets get into covering the symptoms.
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How Can You Tell If Your Car Needs An Alignment
There are multiple symptoms that are telltale signs that your car needs an alignment. Some of the most common signs are:
- Uneven wear across the contact patch or tire: If you notice that the inside or outside of tires are wearing faster, then your cars alignment could be out of spec. The uneven amount of wear could occur on all four tires or perhaps just one or two.
- Pulsing feedback or shaking in the steering wheel: If your car is out of alignment then you could feel some shaking or vibrating through the steering wheel.
- The steering wheel is off-center: If your cars steering wheel is off-center, or pointing in a different direction when centered, then it definitely needs an alignment.
- Pulling to the left or right: The vehicle pulls to the left or right when your hands are off the steering wheel.
