Driving Straight and True: The Importance of Wheel Alignment

Often referred to as tire alignment, wheel alignment is about balancing and enhancing your vehicle’s traction while out on the road. Correct vehicle control depends on well-aligned tires that meet the pavement at the right alignment angle. A vehicle with unaligned tires will be much harder to control — you’ll almost feel it fighting against itself about which way to go, right or left, as the tires alternate their drag in different directions.

At Broadway Auto Care, we’re well aware of how serious wheel alignment can be, and we’re ready to help you keep those wheels straight

The Necessity of Regular Tire Maintenance

The longer you drive your vehicle — and the rougher the conditions it has to withstand — the more tire wear you incur. Over time, your tire angles will start turning slightly in diverging directions, gradually leading to reduced handling, stability, and vehicle control. It can also diminish the vehicle’s rolling resistance in the event of an impact or sharp turn. Long story short: Tire alignment is not something you should put off. 

The True Significance of Maintenance 

Your steering system depends on healthy tires to do its job. Every aspect of a vehicle’s performance comes back to the well-being of its tires. They’re involved in every action your vehicle takes, and their longevity directly affects the lifespan of the entire vehicle, both by their influence on other vehicle systems and their role in preventing serious accidents. 

Keeping tire alignment set to manufacturer specifications has three major benefits for you as the vehicle owner: 

• It improves vehicle handling and stability. Wherever you want to drive, your vehicle must point evenly in that same direction. That seems perfectly obvious and natural, up to the moment your tires fall out of alignment. 
• It lowers your overall cost of ownership. Replacing tires is much pricier than maintaining them. All tires wear down with time, but regular alignment slows down that wear and tear so you get more life out of your wheels. 
• Improved reliability in poor weather. A vehicle that only drives straight on nice, sunny days turns into a hazard when the weather turns against you. Rain and ice make for slippery roads, and slippery roads wreak havoc on an unaligned tire system. You never know when nasty weather might strike, so make sure you’re prepared by letting Broadway Auto Care’s technicians do some work on your vehicle.

The Different Kinds of Alignment

Wheel alignment sounds simple on paper, but in reality, there are different kinds of tire alignment. Some alignments are a better fit for certain vehicles or certain types of driving conditions. Alignment types include: 

• Two-wheel alignment: This involves a thorough suspension adjustment, bringing it up to manufacturer specifications. 
• Four-wheel alignment: This involves both a front-end alignment and a rear-end alignment, in which one of our technicians adjusts the camber, toe, and caster angles on both sides of the vehicle. 
• Rear-end alignment: Here, our technicians make precise adjustments to the camber, toe, and caster angles at the rear of the vehicle only, ensuring that the back wheels handle the way the manufacturer intended. 

The skilled technicians at Broadway Auto Care would be happy to take care of these wheel alignment methodologies next time you bring your vehicle in for an inspection.

Signs of Misaligned Wheels To Watch Out For 

Misalignment creeps up on us slowly. The more we drive our vehicles, the more the wheels have to work to preserve their original stability. Although you might not notice tire wear as it happens, there are a few obvious signs you can look out for, such as: 

• An uncentered wheel: This is most noticeable when the vehicle drifts from one side to the other while on the road. 
• Strange spots on the tires: Tires that wear unevenly develop some noticeable marks, but it could take a trained eye to see them. Ask a technician at Broadway Auto Care for a full-wheel inspection when you come in. 
• A loose or vibrating steering wheel: Both are major red flags for an unaligned wheel system. 

Don’t wait until the problem escalates before taking care of it. It’s better to nip wheel alignment in the bud before it affects your steering system.

Broadway Auto Care: Your Choice for Wheel Alignment

Our team has been providing wheel alignment and automotive services to our friends in Sonoma, CA for many years. We have a skilled and efficient staff here, ready to assist you in keeping your valuable vehicle confidently on the road. To schedule a service call, just call (707) 996-1611.