How often do you need tire alignment


When Should I Get My Tires Aligned?

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A wheel alignment ensures that your tires point in the right direction and that related parts wear smoothly and evenly. A number of factors can make your wheels lose their alignment, though, so having this checked should be a regular part of your vehicle maintenance routine. Learn how often you should get your tires aligned, and get to know some signs that your wheels need alignment right away.

How Wheel Alignment Affects Your Vehicle

No matter what kind of vehicle you drive, it has exact alignment specifications determined by the automaker. Everything from the vehicle’s overall size to its weight to its intended use goes into calculating these specs, which are unique to your make and model.

Driving your car when the wheels are out of alignment can cause a number of problems. Your tires can wear unevenly, which can make your vehicle unable to grip the road properly or handle safely. Your car can also suffer in terms of performance, since a car that’s out of alignment can’t handle as cleanly. Continuing to drive a car with poor alignment will just make the situation worse and can even compromise your ability to control the vehicle or damage other components of your car.

What Causes Tires to Lose Alignment

General wear, driving conditions, and alterations to your car can all cause the tires to lose alignment. Some of the most common causes include:

  • Impacts: Avoiding every pothole while driving or each concrete barrier while parking is impossible, but each of these seemingly minor incidents can throw your vehicle out of alignment. They can also add up over time, potentially leading to a major misalignment.
  • Tires: New tires can mean big changes for your car, whether you’re sticking with a tried-and-true type or switching over to a new kind of tire. Even regular tire rotations throw your car out of alignment, since each tire wears differently.
  • Wear: Over time, your car’s parts experience general wear and tear, as joints start to loosen and rubber components begin to lose integrity. If left unchecked, this can cause your wheels to continue to lose alignment as you drive.

When to Get Your Wheels Aligned

For virtually all vehicles, it’s necessary to get your wheels aligned periodically. Most car experts recommend scheduling an alignment every other oil change, or approximately every 6,000 miles. Since alignment needs can vary widely depending on your vehicle type, typical road conditions, and tire style, however, refer to your owner’s manual or consult with your mechanic to learn what’s best for your car.

Several other situations necessitate an alignment, too. When you get new tires, an alignment ensures that they’re positioned correctly and that they’ll wear evenly. When your vehicle pulls while driving or your steering wheel seems off center, an alignment can fix any issues resulting from hitting potholes or bumping curbs.

Whether you’re planning to replace worn out tires or you suspect your existing tires need adjustment, you can schedule a wheel alignment at your local service center. Even if you’re not due for routine tire maintenance yet, getting your wheels aligned can save your vehicle from unsafe handling and poor performance.

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How Often Do You Really Need a Wheel Alignment?

04

Jan,

 2021

You're driving on the road and you notice that your car is veering to one side. It's a scary occurrence, but it doesn't have to be.

Usually, it's caused by your tire alignment. It's an important thing to keep up with and check on frequently.

But you may be asking yourself, "how often do you need a wheel alignment?" We're here to answer that question and more.

Keep reading our guide on wheel alignment to learn more.

What Really is a Tire Alignment?

If you want to keep your car in the top-shape, tire alignment is extremely important.

Using an alignment machine, the technician will align all tires with one another and the pavement. It's not a good idea to do this one yourself, as it can be dangerous if done incorrectly.

For four-wheel-drive vehicles, all four wheels will be aligned. Front-wheel drive vehicles can have the two front wheels aligned.

It's a process that is needed to keep your vehicle running its best.

What Can Happen If I Don't Get an Alignment?

Neglecting to get your tires aligned can cause some big problems for you and your vehicle.

When your wheels are misaligned, it can be extremely unsafe for you. You may notice your vehicle veering to one side, making driving a little more difficult.

In addition to having to adjust the wheel to keep the car straight, you may also experience wear on the tires. This can cause the tires to wear down unevenly which can cause other problems for you as well.

How Often Do You Need Wheel Alignment?

The timeline for when you need wheel alignments can differ.

In general, having your wheel realigned should be done yearly along with maintenance. This will help you be sure that your tires are always aligned.

If you change your tires, it's important that they are aligned as well.

However, if you experience problems be sure to take your vehicle in for service. Doing this will help you make sure that your vehicle is in good shape.

What Are Some Signs That You Need Tire Alignment?

Many of the signs that indicate that you need a tire alignment are the same as what can happen if you don't get it done.

If you feel the vehicle pulling to one side of the road while driving, you should take it in to get realigned. You should also pay attention to the steering wheel if it's vibrating. This can also be a sign that you need an alignment.

You should also pay attention to the tires. If one tends to wear down faster than another, then you'll need to take it in to get repaired.

When you notice any of these signs, you should take your vehicle in.

Keep Everything In Line

Now that you've asked, "how often do you need a wheel alignment," you're prepared to keep your tires in line. With this guide, you've learned good practice on how often it should be done and what can happen if you don't do it.

At Dependable Car Care, we can do tire realignment on many vehicles.

If you're looking to have your tires realigned, request an appointment for service!

How often do you really need a wheel alignment? Having your tires aligned is a regular vehicle maintenance task you don't want to go too long without.

You're driving on the road and you notice that your car is veering to one side. It's a scary occurrence, but it doesn't have to be.

Usually, it's caused by your tire alignment. It's an important thing to keep up with and check on frequently.

But you may be asking yourself, "how often do you need a wheel alignment?" We're here to answer that question and more.

Keep reading our guide on wheel alignment to learn more.

What Really is a Tire Alignment?

If you want to keep your car in the top-shape, tire alignment is extremely important.

Using an alignment machine, the technician will align all tires with one another and the pavement. It's not a good idea to do this one yourself, as it can be dangerous if done incorrectly.

For four-wheel-drive vehicles, all four wheels will be aligned. Front-wheel drive vehicles can have the two front wheels aligned.

It's a process that is needed to keep your vehicle running its best.

What Can Happen If I Don't Get an Alignment?

Neglecting to get your tires aligned can cause some big problems for you and your vehicle.

When your wheels are misaligned, it can be extremely unsafe for you. You may notice your vehicle veering to one side, making driving a little more difficult.

In addition to having to adjust the wheel to keep the car straight, you may also experience wear on the tires. This can cause the tires to wear down unevenly which can cause other problems for you as well.

How Often Do You Need Wheel Alignment?

The timeline for when you need wheel alignments can differ.

In general, having your wheel realigned should be done yearly along with maintenance. This will help you be sure that your tires are always aligned.

If you change your tires, it's important that they are aligned as well.

However, if you experience problems be sure to take your vehicle in for service. Doing this will help you make sure that your vehicle is in good shape.

What Are Some Signs That You Need Tire Alignment?

Many of the signs that indicate that you need a tire alignment are the same as what can happen if you don't get it done.

If you feel the vehicle pulling to one side of the road while driving, you should take it in to get realigned. You should also pay attention to the steering wheel if it's vibrating. This can also be a sign that you need an alignment.

You should also pay attention to the tires. If one tends to wear down faster than another, then you'll need to take it in to get repaired.

When you notice any of these signs, you should take your vehicle in.

Keep Everything In Line

Now that you've asked, "how often do you need a wheel alignment," you're prepared to keep your tires in line. With this guide, you've learned good practice on how often it should be done and what can happen if you don't do it.

At Dependable Car Care, we can do tire realignment on many vehicles.

If you're looking to have your tires realigned, request an appointment for service!

Dan Winter

Dan Winter

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Why do you need to balance the wheels of a car more often than when changing tires seasonally - Lifehack

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Motorists know that unbalanced wheels cause unpleasant vibrations and beats in the car. Before installation, the tires and wheels assembled together must be sent to a balancing machine, where the tire fitting master hangs weights on them, thereby eliminating wheel imbalance. However, not everyone knows that wheels need balancing much more often than when changing tires.

Efim Rozkin

Unfortunately, no wheels have yet been invented that do not need balancing. Both the tires and the rims on which they are mounted are not ideal in terms of balance. And if such wheels are installed on a car, then vibrations, hum and beating in the steering wheel will not take long. Moreover, the imbalance can be not only congenital, but also acquired during the operation of tires and disks - damage, uneven abrasion and other factors also provoke wheel imbalance. Beating can be provoked even by decorative caps that were installed after balancing. In general, if you feel that at speed the car began to generate vibrations in a strange way, then it's time to visit a tire shop to sort out the problem.

Specialists can easily determine which wheel has a problem by installing them on a special wheel balancer. At the moment of rotation of the wheel, the machine determines the place on it, where and how much weight it is necessary to put the weight. Traditionally, weights are molded on the inside of the wheel - it's more aesthetically pleasing. However, there are severe cases when compensating weights on the outer part of the wheel are indispensable. But here you don’t have to choose - safety.

As a rule, wheel balancing is recommended every 10-15,000 kilometers. However, you need to understand that this is an ideal case. In fact, it all depends on the driving style of the driver, his accuracy and, of course, the condition of the roads in the region where the car is used. Therefore, it is best if wheel balancing is carried out at each seasonal tire change. Moreover, this must be done, even if each set of rubber has its own set of disks. But this is not a panacea either.

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So, for example, winter studded tires tend to lose studs. And this process causes wheel imbalance. In addition, in winter, roads lose part of the asphalt, and motorists are forced to move along potholes and outright pits. At the same time, the tires and wheels of the car experience the strongest load, which does not always pass without a trace. Therefore, it will be better if you make it a rule to visit a tire shop once every 5000 km.

Fans of racing are advised to visit the master every 7-8 thousand km. Here it is necessary to check not only the balance, but also the condition of the tread and the tire carcass. Aggressive driving requires more responsibility. Including in relation to the wheels, which during extreme use, as in the case of winter operation, experience high overloads. And if non-specialized tires designed for aggressive driving are installed on the car, then it is necessary to check their condition much more often.

Tire repair is also a reason to balance the wheel. Even a small patch brings confusion to the balance. And its negative impact must be offset by a counterbalance.

In general, no matter how much you would like to, but you need to call in and spend money on tire fitting a little more often and a little more. If you ignore this procedure, then in addition to parasitic vibrations and beats that appear at different speeds, uneven and, moreover, rapid tire wear occurs. Over time, detonation will adversely affect the suspension, steering and braking system. And this is a completely different expense. Let's not talk about other risks at all ...

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    How often to balance the wheels. Exit tire fitting in St. Petersburg

    Most car owners consider the issue of wheel balancing not so important. But in vain! After all, this is primarily a matter of your own safety and the safety of your passengers.

    Balancing by yourself is impossible (unless you are an auto mechanic), and you won't be able to save money on this one-time. But! You will feel the savings on the face in the process of driving and depreciation.

    Why do you need wheel balancing and what is its essence?

    Balancing is the correct distribution of the load in the wheel relative to its central part. This is done using professional equipment that determines the presence / absence of imbalance. If it is, then with the help of lead weights, which are planted on glue inside the wheel itself, the load is adjusted.

    The use of an electronic sensor system provides an additional guarantee of safety.

    Why is the lack of balance dangerous?

    If you do not balance the wheels at the right time , you risk soon getting vibration in the wheels, passing to the body, and most importantly - uneven tire wear.

    In Russia, as you know, there are two troubles, one of which already has a negative impact on vehicles. If at the same time you do not properly care for the car and do not service it on time, you can get a problem in the square.

    The first devices for balancing were primitive and did not allow to perform their functions in impeccable quality. Over time, the situation has improved, the equipment has become more modern and of high quality. Now you can do wheel balancing at any service station and be calm for the convenience and comfort of your trips.

    10 reasons to do wheel balancing

    Give a specific answer to the question of how often to do it balancing is not possible. The first factor influencing this period is the age of the car, the second is its condition, and the third is how long you have owned it.

    1. Hence the first important recommendation: if you have purchased a used car, wheel balancing is essential! After all, you do not know when the previous owner made it, and we do not recommend taking a word!
    2. The second reason to do balancing is a seasonal tire change. Changed tires - changed the "settings", therefore, the process must be repeated.
    3. The third moment - in the case of buying new car tires. Unfortunately, many drivers mistakenly believe that since the tires are new, then balancing is not necessary. But in vain. After all, the quality of rubber and the load on the central part of wheel are two different things.
    4. The next reason is to buy new disks. Bent the old ones and just decided to replace them with fashionable cast ones? Are they brand new, expensive and of high quality? Great! Let's go to balancing ! For what? See paragraph above.
    5. By the way, in case of damage to the disc due to impact, for example, you can straighten it, and then ... Well, you understand.

    In addition to the above, tire fitting experts advise balancing car wheels in the following cases:

    1. Vibration that radiates to the steering wheel;
    2. The appearance of extraneous sounds from under the wheels;
    3. After suspension repair;
    4. In case of uneven wear of automobile tires;
    5. Every 10-15 thousand run.

    By following these recommendations, you will save yourself trouble and make your trips comfortable and safe.

    What is imbalance and what does it threaten?

    Experts identify two types of imbalance:

    • Static
    • Dynamic

    Static unbalance - displacement of the center of gravity of the wheel up or down from the conditional center. Invisible to the eye. The problem is solved with the help of a balancing machine, which will identify vulnerabilities and indicate where to attach lead weights.

    Dynamic unbalance - incorrect weight distribution across the wheel width and complete separation of the rotation axes. Visually noticeable, popularly called the "eight". To eliminate it, lead balancers are attached to the disc rim from the outer and inner sides. Dynamic imbalance is easier to deal with than static.

    After the elimination of these types of unbalance wheels , the last, control balancing is performed . It is called "finishing" and reveals the presence of inaccuracies (if any). The point is to bring the imbalance to zero.

    Important balancing rules that every car owner should know

    Even if you are not a mechanic, read this information. So you can control the actions of tire workers and make sure that everything is done correctly.

    So, here is a list of the correct steps for wheel balancing: