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Wheel misalignment is a common issue that drivers face when components from the wheel assembly wear or shift from their initial aligned positions. Moreover, the wheels will become misaligned if the car is suddenly jolted by driving over a bump or a pothole. Repairing this misalignment from technicians is essential for better performance and for preserving your safety.

Advantages of Wheel Alignment

Wheel alignment extends the life of the tires, which is necessary for a long, comfortable, and efficient driving experience. Bad alignment degrades and damages a variety of automotive parts, not just the tires. It can wear out the steering and suspension as well.

Appropriate wheel alignment helps to keep the steering column in good condition. It also enhances maneuverability. Thus, it is more convenient to drive a car with excellent wheel alignment. In particular, if driving on roads with hazards like potholes, this can exacerbate alignment problems.

Types of Wheel Alignment

• Camber: By looking at the car from the back or front, Camber measures the wheel's angle inward or outward, and the alignment is done accordingly. Negative camber occurs when the wheel leans in towards the car, and a positive camber occurs when the wheel leans outward from the car.
• Toe: This alignment is done concerning the relative positioning of the front and back wheels. If the wheel's front points towards the car's centre, this is toe-in or positive toe. If the wheel's front points out away from the centre of the car, this is toe-out or negative toe.
• Caster: In this alignment, the wheel measures the angle of the pivot while looking at the wheel from the side. The higher and lower points of this pivot are attached to the wheel, and they should be placed on top of one another. The caster is positive if the top end is sloping towards the back of the car, and it is a negative caster if the highest point slopes towards the front of the car. Misaligned casters can cause damage to the suspensions.

Warnings of Wheel Misalignment

• Drifting or Passive Pulling: If you notice that your vehicle is veering in one direction while driving on a straight and level road, this is a wheel misalignment issue. Moreover, if you have to keep slight pressure on the steering wheel to drive straight, this signifies an alignment issue.
• Vibrating Steering Wheel: An improper alignment makes your vehicle's steering wheel vibrate. This vibration is due to wheel misalignment, and the wheels are probably pulling against each other.
• Loose Steering Wheel: If the steering wheel feels a little loose, you are probably facing alignment issues. It is difficult to notice the steering issues in the power steering, so you must get routine checkups to ensure no alignment issues.
• Difficulty in Automatic Centralising of Steering Wheel: Normally, after completing a turn, the steering wheel should automatically begin to return to the straight position as you continue driving. However, if you face difficulty in automatic centralizing of the steering, this might be a result of loose steering or worn-out suspension components.
• Squealing Tires Sounds: The wheels are aligned with respect to the ground and other wheels on the vehicle. This alignment is done through camber and toe settings. If any wheel is not aligned correctly, this can cause unnecessary friction, leading to squealing noises coming off the wheels.
• Tires Degrading Unevenly: If the tires on one side appear to be more worn out than on the other, this results from an alignment problem. Camber adjustment errors are generally detected by wear on the outer or inner edges, whereas toe adjustment errors are signaled by feathering or scalloped patterns.

These signs of misalignment should not be ignored, and the problem should be solved right away by getting realignment from expert technicians. Avoiding realignment service for a prolonged period will cause more damage to the tires and your car.

Huron Automotive Offers You Quality Wheel Alignment

Here at Huron Automotive, we provide all the necessary alignment check features to solve wheel misalignment problems. We offer service features like assessing the steering and suspension components, examining the tires for size, and inflation and wear of tires. In addition to this, we also provide a comparison of your tire alignment to automobile manufacturer guidelines.

Huron Automotive has a team of certified mechanics and expert technicians who can inspect for wheel misalignment, steering and suspension concerns, and check for drive-line complications. Give us a call at 920-315-9239 to schedule your next wheel alignment appointment at Huron Automotive, or stop by our service center today at 1001 S Huron Road, Green Bay, WI.