Don’t take chances with your automobile. If it seems to be out of alignment, have it realigned as soon as you can. A misaligned vehicle can damage your tires and suspension, so it’s best to address any alignment issues before they become a real problem. How can you tell if your car, truck, or SUV is out of alignment? Brookwood Automotive explains that there are four signs you will notice. Here’s what they are.
Vehicle Leading to One Side
You’re cruising along to work with your favorite playlist on and your coffee in the cupholder. You’re driving straight, but your vehicle keeps leading to the right. You steer it back, so it heads straight again only to have it start pulling to the right once again. What is going on? If you’re constantly redirecting your vehicle from the right or the left to straight again, your alignment is off and needs adjustment.
Tire Wear That’s Not Even
Your tire tread should wear down evenly if you have your tires rotated and balanced when you should. If you don’t, they will wear down unevenly. Another cause of uneven tire wear is bad alignment. This is because the misaligned automobile prevents all four tires from being on the pavement evenly. Even if your tires are wearing down evenly, it could also be the alignment if they’re wearing down too soon.
Steering Wheel That’s Crooked
Perfectly aligned tires keep your steering wheel straight. You can tell your steering wheel is straight by the vehicle manufacturer’s logo. When driving straight ahead, your logo should be upright. If you notice the logo isn’t – in other words, your steering wheel isn’t straight even though you’re driving straight – your wheel alignment is off. When heading straight, your steering wheel should be straight, as well.
Tires That Squeal
Finally, there could be several things wrong if your tires squeal. It could be that they’re misaligned. It could also be that the tread is worn. It might even be that they’re not balanced properly. Unless your tires squeal because you’re drag racing in the middle of the night – don’t do it, please – you should have them inspected to make sure everything is okay. Unsafe tires mean an unsafe ride.
Brookwood Automotive in OKC, OK, aligns car, truck, and SUV wheels. Call us today to set up an appointment. You can reach us by dialing (405) 632-5633.
