Wheel alignment or tracking is important to maintain good road grip and prevent premature tyre wear, at Arnold Tyres we have state of the art wheel alignment equipment for all your needs. Alignment can be effected by pot holes, curbs or bad roads, you will probably notice bad wheel alignment before you see any of the effects of it. If your car pulls either way or the steering wheel isn’t central then it could be your wheel alignment. It is however, possible to have no symptoms other than increased tyre wear so if you have any doubts just come to the garage and we will take a look.
Wheels Out of Alignment?
Serious problems can result from wheels that are out of alignment. To begin with, when wheels are misaligned, it causes the tyres to wear out quickly. This leads to unnecessary expenses on tyre replacement that can be avoided by simply making sure that the wheels are properly aligned. Additionally, misaligned wheels cause problems with the stability of your car. When the alignment is out on a vehicle, it tends to pull to the right or left. In addition to stability issues, misaligned wheels cause problems with steering and maneuvering. All of these issues make wheel alignment important to not only the functioning of the automobile, but also to the safety of the passengers in the car.
What exactly is alignment?
Alignment is a combination of all of the vehicle’s components that are used to make the car or truck go straight. If even one of these components is in need of adjustment or repair, the vehicle becomes unsafe to drive and leads to further problems down the road. More specifically, proper wheel alignment is when three distinct measurements are in line. These measurements are called caster, camber and toe. On some of the more modern cars, however, caster and camber have been eliminated by a McPherson strut, and the toe is all that must be adjusted.
What is caster?
Caster is the measurement beginning at the steering axis and ending at the opposite axis, when viewed from the side of the car. In other words, it is whether the vehicle is at its proper height at both the front and rear of the vehicle. Because the vehicle’s height is ultimately what impacts caster, worn springs can lead to caster problems, as can modifying a vehicle with a lift kit. When caster is out, the vehicle can pull to the right or left.
What is camber?
Camber is the degree to which the vehicle’s wheels are angled when viewed from the front end of the car. While there is always a certain degree of camber, it is important that there is not an unequal camber between tires. When the camber is unequal, the vehicle will pull to the side with the most camber. Camber issues can lead to uneven or premature tyre wear. It can also cause problems with the vehicle’s suspension.
What is toe?
Toe measures the degree to which the vehicle’s wheels are pointed in or out. Generally, every single vehicle has a slight toe to ensure that the wheels rotate parallel. When toe is off even slightly, drivers will experience vibrations while driving. Toe problems will also lead to issues with tyres such as premature or uneven wear.