A car undergoes various services before it can operate smoothly and efficiently. Wheel Alignment is something that can affect your car’s handling and stability. Misaligned wheels can have serious consequences and may even risk your safety along with a depletion in the tyre life. Despite being an important factor affecting the performance of your car, Wheel Alignment isn’t clear to many drivers.
What is Wheel Alignment?
Though the name of this service is wheel alignment Aldershot, it has more to do with the car’s suspension system. The service aims at measuring and adjusting the suspension angles so your steering wheel remains balanced and straight. These angles affect the tyre performance to a great extent. This is the reason the service is known by the name of Wheel Alignment.
What causes misaligned wheels?
A car’s wheel alignment adjustment can be impacted or damaged due to many reasons. Mostly, this problem occurs in older vehicles. As the suspension ball and other bearings get old, they wear. This directly affects the Wheel Alignment of a car. Other reasons include hitting potholes or curbs caused due to irregular driving patterns or damaged roads. This is why it is always recommended to check the wheel adjustment after a road hazard or severely hitting a hard object.
Angles to be adjusted
The major angles adjusted during Wheel Alignment include Camber, Caster, Toe, and thrust angle.
Camber: The front wheels or tyres are viewed from the back or front of the car. Camber is measured according to the degree to which the front wheels are bent vertically. They need to be straight for the camber angle to be adjusted. The angle is negative when the topmost tyre portion leans inwards and positive when it slants away.
Caster: This angle is measured from the side of the vehicle. A vertical line is considered on the turning points of the steering. It is measured by comparing a line to that of the steering turning points.
Toe: This angle is measured from the top or above the wheels. It compares the pointing direction of tyres to the centre line of the car. Now imaginary lines are viewed from these tyre points. Your suspension system is said to have a positive toe when these imaginary lines meet on the front side of the vehicle. When these lines diverge, you have a negative toe.
Symptoms of a Bad Wheel Alignment
Vibrations: Normal or mild vibrations are usually not harmful. But frequent vibrations coming from the steering wheel or suspension system often signify misaligned wheels. You are advised to get the wheel alignment checked when such vibrations trouble you.
Unstable steering: The steering wheel should always be straight but if you feel that the vehicle keeps pulling towards one side of the road, then there’s a problem. This is a major issue as the chances of road hazards and collisions increase.
Rough drives: Improper Wheel Alignment also leads to uncomfortable, rough, bumpy, and noisy rides. To avoid an unpleasant driving experience, you are advised to keep a track of suspension angles. This will help you keep the vehicle healthy and well-maintained.
Wheel Alignment is necessary for smooth tyre performance and an efficient steering experience. Regular and timely wheel alignment service is recommended for avoiding expensive repairs and road hazards. Unbalanced wheels lead to catastrophic accidents on roads. Thus, it is highly recommended to have a routine wheel alignment check.
