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Most of us worry about running out
of gas or having a belt or hose fail resulting in a breakdown on the side of
the road. That is why we practice preventive maintenance on our vehicles — that
and to keep the cost of driving down. But one important part of preventive
maintenance that may get overlooked by most motorists is a periodic alignment
inspection.
Most people don't realize their
car is out of alignment and even when the some of the symptoms like, minor
uneven tire wear, your car pulling a little to one side or the steering seems
a little loose are evident. A DMV study where they randomly inspected
miscellaneous cars off the road found that 9 out of 10 cars needed a wheel
alignment and the drivers weren't even aware of it.
Alignment is a complex topic
covering a variety of terms and a miscellany of parts. When your wheels are
out of alignment, your tires aren't pointing in the right direction. This
will affect your steering, brakes and suspension, but more importantly, it
could affect your safety and the durability of your tires and all the parts
controlling them.
Having a car with badly aligned
wheels leads to other connected problems. Your braking system does not work
to optimal levels. The tendency to pull to one side due to uneven tires
causes problems in the steering system. It also leads to uneven braking.
Improper wheel alignments will affect the suspension of your car. The
suspension in a car is made up of complicated and delicately balanced parts,
and it is important that it should be perfect, not to mention that
changing/repairing your suspension could cost an awful lot.
Correct alignment is much more
than just keeping you tires straight on the road. Technologically advanced vehicles
which have the following systems may experience warning lights and/or system
shut down if your vehicle is out of proper alignment.
(1) Traction Control Systems
(2) Stability Control Systems
(3) Variable or Dynamic Steering
(4) Lane Assist
(5) Adaptive Cruise Control
It is very important to consider
the safety factor too. Have you ever driven a car which pulls itself to one
side all the time? You probably know how difficult it is to drive on a wet or
iced road even with perfectly aligned wheels. With badly aligned wheels, you
are taking on unnecessary risk. Is it worth having an accident and
endangering the lives of loved ones?
It doesn't take much, that’s for
sure, Alignment angles are measured in tenths and hundredths of degrees or
inches. There are many ways for your car to lose its alignment. You’ll be
familiar with most of the causes, but what you probably didn't think was that
each one could do quite a number on your vehicle’s alignment.
Wheel alignment can be thrown off
by:
(1) Pot holes
(2) Hitting the curb
(3) Bumping into concrete parking
stalls
(4) Driving on bumpier roads, such
as gravel
roads
(5) Fair wear and tear - as
vehicles age, rubber components start cracking or lose their elasticity and
ball and socket joints develop looseness. They start to give a little more,
progressively getting slightly worse over time. Worn control arm bushings,
worn out shocks and struts can also be a serious problem with uneven tire
wear.
Cost of Not Having Your Alignment
Checked Vs The Cost Of An Alignment
When the wheels of the car are not
aligned there is uneven pressure on the tires. They tend to push against each
other. When that happens the car faces uneven friction and much more
resistance from the road surface. This means that your car has to work that
much harder to move forward and more fuel is burned than normal. Improper
alignment can reduce fuel efficiency by as much as 10% - about 29 cents per
gallon. In addition, the tires can wear out more quickly. That is a cost of
about $187 per year in extra gas
If your tires are bowed out of
alignment by just .017 in., it's the equivalent of dragging your tire
sideways for 5 miles for every 1,000 you drive. Depending on how severe the
alignment is, you can take an 80,000 mile tire and wear it out in 40,000
miles. Obviously if you have an alignment that is severely out, you can wear
the tires out in a couple thousand miles. Cost could be an additional $30.00
per year. In extreme cases and you go through 2 sets of tires in a single
year that's an additional $400 cost you could of avoided by having an $80
alignment.
When your wheels are out of
alignment, the uncontrolled ride puts a strain on your steering and
suspension including the shock absorbers and struts. The cost to replace both
front Strut/Shock Absorbers is estimated by RepairPal.com to be between $354
and $866 for a 2012 vehicle depending on make and model. It is recommended
that you replace your shocks every 50,000 miles or about 4 years of normal
driving. Reducing the life by 25% due to misaligned wheels cost you on
average $152.50. In addition worn shocks don't just hamper driver comfort;
they can harm overall suspension performance and reduce brake efficiency,
cornering ability and anti-lock brake system effectiveness. So when shocks go
bad, it's out with the old and in with the new.
All told the damages (tires, fuel
economy, suspension) from running your vehicle with misaligned wheels for a
year could be $369.50 per year or $30.80 per month. This excludes the impact
on latest advanced technology found on today's cars. Keeping up with your
wheel alignment service keeps your car running right. You reduce your risk of
breaking down on the side of the road, which keeps you and your passengers
safer while driving. The thumb rule is that you should get you wheels aligned
once every 6000 miles or 6 months, whichever is earlier. Your owner's manual
to see how often the manufacturer recommends having this service. You should
also get your wheels aligned or at least checked by a professional if you
have hit something large enough to cause alignment issues.
Many repair shops like American
Auto Air & Repair in Reno, NV will do a free alignment check if asked.
These courtesy checks do not include any adjustments but will make you aware
of any misalignment issues that need to be addressed. After the initial check
American Auto Air & Repair uses state of the art high-definition digital
imaging wheel alignment technology and extensive training to insure that all
the vehicles we align are brought back to precise manufacturers
specifications .
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Hi. I’m Designer of Blog Magic. I’m CEO/Founder of ThemeXpose. I’m Creative Art Director, Web Designer, UI/UX Designer, Interaction Designer, Industrial Designer, Web Developer, Business Enthusiast, StartUp Enthusiast, Speaker, Writer and Photographer. Inspired to make things looks better.
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