Do you notice that your vehicle drifts while you drive? If you let go of the wheel, you may notice your car or truck drifts either left or right, or you may even find yourself fighting the steering wheel to keep going straight. These are signs that your tires need alignment.
Alignment ensures that your tires point in the right direction relative to the wheel and wear evenly. Ignoring the problem can cause further problems, not just with the tires but other components, too.
What Causes Tires to Become Misaligned?
One or more of three things commonly are the culprit behind the problem. Most car manufacturers recommend having the tire realigned every 6,000 miles, but sometimes you’ll need it performed earlier.
- New tires — Putting on a new tire can throw the alignment out of whack, especially if it’s a new kind of tire you’re switching to. Sometimes, even rotating the tires can create alignment issues. It all comes down to tires wearing differently after such adjustments.
- Wear and tear — As with all things, your vehicle’s tires will experience wear and tear from use. The rubber will lose its integrity, joints could grow looser, and the grip will change. The more wear, the worse the problem of alignment.
- Impacts — Jostling, bouncing, and hitting cracks, potholes, and obstacles in the road can all throw a vehicle out of alignment. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to avoid them all the time, and some roads are just poorly maintained and vibrate the car or truck as you drive. Over time, your tires could wind up severely misaligned.
But Do They All Need to be Realigned?
Since all cars and trucks have four wheels, many people assume that all four must be adjusted when you bring your automobile in. However, that’s not always necessary. There are two kinds of alignment: front-end and four-wheel. Your vehicle may only need a front-end alignment to get back in shape.
A front-end alignment is also called a two-wheel alignment. Your mechanic will only adjust your vehicle’s front wheels if that’s the only thing required. Some vehicles might also require adjustments to the toe, caster, and camber, though others have only a rear axle that won’t need adjustment.
Your mechanic might also perform what’s known as a ‘thrust angle adjustment,” which is a procedure that allows the mechanic to determine that all four wheels are in alignment with one another.
As you’ve probably guessed, a four-wheel alignment is a realignment of all four wheels. If your vehicle has all-wheel drive, which is composed of independent suspensions, this is the kind of adjusting it will need. You’ll likely have a caster and toe adjustment in the front and camber and tow adjustments in the rear.
Keeping Your Tires Healthy
While not possible to completely avoid impacts, trying to avoid hitting objects in the road and rough roads will go a long way toward keeping your tires aligned. Also remember to have your tires realigned periodically, usually every 6,000 miles, as general maintenance will keep them wearing evenly and extend their lifespan while also saving on fuel economy.