Wheel alignments are a vital part of routine vehicle maintenance. Poor wheel alignment can lead to an array of issues on the road, including poor performance and accelerated tire wear. Fortunately, the process is relatively simple and takes just a few minutes to complete.
A wheel alignment involves adjusting the suspension components of a vehicle so that the wheels are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the ground. This ensures that the wheels are pointed in the right direction and that your car drives straight. It also prevents excessive tire wear, which can be caused by uneven pressure distribution.
When performing wheel alignments, technicians typically check for camber, toe-in, and caster. Camber is the angle of the wheels relative to each other when viewed from the front or rear of the vehicle. Toe-in is how much the wheels point inward or outward when viewed from above. The caster measures the amount of forward or backward tilt of the steering axis, which affects steering stability and straight-line tracking.