They offer improved road grip, shorter braking distances and enhanced steering responses. However, many car owners forget the next important step: getting a wheel alignment. Many mechanics offering wheel alignment in Ferntree Gully and Scoresby recommend having an alignment checked after new tyres are installed, as it will protect your tyres and enhance your vehicle’s performance.
Wheel alignment adjusts your wheels to the angles recommended by the manufacturer. These angles determine how the tyres make contact with the road when you’re driving. If your wheels are even slightly out of alignment, it can cause long-term issues that affect tyre wear, fuel economy, and steering control.
Causes of wheel alignment problems
Wheel alignment issues are extremely common. Steering and wheels can go out of alignment gradually as you drive your vehicle. Driving over potholes, bad surfaces, speed bumps, and hitting the kerb can cause your wheels to shift out of alignment over time. Suspension wear is another common reason why wheels fall out of alignment. Suspension components can gradually loosen and wear down as you drive, affecting your vehicle’s wheel angles. Poor alignment can also be caused by fender benders or frequent driving on rough roads. Since these things occur gradually, you might not realise that your wheels are out of alignment.
Tyre wear
If your wheels aren’t aligned properly, you’ll start to see signs of uneven tyre wear. When tyres are misaligned, different areas of the tyre tread experience different levels of pressure when you drive. This uneven pressure causes uneven wear, which can reduce the tyres’ performance.
You may notice that your tyres wear down more on the inside edge, outside edge, or you may have feathers or patches across the tyre tread. Once they start to wear unevenly, you cannot correct the problem. Besides wearing out faster, uneven wear can reduce your tyres' road grip. You may notice your tyres struggle to grip the road when it’s wet or when you need to brake suddenly. This is dangerous for you and your passengers.
Getting an alignment helps ensure the tyres apply even pressure across the entire tyre when driving. This helps them wear down slowly and evenly.
Steering performance
Wheel alignment also affects your vehicle’s steering. When you get new tyres installed, you expect your car to feel better than ever. However, if your wheels aren’t aligned correctly, your steering may feel like it hasn’t improved.
If your car isn’t aligned properly, you may notice your vehicle drifting to one side, or you may have to correct your steering wheel when driving straight continuously. Your vehicle may even feel like it’s less stable when you’re turning corners. All these things make driving more difficult and can be a pain during long-distance trips.
Having your wheels aligned will improve your vehicle’s steering ability. You’ll notice that your car tracks straight and is more stable while cornering. Proper wheel alignment gives you more control over your vehicle during emergency manoeuvres.
Fuel efficiency
You might be surprised to learn that wheel alignment can impact your fuel efficiency. Misaligned wheels create rolling resistance because the tyres aren’t rolling in the direction you’re intending them to roll. This makes your engine work harder to move your vehicle down the road.
While it may not feel like much at first, poor alignment can decrease your fuel economy over time. If you drive frequently, you may start noticing that you have to fill up at the gas station more often, without knowing why. By getting your wheels aligned, you reduce rolling resistance and allow your tyres to roll as they should.
Less stress on suspension components
When your wheels aren’t aligned correctly, it can put extra stress on your vehicle’s suspension and steering components. Your car has to work harder to compensate for wheels out of alignment, which puts extra pressure on parts such as ball joints, tie rods, bushings, and shocks.
Not only can this cause those components to wear down faster, but damage to your suspension can worsen your alignment. Getting your wheels aligned helps ensure your vehicle isn’t putting unnecessary pressure on its suspension components. This allows your vehicle to drive more smoothly and helps you avoid costly suspension repairs in the future.
Helps spot problem areas
Wheel alignment services can also allow technicians to spot other problems with your vehicle. Your technician will typically inspect your suspension and steering for signs of wear or damage.
If your wheels don’t align correctly, there may be worn suspension components or other parts that are bent from hitting a pothole. Finding these problems early can help you avoid destroying your new tyres, paying for costly repairs in the future and creating an unsafe driving situation.
Your new tyres are an investment that you want to protect. Failing to get your wheels aligned after installing new tyres can cause them to wear unevenly and reduce their performance. Having your wheels aligned will help your tyres make better contact with the road and wear evenly. It also helps with your fuel economy and steering performance, and can help you spot any existing problems with your vehicle.
If you have recently had new tyres fitted, be sure to have your alignment checked by a trusted mechanic in Scoresby or Ferntree Gully. Alignment is inexpensive and can help protect your new tyres and save you money on future repairs.
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