Wheel Alignment Woes

Many drivers on the roads today don’t realize the sheer importance of properly aligned wheels. Whether this is down to blissful ignorance or just motorists generally being in denial about the subject, we’re not sure, but we’re going to educate you regardless. 

Having the wheel alignment on your car checked and adjusted accordingly is of grave importance. So much so that some experts say it should be checked every time we have our cars serviced. By performing a wheel alignment job, we ensure that the wheels on your car are perpendicular to the road’s surface, and that they’re parallel to one another.

There are many benefits to having accurately aligned wheels. Saving fuel is a big one, especially in today’s world when fuel prices are through the roof! The thing is, when you’re driving along with misaligned wheels, the is uneven pressure being placed on the tyres. Because of this, your car will have to work much harder to move forward due to uneven friction causing far more resistance from the surface of the road and hence burning more fuel as a result. Properly aligned wheels experience much less resistance from the road surface. Therefore you will experience a smoother drive, and noticeable savings on your fuel bills.

The tyres on your car are proven to last much longer when fitted to properly aligned wheels. Generally speaking, poor wheel alignment leads to quickly and unevenly worn-out tyres. Having the alignment of your vehicle corrected is a much cheaper and more beneficial fix then constantly changing your tyres at regular intervals. Its can also be incredibly dangerous driving on uneven tyres and whilst many of you will probably think this’ll be covered in your manufacturers warranty, it’s probably best you read the fine print, as no warranty we have ever come across is extended if the tyres of the vehicles have been poorly maintained.

Badly aligned wheels are also likely to be the cause of your car pulling to one side all the time. Driving a car like this is a completely unnecessary risk that no driver should be taking in today’s day and age, especially now we’re entering that time of year when the conditions are becoming more challenging again. It’s just not worth causing an accident over.

One of the most concerning aspects of having poorly aligned wheels is the knock on effects it has on other vital parts of the car. Everybody fears uneven braking, but this problem can be a very real phenomenon in cars with poorly aligned wheels. This is both dangerous and easily rectifiable. The suspension can also be affected, and this is made up of thoroughly complicated and delicately balanced parts. Basically, this is likely to be an expensive fix if it goes wrong.

To conclude, if you find yourself travelling along a straight, flat, road and your car feels to be veering right or left, this is a clear giveaway that your car is in need of its wheels aligning. Also, check your tyre wear regularly. If you notice one tyre is worn considerably more than on the opposite side, it’s also time to get your vehicle booked in. Beside the obvious signs, as a general rule of thumb you should be getting your wheels aligned roughly every 6000 miles. If you have hit something large enough to cause alignment issues, or you travel on bumpy/broken roads a lot, it may also be a good idea to get your alignment checked by professionals.

Here at Alan Price Auto Services, we have the all the latest laser guided wheel-alignment technology and our experienced technicians are always happy to help and offer advice. Tel: 01254 679937

Price: From £32