An aligned wheel steers fluidly. Making turns should be seamless. A driver should never be battling their own vehicle and physically have to force a turn. For purposes of safety, comfort, and practicality, as a driver you need your wheel alignment to be intact so your steering functions effectively and easily. Unfortunately, it is easy to disrupt the functionality of your steering wheel, at which point it is critical to professionally service your car to identify what type of realignment needs to be performed.
How easy is it for my wheel to become misaligned?
There are so many common daily occurrences that a driver experiences that either collectively can progressively cause reason for misalignment or one severe contact with one occurrence can influence alignment enough for repair. Some examples of these occurrences include:
- Driving at fast enough speeds over sped bumps intended to make you slow down
- Coming into unexpected contact with a curb]
- Coming into unexpected contact with road cavities / holes
- The deterioration of car parts
Warning Signs my Wheel Alignment may be off
Being in tune with your vehicle audibly and visual awareness can help you stay alert and ahead of safety issues before they progress too far. Some signs to be alert of include:
- Vehicle Meandering
- A Steering Wheel that does not seem straight
- Tire Damage
- Audible Tire Noises Including Squealing
Depending on how your vehicle was hit and the type of vehicle it is, the type of alignment can vary. A certified mechanic will possibly conduct his own type of examinations before ultimately connecting your car to an alignment machine that will further detail and specify whether your car needs a front-end alignment to adjust the front axle, a thrust alignment which will combine a front-end as well as verify all four wheels are balanced and in place, or a four-wheel alignment which is meant for four-wheel and all-wheel drive cars.
There are 3 sorts of Wheel Alignment Repairs
- When the front axle is adjusted, a front-end wheel alignment was completed.
- When all wheels are checked and a front-end alignment is conducted, it is a thrust alignment
- When the rear axle angles are arranged and a front-end and thrust are conducted, it is a four-wheel alignment.
A professional will determine which alignment procedure is necessary for your vehicle. It is important as a driver or owner of an automotive vehicle to be proactive and aware of possible warning signs. Regardless if a warning sign is noticed, routine maintenance should include wheel alignment examination as it is a driving factor that is easily influenced.