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Your car is a complex system of inter-working parts. When one of these parts is damaged, it’s only a matter of time until the other connected parts are affected. One such issue that can get out of hand rather quickly is incorrect wheel alignment. The alignment of your wheels affects your suspension and your tyre health. Your car is a complex system of inter-working parts. When one of these parts is damaged, it’s only a matter of time until the other connected parts are affected. One such issue that can get out of hand rather quickly is incorrect wheel alignment. The alignment of your wheels affects your suspension and your tyre health.
Alignment refers to an adjustment to a vehicle’s suspension – the system that connects a vehicle to its wheels. It is not an adjustment of the wheels or tyres themselves. The key to proper alignment is adjusting the angles of the tyres, which affects how they make contact with the road.
When checking your alignment a mechanic is mainly concerned with three things:
A common cause of a vehicle’s wheels going out of alignment is due to sudden impact when they hit something at enough speed.
Encounters with potholes and manholes without covers can seriously damage your car’s suspension, wheel alignment, and balancing, and will drastically impair your vehicle’s fuel efficiency, and more importantly, your safety.
Small collisions and hitting a curb can also take a car out of alignment, but because there is little visible damage, drivers tend to ignore them.
Besides tyre wear and wear patterns, the more important reason why wheel alignment is important for safe driving is the need to reduce stresses and strains on vehicle suspension components and improve the handling of the vehicle.
If you suspect that you may need a wheel alignment, here are a few signs and symptoms to look for and what to do:
Wheel balancing is integral to smooth driving, safety, tyre wear, and stability, and allows the tyres to spin without causing vibrations.
Distinct from wheel alignment, tyre balancing refers to compensation for any weight imbalances in the tyre/wheel combination. It is often performed in conjunction with wheel alignment.
When balancing your wheels, wheels should always be balanced off the car, as the modern wheel balancer does both dynamic and static balance simultaneously.
If you have an out-of-balance condition on the steering, have all four wheels balanced, front and back. Unbalanced wheels on the rear can often be felt through the steering.
On average, you should have your balancing and alignment checked every 5,000 – 6,000 kilometres and automatically every time you change to new tyres.
But don’t delay getting it done. Make sure you visit a reputable tyre fitment centre that specialises in every aspect of tyre performance and maintenance to achieve a successful, guaranteed outcome. Supa Quick is reconfiguring its operations to supply South African motorists with an altogether superior brand of tyre care.
Motoring experts now believe that two trends: lightweight suspension systems and lower profile tyres, have increased the need to have more regular balancing and alignment as these newer models are more sensitive to imbalance than older, heavier cars.
Improper wheel alignment and balancing can cause issues with how your vehicle handles. Besides being a safety hazard, it negatively affects your tyre tread and stability, markedly reduces your vehicle’s fuel efficiency, and greatly affects the overall performance of your vehicle.
Uneven tread wear, pulling, or an off-centre or vibrating steering wheel are all indicators that your safety on the road may be at risk. Visit your nearest Supa Quick and let the experts perform a safety check to ensure your car is as safe to drive as you think.
Disclaimer:This information is for educational, or entertainment purposes only. The views expressed here are not that of Supa Quick. We do not make any warranties about the completeness, reliability, and accuracy of this information. Any action you take upon the information on this site is at your own risk. We will not be liable for any losses and damages in connection with the content on this site.
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