Need a Wheel Alignment? Call us Now
Wheel Alignment is often
confused with Wheel
Balancing. The two really
have nothing to do with each
other except for the fact
that they affect ride and
handling. If a wheel is out
of balance, it will cause a
vibration at highway speeds
that can be felt in the
steering wheel and/or the
seat. If the alignment is
out, it can cause excessive
tyre wear and steering or
tracking problems.
Do you need a Wheel
Alignment & why?
To find out if you need an
alignment, first check each
tyre and look for uneven
wear patterns. The problem
with this method, however,
is that if you can see a
wear it may be too late to
save that tyre. This is why
it is a good idea to have
your alignment checked
periodically.
1 - Reduced tyre
wear
Improper alignment is a
major cause of premature
tyre wear. Over the years, a
properly aligned vehicle can
add thousands of kilometres
to tyre life. 2 - Improved
Handling
Does your car pull to one
side? Does the steering
wheel vibrate? Do you
constantly have to move the
steering wheel to keep your
car travelling straight
ahead? Many handling
problems can be corrected by
total alignment. With all
the system components
aligned properly, road shock
is more efficiently absorbed
for a smoother ride
3 - Safer Driving
A suspension system
inspection is part of our
alignment procedure. This
allows us to spot worn parts
before they cause costly
problems
Front & Rear Wheel Balancing
Out-of-balance tires will
cause a vehicle to vibrate
at certain speeds, usually
over 50 km p/h. A tyre is
out of balance when one
section of the tyre is
heavier than the others. One
ounce of imbalance on a
front tire is enough to
cause a noticeable vibration
in the steering wheel at
about 60 km.
To balance a
wheel, our technician will
mount it on a balancing
machine which spins the
wheel to locate the heavier
part. He will then
compensate for the heavy
part by attaching a lead
weight on the opposite side.
Many people are pleasantly
surprised at how smooth
their car drives after
balancing all four wheels.
Most high quality tyres will
hold their balance fairly
well and go out of balance
very gradually. If you
notice a vibration that
wasn't there the day before,
it is possible that one of
the lead balancing weights
fell off. If you feel the
vibration mostly in the
steering wheel, the problem
is most likely in a front
wheel. If the vibration is
mostly in the seat, the
problem is probably in the
rear.
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