Tech Advise: Know when to go for wheel alignment?
When your vehicle drifts to one side, and you need to slightly turn the steering wheel to drive straight, you have to go for wheel alignment. One of the major reasons behind this issue are the result of hitting a curb or a deep pothole.
A wheel alignment usually costs around 60 to 100 dollars for most of the car variants. Before visiting your mechanic, you must check the tire pressure of cars. That’s because tires with less inflation can also result in pulling of the vehicle to one side.
This issue can also arise if there is an uneven wire in your tires. Although that could happen with off-brand tires. Most quality brand tires undergo rigurous quality inspections to prevent this sort of problem.
Wheel vibration is not associated with alignment issues. Bending of wheels or not balancing them properly can lead to this problem. You have to go for rim replacement in some cases, as alignment will not solve the issue. Here it is likely one or more of your wheels is our-of-round and must be straightening.
In some cars, alignment of front wheels is sufficient, but for most vehicles, four-wheel alignment is required.
Wheel Alignment Diagram
Proper alignment of a vehicle consists of setting the toe-in or toe-our, camber, and caster. Proper computerized alignment equipment is needed for the job, as adjustments are calculated in fractions of an inch. When you get your tires rotated, you must check the wheels for alignment.
In case getting the wheels aligned is not solving the issue, the chances are that you need to purchase new rims. If you are tight on budget and don’t want to shell out money in excess, you can go for reconditioned rims. Need-a-wheel offers VW OEM wheels at reasonable rates with a lifetime warranty. The company has a wheel exchange program through which you can sell your old wheels.
To know more about this program, check this link.
