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Wheel Alignment at Auto Tech Center

Auto Tech Center Offers Professional Wheel Alignment

Regular vehicle maintenance is about making sure that all your car’s parts are pulling in the same direction—sometimes, in the case of wheel alignment, literally. Alignment, also called “tracking,” is the process of making sure that all your car’s wheels are angled correctly, pointing straight ahead, and in line with one another. It’s a key part of regular maintenance, and skipping it can cause a lot of issues for your tires, suspension, and fuel efficiency (among other things).

Auto Tech Center performs wheel alignments for a wide variety of vehicles: domestic and imported cars, SUVs, and trucks; all-wheel-drive vehicles; and custom or high-performance vehicles. If you have questions about your vehicle’s alignment, let our certified, highly experienced technicians take a look and give you peace of mind.

Benefits of Wheel Alignment

Making sure your wheels are properly aligned has a number of important benefits for your vehicle. Alignment reduces wear on tires, increasing the time between replacements. It improves your fuel economy, handling, and safety, and makes your ride more comfortable. Cars are hard-working pieces of equipment, and the bumps and bangs they handle every day add up to a toll on your suspension. Rough Michigan roads and wintry weather add to that burden, meaning it’s a good idea to get your alignment checked regularly.

Your alignment can also be affected by a major impact—hitting a pothole, curb, or piece of debris in the road. If you’ve had a significant bump or bang recently, keep an eye on your car’s behavior and consider scheduling an alignment check. If you notice that your car pulls toward one side of the road, or that the tires are wearing unevenly or faster than usual, bring it in and our expert technicians will inspect it for you.

Wheel alignment inside Auto Tech Center auto repair garage in Ann Arbor MI

Winter Driving and Wheel Alignment

Michigan winters produce some tough driving conditions. The slush, grime, and road salt are all particularly hard on your vehicle’s suspension, and can affect your alignment. The last thing you want during the winter months is increased wear and tear on your tires and other parts—but on top of that, the deterioration in handling that comes with bad alignment is a safety issue on slick roads. The fall and the spring, when you switch from all-season tires to winter tires and back again, are convenient times to get your alignment checked and make sure you catch any issues early.

What’s Involved in Wheel Alignment?

There are three parameters involved in a vehicle’s wheel alignment: caster, camber, and toe. In most cases and for most people, your car’s manufacturer-recommended settings for each of these will give you the best results. During an alignment, your technician will check each parameter and, if needed, adjust it to match your car’s factory specifications.

Each of these parameters controls a different aspect of a car’s feel and handling. But what do caster, camber, and toe actually mean?

Caster: Caster refers to the angle of your car’s steering pivot points. A negative caster can reduce steering effort around turns, but can cause your car to wander when driving straight. Power steering erases any drawbacks to positive caster, giving you more control over your car. It’s rare to adjust your car’s caster; most cars will use factory settings.

Camber: Camber is the vertical-axis tilt of your car’s wheels—whether the top or bottom edge of the wheels are closer to the center of the car. A negative camber, when the wheels tilt inward at the top like a pyramid, improves handling and traction through turns. A positive camber—narrow at the bottom, wider at the top—is more stable and easier to steer.

Toe: Toe is like camber, but on the horizontal axis—whether your car’s front wheels are angled inward toward the center, or outward away from the car’s midline. High-performance cars like racing vehicles sometimes use toe-out because it offers enhanced turning. Most standard street cars, however, will use toe-in, because it encourages straight-line stability and minimizes wear.

Symptoms of Alignment Problems

How do you know if your car is experiencing an alignment issue? Handling and tire wear will most likely be the first things you notice. If your car is pulling to one side or the other when you drive straight, the caster may need an adjustment. Uneven wear on your tires—more wear on the inside or the outside edge—or faster wear than expected can indicate an issue with your camber or your toe.

If you notice these or any other issues with your tires or suspension, make a note of what you’re experiencing and schedule an alignment check with Auto Tech Center today. For more information, call us at (734) 761-1661 or fill out our online form to book an appointment.

Auto Tech Center 213 Aprill Dr Ann Arbor, MI 48103 (734) 761-1661 info@auto-tech.us Hours: Mon - Fri   7:30am to 5:30pm

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