Roadways in bad condition create situations that must be factored into auto maintenance. Potholes and roads with damage can cause wheel alignment problems.
It is important to have your car’s suspension and wheel alignment checked regularly as part of your routine maintenance plan to keep it running smoothly and efficiently. If you notice irregular wear patterns on your tires or the vehicle pulls to one side, it is time to schedule an appointment for a certified European auto technician in Raleigh to inspect your car. Failing to take your vehicle to a properly trained and certified technician can result in more costly repairs in the future.
Benefits of Proper Wheel Alignment
- Improve handling
- Extend the life of your tires by reducing tread wear
- Eliminates drift or pulling (left or right)
- Reduce vibration in steering wheel allowing smoother travel
- Reduces rolling resistance
- Helps improve safer driving conditions
- Improved gas mileage and fuel efficiency
- Cost savings – on tires, brakes, suspension, steering, and more
Wheel alignment
Having the alignment of your wheels and steering system checked is part of standard car maintenance that requires adjustments to the angle of wheels back to the manufacturers specifications. This will allow for the steering and suspension systems to operate at optimal angles to reduce vehicle wear and improve fuel efficiency.
Why You Should Care about Your European Vehicle’s Alignment
Chances are, you purchased your car less because of necessity, but because import autos are known for their high performance and superior engineering. But even the most durable cars need regular maintenance to keep the vehicle operating at the same peak performance it did off the showroom floor.
If left untreated, poor wheel alignment can ruin steering and suspension due to unnecessary stress added to the components.
When You Should Check Wheel Alignment
Most vehicle manufacturers recommend getting your car aligned once per year at a minimum. There are situations that may require more frequent alignment, such as installing new tires or after any suspension component replacements.
Proper alignment helps ensure tire manufactures will honor their tread life warranty. They will commonly request alignment specifics from the point of tire installation.
Symptoms of Improperly Aligned Wheels
- Car pulling to one side
- Uneven tread wear on tires
- Vibration or shaking in steering wheel
- Vehicle steers crooked after hitting potholes or curbs
Conditions that Cause Misalignment
- When suspension and steering system do not operate at manufacturer specifications
- Spring sag or suspension wear
- Impact with potholes and curb
- Altering vehicle height
What Does a Complete and Proper Wheel Alignment Require?
To check for proper wheel alignment, our Raleigh import technicians will do more than check your vehicle’s tires. Repairing your vehicle’s alignment requires adjustment of the steering system. Our techs will conduct a thorough inspection of the condition and wear of your tires, steering, and suspension system.
Your car will be placed on alignment rack, equipped with sensors that are attached to each wheel. The sensors send information to a computer for a digital readout of necessary adjustments to wheel alignment.
Our team will test and check:
- Ball joints
- Tie rods
- Idler & pitman arms
- Stabilizer bars, struts, and bushings
Checking the 3 Basic Angles of Proper Wheel Alignment
Camber – measure of perpendicular offset to road surface. Test of factory camber settings to prevent tires from leaning inward or outward.
Caster – adjustment of pivot point angles between top and bottom of tire to allow for proper control of vehicle. This is attached to the suspension and is responsible for keeping wheels in line and tracking straight.
Toe – helps to prevent drift, minimizing tire wear by adjusting the angle of the directional difference between the tire and centerline of the vehicle.
Properly aligned wheels will be perpendicular to the ground and parallel to the tire beside it.
Call Raleigh’s Top European Automobile Service Center to Schedule Your Vehicle Evaluation
Triangle Imports provides the latest balancing, mounting, and alignment equipment and techniques to help your car perform best. To get the best performance out of your car, it is essential to schedule maintenance and repair appointments with factory trained technicians like the team at Triangle Imports.
Complete the online contact form or call (919) 828-7900 to schedule your a cars alignment inspection and repair.
