Wheel alignment 101

Have you noticed your car pulling a little to the right or left lately? Maybe you’ve noticed one of your tires looks a little worn on one side. These are signs it might be time for a wheel alignment.

While some car owners neglect to have their wheels aligned at proper intervals, it’s really an important maintenance task. Your vehicle is designed to travel straight and true without pulling to one side or the other. When your wheels are out of alignment your tires will show signs

of uneven wear. An off-kilter wheel alignment can also cause vehicle vibration as the wheels pull against each other. Another telltale sign: The steering wheel appears crooked when the car is steered straight. When you get your vehicle aligned, a technician adjusts the angles of the wheels so that the vehicle tracks straight.

Giving your car a wheel alignment every six months is part of a good automotive maintenance program. Not only will your car handle better, it will also increase the life of your tire by reducing wear. It will save you money at the gas pump, because corrected wheel alignment lowers your vehicle’s gas mileage.