Guide To Alignment
Wheel alignment is a critical maintenance procedure for your vehicle. Proper alignment ensures that your car's wheels are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the road surface. This helps to extend tyre lifespan, improve fuel efficiency, and enhance handling and safety. Below is a guide to wheel alignment:
Understanding wheel alignment
When checking Alignment there are 3 main concerns that a technician at Tamworth Tyres will check:
- Toe Alignment: The angle at which the tyres point inwards or outwards when viewed from above. Toe-in means the front of the tyres are closer together than the rear, while toe-out means the front of the tyres are farther apart than the rear.
- Caster Alignment: The angle of the tyres when viewed from the side of the vehicle. If there is a positive caster the steering axis will tilt toward the rear of the vehicle and if there is a negative caster the axis will slope towards the front of the vehicle concerning the vertical axis when viewed from the side of the vehicle. It influences stability and steering feel.
- Camber Alignment: The angle of the tyres when viewed from the front of the vehicle. Positive camber indicates that the top tyre is tilting outwards and negative camber indicates that the tyre is tilting inwards.
When to get your wheel alignment checked
There are signs to look out for which can be an indication that wheels are not aligned as they should be:
- Uneven tyre wear: if you notice that your tyres are wearing more on the inside or outside edges.
- After hitting a large pothole or curb – this can jolt the vehicle and cause the wheels to be mis-aligned.
- Vehicle pulls to one side when driving on a straight road.
- Steering feels off-center when driving in a straight line.
- You can feel vibrations when driving, especially at higher speeds.
Carrying out regular checks and keeping up with regular wheel alignments can help to ensure that your vehicle maintains optimal performance, tyre lifespan and most importantly your safety.
Not sure whether your vehicle requires wheel alignment? Call Tamworth Tyres in Tamworth on 01827 262522 for further advice or to book an alignment check.
- Opening Hours
- Monday 08:30 - 17:30
- Tuesday 08:30 - 17:30
- Wednesday 08:30 - 17:30
- Thursday 08:30 - 17:30
- Friday 08:30 - 17:30
- Saturday 09:00 - 16:00
- Sunday Closed
