Wheel alignment is an important component of vehicle maintenance. Properly aligned wheels ensure that your car drives straight when you let go of the steering wheel, and they help to reduce tyre wear and improve overall safety when driving. A wheel alignment may be necessary after hitting a curb or pothole, or if you notice that your vehicle pulls to one side when driving on a flat surface. In this article, we’ll discuss the basics of wheel alignment and why it’s so important for the life of your tyres and the overall safe operation of your car.
What is Wheel Alignment?
Wheel Alignment Erdington refers to adjusting the angles at which the wheels are set relative to one another and relative to the frame or chassis of the vehicle. This is usually achieved by making adjustments to three main measurements:
1. Camber angle: The camber angle is the inward or outward tilt of the wheel when viewed from the front of the car. A negative camber setting will cause the top of the wheel to move away from the frame, while a positive camber setting will cause it to move toward the frame.
2. Toe angle: The toe angle measures how much the wheels are turned in or out relative to one another when viewed from above. This measurement must be adjusted correctly to ensure even tyre wear and prevent premature tyre failure due to uneven tread wear.
3. Caster angle: The caster angle refers to the tilt of the steering axis when viewed from the side of the car. Properly aligned caster angles ensure that your vehicle will drive straight and have good handling characteristics.
10 Importance Of Wheel Alignment :
1. Improved Fuel Economy: Proper wheel alignment helps improve fuel economy by reducing the amount of energy used to turn the tyres. This reduces drag on the engine, resulting in improved gas mileage.
2. Better Handling: Wheel alignment ensures that all four wheels are pointing in the same direction and that ride is smoother and more comfortable with better control over steering. It also helps keep your car from veering to one side or another when you hit a bump in the road.
3. Less Tyre Wear: When your vehicle’s wheels are properly aligned, it distributes weight evenly across all four tyres which limits excessive wear and tear on any one tyre. This can extend the life of your tyres significantly and help you save money in the long term.
4. Increased Safety: Poorly aligned wheels can cause your steering wheel to shake or vibrate and make it difficult to control your car while driving. Properly aligned wheels help ensure safer handling and reduce the risk of an accident due to loss of control.
5. Reduced Stress On Steering & Suspension Components: When your vehicle’s alignment is off, it puts more strain on components like struts, springs and ball joints which can lead to premature failure. Regularly aligning your wheels helps extend the life of these parts and avoid costly repairs later down the line.
6. Improved Appearance: Not only will you enjoy improved performance from properly aligned wheels, but they also look better too. Aligning your wheels can help restore that “brand-new” feel to your car and make it look straight and level even when parked.
7. More Accurate Tracking: Wheel alignment helps ensure that your car is driving in the right direction, rather than veering off course due to misaligned wheels. This makes it easier for you to stay on track and reach your destination without having to constantly adjust the steering wheel.
8. Reduced Vibration & Noise: Poorly aligned wheels can cause a lot of vibration when you’re driving, which not only causes discomfort but can also be dangerous at highway speeds. Alignment eliminates this by ensuring that all four tyres are correctly balanced which reduces noise as well.
9. Improved Fuel Efficiency: Poorly aligned wheels can lead to increased drag, which requires more fuel to move the vehicle forward. Keeping your wheels properly aligned helps reduce this friction and keeps your MPG at an optimal level.
10. Increased Tyre Life-span: Aligning your wheels can help extend the life of your tyres by ensuring that they all wear evenly over time. This means you won’t have to replace them as often, saving you money in the long run.
Keeping your car’s Wheel Alignment Atherstone up to date is an important part of maintaining your vehicle for both safety and performance reasons. Doing so will improve handling, reduce stress on components, and ensure smoother driving during long trips or everyday commutes. It also helps keep fuel costs down and extends the life of your tyres. Regularly aligning your wheels is something every driver should consider as a part of their regular car maintenance routine for maximum efficiency and reliability.
Signs of Misaligned Wheels:
• Uneven or abnormal tyre wear: Tyres are the first line of defence in protecting against wheel misalignment, so if you notice that your tyres are wearing unevenly—meaning one side is wearing faster than the other—it’s a sign that something might be off with your wheel alignment.
• Pulling to one side: If you feel like your car is pulling to one side when you drive, it could very well be an indication of misaligned wheels.
• A shaking steering wheel: Another sign of wheel misalignment is a shaking steering wheel. This could be caused by several different issues including worn-out suspension components or unbalanced tyres, but if all those things have been checked and ruled out, wheel misalignment is the most likely culprit.
• Uneven steering: If you feel like your car is “fighting” when turning the steering wheel, it could mean that your wheels are out of alignment. It should feel like a smooth turn in either direction without any resistance or jerking motions.
• Crooked steering wheel: Finally, if you look down and notice that your steering wheel isn’t straight when driving on a level surface, it’s a sign that something might be wrong with your alignment. This can make it difficult to maintain control over the vehicle, so getting it checked out as soon as possible is highly recommended.
It’s important to keep an eye out for the signs of misaligned wheels, as they can lead to unsafe driving conditions. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, make sure to take your car into a mechanic for a proper diagnosis and repair. Ignoring the issue could potentially cause more damage in the long run.
Conclusion
Misaligned wheels can be a tricky issue to diagnose, so if you’re experiencing any of the signs we mentioned above it’s important to get your car checked out as soon as possible. Remember that having properly aligned wheels is essential for safe driving and could potentially save you from further costly repairs down the line. Be sure to check with a trusted mechanic for more information and advice on wheel alignment.
