Proper wheel alignment is important to ensure your safety when driving, particularly at high speeds. Over time, your tires tend to point towards the wrong direction following a nasty encounter with potholes and curbs, as well as general wear and tear. If necessary car repairs are foregone, misalignment can affect your tire wear, suspension, and steering, and reduce fuel efficiency. Poor alignment can be tricky to spot, but here’s how you can tell.

What Are the Signs of Misalignment

Although improper alignment is undetectable to the naked eye, you can use your senses in looking out for red flags. While driving, pay attention to the pulling of your vehicle to one side or the crookedness of the steering wheel as you drive straight. Another likely indicator that you need to go for car repairs is uneven or premature tread wear on your front tires – even if they’re properly inflated. If you also hear squealing from your tires, your wheels may have lost their alignment.

Why Wheel Alignment Is Crucial

While it’s common for the alignment to get off track, some people fail to realize the importance of having it corrected. Aside from compromising your safety in driving, misaligned wheels can have serious effects on vehicle handling and maneuverability. Struggling hard against the pulling tendency can sometimes cause you to lose control of the vehicle. Poor alignment can also result in faster, uneven tread wear and reduced fuel economy, affecting your steering and suspension systems in the process. In the long run, these issues can set you back more on car repairs if you skipped on periodic wheel alignment.

How Wheels Are Re-Aligned

Alignment specifications vary based on the vehicle’s make and model. Precise measurements, in accordance with the car manufacturer’s guidelines, are preset in the diagnostic machine. Vehicle repair shops have the technology to determine initial alignment readings and check for degrees of misalignment. When your suspension system’s camber, caster, and toe angles are found to be off, they are adjusted accordingly to ensure that your tires are in line.  

Keep your wheels in check by scheduling for an alignment as soon as you notice any of the warning signs. For reliable car repairs, look no further than Basic Auto Collision Team in Oahu, HI. Their state-of-the-art equipment, combined with unparalleled expertise on vehicle repairs, has made them a leading auto body shop throughout the island. To schedule car repairs, call (808) 842-3966 today or check out their website.