Yes, you can knock your car’s wheels out of alignment. In fact, it’s very easy to do. Wheel alignment is important because it directly affects how easy it is to control your car, truck, crossover, or SUV. Misaligned wheels will make you fight with your automobile’s handling rather than have the handling work to your advantage. Let’s talk about wheel alignment and how New Castle Auto Repair can help.
What Is Wheel Alignment?
Wheel alignment is how your wheels touch the ground and the direction in which they are pointed. Your suspension is designed to go straight until you turn your steering wheel. Wheel alignment considers the straightness of the wheels from two separate angles, from above and in front.
Misaligned wheels can lean inward or outward from the front (be pigeon-toed or duck-footed), or inward or outward from the top. When the wheels are not aligned correctly, your tire tread will wear down at the point where the wheels meet the road, i.e., unevenly if the tires aren’t squarely on the road.
Things That Knock the Wheels Out of Alignment
There are many things that will knock your wheels out of alignment, and, to be completely honest, how you drive is the number one thing. If you defy road hazards and refuse to allow anything to slow you down, you damage your wheels (and tires and brakes) as you drive.
Consider this, the common issues that mess up alignment include
- Accidents
- Bumps
- Curbs
- Debris
- Parking space markers
- Potholes
- Speed bumps
Do you fly over these things? If so, you are slamming your wheels in directions they shouldn’t go.
Signs Your Wheels Aren’t Aligned
If your alignment is really off, you’ll be able to tell that it is. The problem is usually subtle at first, unless you knock them out of alignment. Signs your wheels are not aligned include
- A steering wheel logo that is off-center
- Difficulty steering or controlling your vehicle
- Pulling to the side when heading straight
- Squealing tires when turning corners
- Wobbling or vibration as you pick up speed
The latter bullet point is also a sign that your wheels are not balanced. You will feel your vehicle vibrate more and more as you pick up speed.
Testing the Wheel Alignment
You can check your wheel alignment by driving straight (slowly!) on a level road and letting go of your steering wheel. If your vehicle starts to pull to the right or left, the wheels aren’t aligned.
Maintain your wheel alignment by calling New Castle Auto Repair in New Castle, PA, to schedule a wheel alignment service.