Line Them Up: Wheel Alignment Service at Spartan Tire Brighton
January 22, 2018
Hello Brighton! Let's talk about alignment. One of the most important parts of preventive maintenance for your vehicle is keeping the wheels in alignment. Poor alignment causes your tires to wear unevenly, which can significantly reduce their lifespan. This means you will have to replace them more often, which can be costly for drivers in Brighton.
It can even damage your suspension system, which is costly to repair. But even more importantly, uneven tread wear can lead to blowouts on the road, a dangerous and potentially deadly safety risk for Brighton drivers and their passengers.
It may not take an accident or bad driving habits to “knock” your tires out of alignment. Tires can go out of alignment with just everyday Michigan driving. Brighton road hazards, pot holes, uneven or gravel roads, and even the bumps and bounces of normal Brighton roads and surface streets can gradually put your vehicle tires out of alignment.
So it's good auto advice to have your vehicle's alignment inspected periodically. Your vehicle's owner's manual will have recommendations on how often you should get an alignment check: usually every year or two. But if you think your vehicle tires might be out of alignment, you should bring your vehicle into Spartan Tire Brighton now.
When you bring your vehicle in for an alignment, your technician at Spartan Tire Brighton will start by inspecting the steering and suspension systems. If something is broken or damaged there, it will need to be fixed in order to get good alignment of the wheels.
If all looks good in the steering and suspension departments, the vehicle will then be put on an alignment rack where an initial alignment reading is taken. The wheels can then be aligned to the vehicle manufacturer's specifications. The ideal alignment for any vehicle is set by its engineers and may vary from vehicle to vehicle.
There are three types of adjustments that may have to be made to correctly align a vehicle's tires. The first is called “toe.” This refers to tires that are out of alignment because they point inward or outward at the front of the tire. Think of a person who is pigeon-toed or splay-footed, and you get the idea.
The second adjustment is the camber. This adjustment affects the angle at which the tires meet the road. Think of a solid building in contrast to the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
The last adjustment is the castor. This adjustment measures the angle of the tire in relation to the front axles. So, a piece of auto advice that just might be good for life as well: keep everything in alignment, and you'll be able to steer where you want to go. Drive safely.
Spartan Tire Brighton
4880 Old U.S. 23
Brighton, Michigan 48114
810-355-4388
Need Service?
More articles from Spartan Tire Brighton
A Not-So-Straight Story (Vehicle Pulls to One Side)
December 15, 2024
A vehicle should travel straight down a straight road with the steering wheel centered. But time and travel can take their toll and soon you may find your vehicle pulling to the left or right. Those are not good signs and should be taken care of fairly quickly. One thing that you should note is... More
Timing is Everything (Timing Belt)
December 8, 2024
Talk about exquisite choreography; it happens under the hood of your vehicle every time you take a drive. Your engines many complex parts must work exactly together. One key is a part called a timing belt, which enables the synchronizing of two of your engines components, the camshaft, and the ... More
When Your Tires are Tired (Tire Replacement)
December 1, 2024
Tires are so reliable these days that few drivers pay much attention to them. But tires wear out. They have a tough job since they are the only point of contact between your vehicle and the road. They have to get your vehicle going from a stop, keep it going, make sure it is headed in the dire... More