Do you want to save some money?
Are your tires wearing out faster than you think they should?
Front Wheel Alignment Needed: The Symptoms
Is your car only pulling a little bit?
Do you have to keep your hand on the wheel all the time?
Do you have to apply a bit of pressure to keep your vehicle centered in the lane?
If you answered yes to these questions, each and every day on your way to and from work you are spending a little bit of money that you don't need to. And after several weeks and months, that "little bit of money" adds up to a new set of front tires! Several hundred bucks!
That you could have saved. . . . with an alignment.
Front wheel alignment is an art and a science. It starts with knowledge of trained mechanics and proper diagnostic and correct equipment, like this Hunter 811 Alignment Machine.
Front Wheel Alignments Needed: The Causes
The reasons that cause a need for a front wheel alignment come in two main categories: (1) normal wear and (2) shock/impact. In the case of normal wear, over time and normal driving conditions parts wear out and tolerances are then exceeded in bearings, linkages, shims, bushings, and joints which then cause connections to loosen ("play"). When these connections loosen, or get warped out of tolerance, then the rolling wheel no longer tracks true and straight. This causes you to apply pressure to the steering wheel to keep your car centered in the lane. And it is this constant pressure that creates undue wear on your tires and on your steering linkages system. For example, we've seen tires wear out 2 to 3 times faster than normal because of being out of alignment. Thats a lot of money!
In the case of shock/impact, the need for a wheel alignment is more obvious. Right after hitting the curb, or running through a pothole, you may notice "lane drift", and having to apply pressure to keep your vehicle centered. In this case, the steering and suspension linkage system components may not be worn out, but rather, just need to be adjusted to account for the shock (eg. slightly bent linkages, etc). But again, tires will wear out just as quickly as though it were a result of normal wear.
Either way, a front wheel alignment is needed as soon as possible if you want to avoid spending more than you need to on tires.
And we can help. Please consult our front wheel alignment services for more information.