Is It Time for a Wheel Alignment?
Bad roads can be your wheels’ main enemy. If you drive down in poorly maintained roads, drive through potholes, or even hit a curb, your alignment can be badly affected. Other reasons include high mileage wear and tear, if it is involved in an accident or even if tires are not properly balanced.
Proper wheel alignment is key to safe and happy driving. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most unnoticed maintenance checks. You need not worry about how much does wheel alignment costs because there are affordable services available. The signs and symptoms of poor alignment are easy to detect and at the same time, easy to fix with an affordable wheel alignment cost. Here are five signs your vehicle needs an alignment.
If you experience any of the below signs don’t hesitate to bring your car to a local repair shop to have the problem resolved.
Loose Steering Wheel
If you want to be a safe driver, giving your tires a visual checkup now and then is a smart idea. A loose steering wheel is a sign of misalignment. If your car feels generally “wrong” while driving around a corner or even while switching lanes on the highway, you can take your car for a Wheel Alignment Service in Tyler TX.
When you sense that the steering in your car is a little loose or unstable, one of the possible causes may be poor wheel alignment. This needs to be checked out immediately with a good Car Wheel Alignment Service.
Drifting or Pulling
In a vehicle with very poor alignment, you will likely have to constantly battle the car from trying to go left or right automatically. You should never have to fight the steering wheel to keep your car in a straight line. When your hands are firmly on the wheel you may not notice your car trying to turn one way or the other, but if you are driving down the road with a slight grip on the steering wheel you may notice the car drifting to the side. This is a good sign it’s time for an alignment.
When you feel your vehicle steering in moving in one direction or if you have to keep slight pressure on the steering wheel to keep it going straight, then you can conclude that there is an alignment problem. If the movement to one side is loose then you know that the issue has become serious.
Vibrating Steering Wheel
The bad alignment will cause a steering wheel to vibrate or rock left to right frequently. In the worst condition, it may even cause the whole vehicle to shake as you drive down the road. This happens when two tires are pulling against each other, trying to bring your car in two different directions. However, vibration from a steering wheel could also indicate other more major problems. A professional can determine the cause of the vibration caused in your vehicle.
Steering Wheel Doesn’t Return to Center
As you continue driving, the steering wheel should automatically return to the center after you complete a turn. But you need to keep your hands on the wheel to help it reach this quicker and keep control of the car, but if your steering wheel doesn’t even try to move back to center, then it’s a good indication that your alignment is off. Has an alignment check done, by searching “tire alignment shop near me” in google immediately?
Uneven Tire Wear
Tire wear can speak a lot about the condition of a car. An experienced technician can use tire wear patterns to make the correct guesses about tire pressures, suspension conditions, and alignment problems. Only the inside or outer edges of the tires are worn, indicating a camber adjustment issue. Feathering or scalloping of the tires is a sign of a toe adjustment issue. Tire wear is most often noticed by a mechanic in a wheel alignment shop while performing a tire rotation or an inspection or service. If any of these irregular tire wear patterns appear on your car, you should consider having it aligned. There is added advantage in that proper alignment, as it greatly increases the life of your tires by ensuring they wear evenly.
Never wait to have alignment issues resolved, as it can be very risky to drive a car that is having these sorts of issues.
Wheel alignment is not a situation that you want to take lightly. If you are unsure about your car’s alignment or the safety of your vehicle, please feel free to contact us at Wheel Alignment Service Tyler TX, and have it checked. Our professional team of mechanics at Atlas Automotive Auto Repair Shop will work hard to restore the drivability of your vehicle offering wheel alignment service for a cheap cost.