Construction, cold-weather or rain caused potholes, and other road hazards can tear up the tires and suspension of area vehicles despite a driver’s best efforts to protect them. What feels like a jarring, short drop in the road can alter the tire alignment on every Fort Washington, MD automobile. Without a new alignment service, the continuing effects on the now misaligned tires increase, causing further damage.
The misalignment indicator usually noticed first is uneven tread wear. This is a later sign of misalignment, so to prevent it, drivers need to watch for these indicators which appear much sooner:
Drifting or pulling to one side on a flat road without touching the wheel
Shaking or vibrating steering wheel in motion or when stopped
Difficulty in turning or steering at any speed
Noticeable loss in fuel economy
Wiygul Automotive service techs use the latest diagnostic equipment designed to perform tire alignment on Fort Washington, MD vehicles. They measure the suspension and then adjust multiple tire angles to ensure the most contact with the road. The correct angles ensure a longer tire life and improve performance. Each alignment our service techs perform centers on three different angles; camber, toe, and castor.
Camber is the angle seen on the tires while looking at them from in front of the car or truck. Each tire has an inward (negative) or outward (positive) camber, or tilt. If the tilt is too far in either direction, it can cause the tread to wear unevenly inside or outside of the tire’s center line. Wiygul service techs use the manufacturer’s recommended camber for every vehicle.
Toe is the angle at which tires turn inward or outward from straight ahead while driving, and is viewed from overhead. Service techs set this angle for the least possible resistance as the tires rotate. Correct toe adjustment prevents uneven tread block wear and reduces the chance of feathering. This damage can be seen as one side of the tread turning very rough while the other side wears the tread down smoothly, but much faster than normal.
Caster is the angle that uses the steering column to turn the wheel back to its ‘straight ahead’ position. It also allows each car and truck to travel straight with only minimal or no steering. Every vehicle has a positive or negative caster. As with the camber, our service techs use the manufacturer’s castor recommendations for every alignment.
Every tire alignment for a Fort Washington, MD vehicle is $99.99 at any Wiygul Automotive Clinic and comes with a 2 year / 24-month warranty. Service techs work on every major foreign and domestic vehicle available on today’s market. For more information on alignments, current discounts, or to schedule an appointment, call our office today at 866-702- 8050.