Despite every driver’s best efforts, routine roadwork, potholes, and other hazards wreak havoc on area cars and trucks. Even what feels like a small bump can cause the wheel and tire alignment on your Alexandria, VA automobile to shift, causing damage which compounds and worsens over time.
The obvious indication of misalignment is uneven tire wear. It should not be the first sign that you see in your car or truck, however. Others signs to watch for when driving are as follows:
Drifting or pulling to one side
Shaking of the steering wheel at slower speeds
Difficult steering or turning at any speed
Quicker fuel consumption, leading to increased fuel purchasing
At Wiygul Automotive Clinics, our service teams train on and use the latest equipment for wheel and tire alignment on every Alexandria, VA car and truck. With every service, technicians measure the suspension at key points and adjust the angle of the tires, so they maintain full, correct contact with the road surface. Proper contact ensures a longer life for the tires and improves the driving performance of every vehicle.
For the best results, every alignment requires a close examination of three factors:
Camber – Simply put, this is how your tires look from the front of your vehicle. Each wheel and tire combo have an inward (negative) or outward (positive) tilt, or camber. Since no suspension is perfect, there is always a small amount of camber in either direction. Too far in either direction causes the tread to wear unevenly inside or outside the center line of the tire. Each manufacturer has a recommended tilt for the best performance with every model.
Toe – This part of the alignment is the view of your tires from overhead and how they turn inward or outward as you drive. Our technicians set this angle for the least possible amount of resistance against the road as the wheel, and tire combo rotates. The proper angle prevents uneven wearing of one tread block over the rest and also feathering, which turns one side of the tread rough while smoothing down the other until it is slick to the touch.
Caster – This is the factor which allows each vehicle to travel straight with no or only minor steering. After each turn, it is also what lets your steering column return the wheel to its ‘straight ahead’ position. Every type of vehicle has its negative or positive caster. Our technicians used the manufacturer’s recommended settings for the best results.
With only a few exceptions, wheel and tire alignment for most Alexandria, VA cars and trucks are $99.99. Every Wiygul Automotive Clinic services all major foreign and domestic models. As with all of our services, each alignment also comes with a 2 year / 24-Month Warranty. For more information on our automotive services and current specials, contact us at 866-702- 8050 today.