It's important to understand the relationship between tire wear and wheel alignment. In simplest terms, tire wear is caused by the misalignment of your vehicle's wheels. Unaligned wheels throw off the balance of your car, causing tires to wear out prematurely and unevenly. It's important to get your car's wheels aligned regularly so you can avoid costly repairs due to premature tire wear.
What is Wheel Alignment?
Wheel alignment is a procedure in which technicians adjust the angles of your vehicle’s wheels in order to make sure they are set to specifications specified by the manufacturer. This helps keep all four of your tires in proper contact with the ground and ensures that you get optimal performance from them. Proper wheel alignment also reduces excess strain on other parts of your vehicle, such as its suspension system and steering components, which will help extend its overall life span.
Why Do Wheels Become Misaligned?
Your car’s wheels can become misaligned for a number of reasons, including driving over potholes or speed bumps too quickly, hitting curbs or running over debris in the road like sticks or stones. If you've been involved in an accident where one or more of your wheels was impacted, it’s especially important to get them aligned as soon as possible afterwards. Even if they look okay visually, there could be underlying damage that has affected their angle settings without you knowing it – this will cause premature tire wear if not addressed right away.
Signs That Your Vehicle Needs Wheel Alignment Services
If you notice any signs that suggest that your vehicle needs wheel alignment services then it’s time to take action before any further damage occurs:
• Your steering wheel is crooked when driving straight
• You feel vibrations coming from anywhere within the car while driving
• Your vehicle pulls towards one side while driving on a flat surface
• Uneven treadwear on either side of one or more tires
When Should You Get Your Wheels Aligned?
Ideally you should have your car's wheel alignment checked every 6 months or 6,000 miles (whichever comes first). If you do a lot of highway driving then it might be best to increase this frequency since roads tend to be smoother on highways than local roads which can cause more stress on suspensions systems and steering components leading up quicker misalignment over time if not monitored properly. At Sartorial Auto Repairs in Santa Rosa CA we offer comprehensive wheel alignment services for vehicles throughout Sonoma County and Rohnert Park CA so give us a call today!