What Is Wheel Alignment And Why Is It Important?

Your vehicle is made up of several hundred components, but none may be more important than it’s wheels. However, knowing when to service your vehicle’s suspension can be a difficult thing to understand, let alone manage. In this article, we’ll discuss what happens during a wheel alignment, why it’s essential, and how it can affect your vehicle.

If you’re looking for professional wheel alignment in Kansas City, Missouri, stop by S&S Service Center today to have one of our certified technicians provide you and your vehicle with quality auto service and repairs.

What Is Wheel Alignment?

Your wheels are responsible for many things, including safe driving and absorbing the impact from bumps on the road. Over time, however, several things can cause the wheels to become misaligned, and in turn, creates several other issues within your vehicle. During an inspection, a technician will look at three critical things:

Camber

Camber refers to the tire’s inward or outward tilt. Negative camber refers to the inward tilt of a tire while positive camber refers to an outward tilt. Either of these can significantly affect the tire-to-road contact, as well as how the vehicle’s ablility to turn.

Toe

Toe refers to the relationship between a tire’s front and rear end. If the tires are angled inward, it is called toe-in while an outward tilt is referred to as a toe-out. Either instance requires an adjustment.

Caster

The caster refers to the angle of the steering axis and is what assists the vehicle in steering, stability, and turning corners. In the instance of a positive caster, the steering axis is tilted toward the driver, while a negative caster refers to the steering axis tilting toward the front of the vehicle.

Safety Concern

Poor wheel alignment not only contributes to poor vehicle performance but also decreases vehicle handling and stability. Additionally, misalignment can also cause your vehicle to have a difficult time driving straight and dramatically reduce the lifespan of your tires. Most importantly, it can put you and your passengers at an increased risk of danger.

What Is Wheel Alignment And Why Is It Important?