Wheel Alignment

It’s important to help your tires last as long as possible. Part of this is ensuring your car, SUV, truck or van’s suspension is properly aligned. The suspension is the system that connects your wheels to the rest of the car, so when you bring your car to Team Automotive for a wheel alignment, you’re really getting the suspension adjusted.

If you’re in or around Sioux Falls, South Dakota, call Team Automotive. We’ll straighten up your alignment, which helps improve your control when driving. If improperly aligned, you may notice a pull in one direction or another while you’re driving, which can be dangerous on slippery terrain. Call Team Automotive today to make an appointment for routine services or an inspection with one of our ASE-certified auto mechanics.

Proper wheel alignment helps keep your vehicle moving in the direction you steer it in, it keeps your tires and suspension from unnecessary wear and tear, and it allows your tires to more firmly grip the road. There are many parts that keep your wheels in alignment, and there are three measurements mechanics check to ensure your wheels aren’t tilting. Those components are the caster, camber and toe. The caster and camber are only checked on vehicles older than the 1960s, but here’s a quick rundown anyway.

Camber

This measurement tells you whether your tires are angled in one direction or another. If your tires are leaning toward each other, this is called negative camber, and when the tops of your wheels are tilted away from each other, this is called positive camber. Too much of either will cause wear on the edges of your tires, as well as the suspension parts that hold your tires to your vehicle.

Caster

This measurement can be seen when you stand on the side of your car, truck, SUV or van. If your wheels are not aligned, it is because the steering axis is tilted. The steering axis is connected to the wheel and is responsible for the ability to turn left or right. This part should be centered, but positive caster is when the steering axis is tilted toward back of the vehicle, and negative caster is when the axis is tilted toward the front of your car.

Toe

If you are above your vehicle and you look down, the toe measurement can be seen in your tires facing toward each other or away from each other. When properly aligned, they face straight ahead. From a birds-eye view, the toe-in alignment is when the tires face each other and the toe-out alignment describes tires that face away from each other. Neither is good for your vehicle.

If your tires are visually misaligned, there are already several components that are likely affected. Call our Sioux Falls, SD auto repair shop so one of our car mechanics can inspect your wheels or adjust your wheel alignment. We’ll make the appropriate adjustments to maintain proper angle alignments and keep the right parts parallel to each other. We’ll use industry-leading equipment to ensure proper alignment and stability.

Sometimes it can be difficult to tell what’s wrong with your car when it starts to drive differently. But there are certain signs that indicate your wheel alignment is off:

• Uneven tire wear
• Rapid tire wear
• Steering wheel doesn’t sit straight
• Noises when steering
• Squealing tires
• Car pulls to left or right
• Loose steering
• Vibrating steering wheel

Some of these signs are symptoms of other issues, so to be certain your alignment is off, call Team Automotive for an inspection. They’ll take a look at the wheel alignment components and will tell you whether there’s anything to worry about.

Proper wheel alignment helps keep your car safely on the road, so when your car is out of alignment, you could be at risk of an accident. Two of the most common reasons your alignment could be off are when you experience a collision or hit a curb. This jolt is enough to misalign your suspension, so when you accidentally hit another car, drive up onto a curb or move too quickly through deep potholes, call Team Automotive for a quick checkup.

But if your alignment is in good condition, consider the following maintenance tips to keep them that way:

• Maintain proper tire air pressure
• Distribute weight evenly within vehicle
• Avoid curbs, potholes and collisions
• Inspect alignment every 3 years or after collisions/hitting curbs and potholes

If you haven’t had an alignment inspection in a while, call Team Automotive. Or, if you’ve just been in an accident, ran up a curb or hit a deep pothole, give us a call and get a free quote. We’re proud to be an ASE-certified auto repair shop, which means our car mechanics are knowledgeable in all things auto-related. They will help you in a friendly, professional and timely manner. Call today for all your wheel alignment, changes and other wheel-related services.