Wheel Alignment
Looking after your tyres is important, we are dedicated to helping our customer get the most miles out of their tyres. Wheel alignment can really help, take a look at the information below to help you make an informed decision.
Wheel Alignment is sometimes also referred to as "Tracking".
Either name relates to the alignment of the wheels to your car and is very important to the lifespan of a tyre as well as the overall handling of the vehicle. If the wheels are mis-aligned, the tyres will wear unevenly and may result in having to change your tyres long before they need to be.
We offer a 2 and 4 wheel alignment service. When checking your tyres we will be able to see if there is any uneven wear and will offer to help you correct this using state of the art laser wheel alignment machines.
These are digital machines for increased accuracy and our trained technicians will be able to further inspect the alignment of your car and make any adjustments to your settings to counter uneven tread wear.
Below is a useful FAQ guide from SuperTracker ( a British manufacturer of Wheel Alignment systems). If you would like to find out more about our wheel alignment services, get in touch and we will be happy to advise further.
About Wheel Alignment:
What is alignment?
Setting the vehicle's suspension and steering geometry gives you the correct handling of the vehicle and optimum tyre wear.
How often should I have my car aligned?
As a rule, this should be done every 10,000 or at least once a year - depending on how the vehicle is driven
Why is my steering wheel off centre?
This is due to the front or rear toe being unsymmetrical and in need of adjustment.
My car is pulling to the left or right?
This can be down to the tyres or unequal caster settings.
Does having worn tyres mean that the car can be aligned or do new tyres need to be fitted?
New or old tyres will make no difference to the alignment readings. They will however have an effect on the way the car feels, even after the alignment has been corrected.
Why have Four Wheel Alignment?
Reduced Tyre Wear:
The majority of tyres are replaced due to wear and tear. A properly aligned vehicle can add thousands of miles to your car's tyre life.
Increased Fuel Economy:
Fuel mileage increases as rolling resistance decreases. With all four wheels aligned to the correct specification, you will have the best possible rolling resistance on your vehicle. This will give you the best possibility to reduce fuel consumption.
Correct Handling:
If your car pulls to the left or right, drifts to one side, feels non-responsive on corners, wanders or tramlines when driving on straight roads, these are all symptoms of misalignment. This can be corrected and make the vehicle handle properly, making it safer to drive.
Component Inspection and Safer Driving:
In the alignment process all steering and suspension joints are inspected. Any worn parts can be identified. Parts can be replaced earlier helping to eliminate potential breakdowns or component failures.
The major alignment parameters on a car are:
Camber: What is it?
Camber increases or decreases the tyre's grip on the road by the wheel not being upright, when viewed from the front or rear. Correct Camber is a requirement and incorrectly set at best will cause tyre wear and at worse could seriously compromise the overall handling characteristics of the car.
Caster: What is it?
Caster gives the vehicle straight line stability. It is the forward or rearward tilt of the steering axis, in reference to the vertical when viewed from the vehicle side. Positive caster is where the steering axis is sloped towards the rear. Negative caster (not common) is where the steering axis is sloped towards the front.
Toe: What is it?
Positive Toe is the leading edge of the wheels closer together. Negative Toe is the leading edge of the wheels further apart. The rear wheels on many modern cars as just as adjustable as the front.
Suspension:
Suspension misalignment increases tyre wear and can seriously affect a vehicle's handling. Suspension misalignment costs you money as well as affecting the way your car handles.
