Hazards such as potholes and routine roadwork can wreak havoc on local cars and trucks despite every driver’s best efforts to protect her vehicle. What feels like an insignificant dip through a pothole can damage the suspension and change the wheel and tire alignment on your Herndon, VA automobile. The effects increase over time without a new alignment and other routine maintenance.
The misalignment indicator most people first notice is uneven tread wear. There are other signs that drivers need to know about though when driving on local roads or highways. These include:
Difficult turning or steering at any speed
Drifting or pulling to one side without touching the wheel
Reduced fuel economy, leading to increased consumption
Shaking or vibrating steering wheel
Wiygul Automotive service teams use the latest diagnostic tools designed for wheel and tire alignment on each Herndon, VA vehicle. Technicians use them to measure the suspension and adjust the angle of the tires to maintain proper contact with the road surface. Correct measurement ensures longer life for tires and improves each vehicle’s driving performance.
Every alignment requires a close examination of three aspects:
Camber – This first aspect is the appearance of your tires while looking from in front of the vehicle. Each tire and wheel combo has an inward (negative) or outward (positive) camber, or tilt. This is normal, so there is always a small amount in either direction, but too far, either way, can cause the tread to wear unevenly inside or outside of the tire’s center line. Wiygul technicians use the manufacturer’s recommended tilt for every vehicle.
Caster – This is the aspect which, after each turn, is what allows your steering column to return the wheel to its ‘straight ahead’ position. It also allows each vehicle to travel straight with no or only minimal steering. Every car or truck model has its positive or negative caster. Wiygul technicians use the manufacturer’s recommended settings for the best results.
Toe – This alignment aspect is the overhead view of your tires and the angle at which they turn inward or outward while driving. Wiygul technicians set each angle for the least possible amount of resistance from the road as the tire and wheel combo rotates. This alignment action prevents the uneven wear of one tread block over the rest. It also reduces the feathering effect, which grinds one side of the tread rough while smoothing the tread on the other side.
Wheel and tire alignment for Herndon, VA vehicles are $99.99 with only a few exceptions at all Wiygul Automotive Clinics. Our teams service every major foreign and domestic model, and each alignment comes with a 2 year / 24-month warranty. For more information on alignments and our current, special offers, call us at 866-702- 8050 today.