Wheel Alignments
A professional wheel alignment is highly recommended and has many benefits, including safe and predictable vehicle control, a smooth and comfortable ride, and optimal tyre wear and performance.
Having a wheel alignment performed ensures that your steering wheel and tyres are aligned within manufacturer specifications.
What does a wheel alignment service involve?
A wheel alignment service involves changing the suspension of the vehicle rather than the tyres or wheels themselves. However, the direction and angles that the tyres point at when the wheel alignment is complete are critical.
A wheel alignment service typically includes five essential measurements and adjustments: caster, camber, toe, thrust, and ride height.
Caster
The caster is an imaginary line between the centres of your tyres' upper and lower ball joints. In any vehicle, the steering wheel will move on a pivot. The "caster angle" refers to the pivot's vertical angle when viewed from the side. In some cars, the caster isn’t adjustable and it plays a crucial role in high-speed stability and steering sensation.
Camber
The angle of your tyres when looking at your car from the front is called camber. Camber adjustment ensures that the tyres have maximum contact with the road and accounts for the changing forces that occur when a vehicle turns. Depending on the manufacturer's recommendations, most cars run a slight amount of camber in/out. So that, as a vehicle ‘leans’ into a corner the outside wheel will be perpendicular to the ground, providing maximum grip and safety.
Toe
Toe refers to the alignment of your front and rear tyres when looking at your vehicle from the top. Imagine looking down at your feet, toe-in refers to when the fronts of your tyres are closer together than the rear, while toe-out refers to when the fronts are farther apart. Toe is adjusted so that the tyres roll parallel to one another under normal driving conditions.
Thrust
Your mechanic will use a thrust-angle alignment if your car has a solid rear axle to make sure all four of your wheels are parallel to one another and to avoid ‘crab walking’.
Ride Height
The ride height is the distance between the bottom of your car and the ground. It serves as the starting point for all alignment measures. You will need to adjust your tyres if you raise or lower the chassis of your vehicle.
Signs your car needs a wheel alignment
It is recommended that you have your wheels aligned whenever you change your car's suspension or install new tyres. In order to maximise the lifespan of your tyres, make sure your car has a wheel alignment service once per year, along with a tyre rotation.
In addition, your car may need a wheel alignment if you notice any of the following warning signs:
- Your tyres have uneven wear
- The steering wheel trembles or vibrates at high speeds
- The car feels like it's pulling to the side.
- You ran into a curb or some roadside debris
Get your wheels aligned with Marx Forster Tyres & Mechanical
Get in touch with the qualified and experienced staff at Marx Forster Tyres & Mechanical for your next wheel alignment.
If you live in Forster, Tuncurry, Wallis Lake, Green Point, Pacific Palms, or the surrounding regions, and your vehicle is experiencing any of these symptoms, contact Marx Forster Tyres & Mechanical on 02 6555 3300 or come to see us at Corner Boundary St and Harbord Crt, Forster. A wheel alignment will not only improve the safety of your vehicle, but it also aims to prolong the lifespan of your tyres too.