What You Need to Know About Wheel Alignment

Don’t Let Your Vehicle Fall Victim

Poor wheel alignment can cause major headaches for car owners, including premature tire wear, poor fuel economy, and even a bumpier ride. But what is wheel alignment, exactly? And are there different types of wheel alignment? The answer to both questions is yes! Let’s take a look at the different types of wheel alignment and how they can help you get the most out of your vehicle.

What Is Wheel Alignment?

Wheel alignment is the process of realigning the suspension system so that all four wheels are pointing in the same direction. To be more precise, it involves adjusting three angles: camber angle (the angle between the vertical center line of the wheel and a vertical line through its contact point with the road), caster angle (the angle between a vertical line drawn through the top pivot point of the steering knuckle and an imaginary line drawn through ground contact points on either side of it), and toe (the parallelism or divergence between front tires). All three angles must be aligned correctly in order for your vehicle to handle properly.

Types Of Wheel Alignment

There are two types of wheel alignments: Thrust Angle Alignment and Toe-In/Toe-Out Alignment. Thrust Angle Alignment adjusts all four wheels relative to one another, ensuring that they’re all pointed in the same direction. This helps improve handling by reducing resistance from friction work against each other when turning or braking. Toe-In/Toe-Out Alignment adjusts only two wheels relative to one another, ensuring that they’re pointing in slightly different directions—usually inward—to reduce tire wear caused by dragging when cornering or braking. This type of alignment should be done every six months or so in order to keep your car running smoothly and efficiently.

Overall, having your car's wheels aligned is essential for keeping it in top condition over time. Properly aligned wheels will ensure better handling, improved fuel economy, less tire wear, and even a smoother ride overall. While Thrust Angle Alignment should be done every 12 months or so depending on driving conditions, Toe-In/Toe-Out Alignments should be done more frequently—every six months or so—in order to keep your car running as efficiently as possible over time. So if you want to make sure your vehicle is running at its peak performance level, don't forget about getting those wheels aligned!