Owning a vehicle is a responsibility. Your car needs regular maintenance to ensure its performance is up to code. One such regularly needed maintenance service is wheel alignment. Even so, many people tend not to think about wheel alignment until an alignment issue surfaces.
A wheel alignment corrects the direction and overall position of the wheels so that all four tires roll in the same direction. An alignment also ensures the tires rest properly on the ground.
Regular wheel alignments can have many more advantages for you and your car. The following are six benefits that can come from aligning your wheels regularly.
1. Improved Fuel Efficiency
Your wheels will not usually work properly together if they are not aligned correctly. As a result, the engine has to work harder due to increased rolling resistance, decreasing your car’s fuel efficiency. In fact, a misaligned car can drop gas mileage by as much as 10%.
By aligning your wheels properly, you evenly spread the power and torque, which means you conserve fuel.
2. Longer Tire Life
Tires are one of the most critical parts of your vehicle. Putting off wheel alignments until the last minute may result in your car needing new tires more often.
Having your wheels out of alignment can lead to premature, uneven, and rapid tire tread wear. Wheel alignment, along with regular tire rotation, can make your tires wear evenly and extend their lifespan, saving you money on expensive tire replacements.
3. Improved Vehicle Steering
Steering your car is often more difficult when the wheels are out of alignment. The misalignment of your vehicle may require you to hold the steering wheel at an uncomfortable angle in order to steer properly.
Compensating for an improper alignment by adjusting your steering is tiring and distracting and increases the risk of a road accident.
Therefore, align your wheels as needed. By aligning your wheels properly, you can maintain stable control of your vehicle.
4. Smoother Ride
Misaligned wheels often fight against one another and even drag while you drive. As a result, you can feel the effects directly while driving.
When your car’s wheel alignment is off, your vehicle tends to pull to one side or the other, causing you to have jarring, bumpy, or even vibrating rides.
Aligning your wheels helps make your behind-the-wheel experience smoother and more enjoyable.
5. Fewer Auto Repairs
In addition to tires, misaligned wheels affect many other vehicle components. The vehicle components include brakes, suspensions, differentials, transmissions, and drivetrains. Misaligned wheels put more strain on your vehicle components, which may cause more damage, leading to more expensive automotive repairs.
You can avoid the need for more expensive car repairs down the road by paying a small amount for a wheel alignment.
6. Preserved Tire Warranty Coverage
Your car’s warranty will cover you as long as you perform the required maintenance. You usually lose your tire warranty if your tires wear out due to poor wheel alignment.
When the car owner fails to get wheel alignments often enough, this constitutes negligence. Basically, if the tires wear out prematurely due to something other than poor quality, the manufacturer isn’t responsible.
The alignment specifications for each vehicle are unique, and auto manufacturers provide guidelines. However, wheel alignments are beneficial to all cars, regardless of the makes and models.
If you suspect that your vehicle requires a wheel alignment, contact our team at Evans Tire & Service Centers as soon as possible to avoid additional problems. During our alignment service, we test alignment using state-of-the-art equipment. Our experienced automotive technicians are then able to adjust and repair your vehicle as necessary.
