What type of wheel alignment

Certain vehicles consist of a solid rear axle that never requires adjustment. As you might probably guess, this 4-wheel alignment usually involves an adjustment of all four wheels.

Typically, if your vehicle is an all-wheel-drive model comprising independent suspensions, it will need a 4-wheel alignment. Service consists of a caster and front toe adjustment. The mechanic will decide if a front-end or 4-wheel alignment is appropriate. As its name implies, positive or negative camber causes this type of wear. This happens when one side of your tread blocks wears down more quickly than the other in a circumferential direction.

When you run your hand over the tread, it will look and feel like saw teeth when viewed from the side. While tire wear prevention is a good reason to keep your wheel alignment in check, the consequences of misalignment can also play out in overall vehicle performance.

A car that pulls to one side or steers erratically, for example, probably has an alignment problem. Static balance addresses balance on only one plane — vertical movement which can cause vibration. A dynamic imbalance, on the other hand, addresses balance in two planes — vertical movement and lateral movement.

Both types of imbalance require the use of a special balancing machine to help even things out. To begin balancing your tires, a technician will mount them on the correct rims and adjust the pressure to optimal inflation. Make sure alignments are a part of your routine maintenance efforts. To learn more, take your vehicle to a service professional and inquire about how often you need to have an alignment.

A: A 2-wheel alignment, also known as a front-end alignment, means the technician performs the service on only the front wheels, which may include a camber, toe, and caster adjustment. A 4-wheel alignment refers to adjusting all four wheels, which is typically required on all-wheel-drive models, with independent suspensions. This may include a front toe and caster adjustment, just like the front end alignment, while the rear wheels receive a toe and camber adjustment.

A: Obviously, a 4 wheel alignment will be double the cost of a front end tire alignment. A: There is no specific sign of wheel falling out of alignment, except for when too much damage has already been done. A: Although it may not seem like an important issue, driving with misaligned wheels or tires for extended periods of time will lead to more extensive damage, which will ultimately cost you more and keep your car off the road for longer. However, if your usual driving conditions are poor, then you should have your vehicle alignment check more often.

Other than that, the basic recommendation is every 2 or 3 years. If any of the wheels have incorrect toe, or if your vehicle handles differently when turning in one direction versus the other, then a thrust angle alignment will likely solve the problem.

This alignment yields a better result in tire wear, fuel economy, and safety. Check out our Wheel Alignment Specials Today. A four wheel alignment is useful for vehicles that have 4 wheel independent suspensions, or front wheel drive vehicles with adjustable rear suspensions.