By: HowStuffWorks. If your tires are not properly aligned, you will end up wearing the tires out more quickly and potentially creating some driving hazards. When tires are misaligned, they wear out unevenly relative to each other and within each tire's own tread.
The tires will also likely show a rough and slightly torn appearance. When tires wear unevenly, their life span is shortened. Since the tires won't wear as long, you'll have to replace them more often, which can get expensive. More importantly, bad tread on your tires means poor traction when you drive.
If the vehicle continues to drive straight, your alignment is in good shape. If it starts drifting to the right or left, then your alignment needs some attention. If you're unfortunate enough to have to fight against your vehicle trying to make an undesired turn, then you need to fix your alignment immediately!
This simple test is just one of many that can provide vital information about your wheel alignment. Other signs that something is not lined up properly include vibrations, a steering wheel that is not straight even when the car is not turning, poor shock performance when hitting potholes, and reduced fuel economy.
Along with the performance testing, you can take a look at the wear patterns on your tires and learn what type of alignment issue exists.
If you see a lot of wear on either the inside or outside edge when compared with the center, you have a camber issue.
Smooth tread on one side of the tire and far less worn tread on the opposite side is evidence of a feathering issue , multiple problems with the suspension system. If the fronts of your tires are closer together than the backs of your tires, that likely means toe-in. Schedule a wheel alignment at Firestone Complete Auto Care if your vehicle shows any signs of misalignment.
Our Triple Promise: Fixed right, priced right, right on time backs everything we do—including our wheel alignments. Want a safer, smoother ride? Tires that wear slower? The secret is proper wheel alignment. Learn more from Firestone Complete Auto Care and stop by today!
Bad shocks put your safety at risk! Look for these warning signs that your shocks may need to be serviced or replaced, plus learn a quick way to test them.
Blog Categories Blog Home. Smoother Ride When your tires are out of alignment, your vehicle tends to pull to the left or right , leading to a jarring, bumpy, or even vibration-filled ride. Fewer Auto Repairs It's rough out there.
Poor driving behavior, environmental, and other factors can cause your vehicle to become misaligned. Fortunately, having an alignment performed often, in addition to extending the life of your tires, helps your vehicle achieve better fuel economy, prevents expensive suspension repairs down the road, and makes for a smoother drive. Find out the most common reasons on what causes bad wheel alignment and the symptoms indicating an alignment is due.
Alignment is related to the adjustment of the system that connects the wheels to the vehicle, otherwise known as the suspension. An alignment is simply adjusting the angles of the suspension for better tire contact with the road.
The suspension system is required to keep all four tires working together at the same speed and direction. Vehicles become misaligned when any of the network of components in the system shifts out of place. Often components shift due to road conditions or worn components. Misalignment can be caused by the driver, the road, or the worn components in the vehicle. Here are the top three reasons your vehicle may fall out of alignment:. Though the size of some bumps may not be of any significance, if hit hard enough, it may be just enough to affect the alignment.
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