Posted by Ayesha Alam
Filed in Technology 1 view
When it comes to vehicle maintenance, tire care pretty much comes first on your checklist. And why not? Tires are the only parts that come in contact with the road surface and that make it possible for your vehicle to move. It is, therefore, crucial to maintain the tires in a well-functioning condition. Cutting down on premature replacements is pivotal to prolong the life of your tires. Keeping your wheels properly aligned is one of the most effective ways to fuel economy and avoid premature tire replacement, as is true for saab cars. An out-of-balance alignment leads to decreased fuel efficiency and reduced handling due to uneven tire wear and the solution lies in timely wheel alignment.
In this article we will clarify what the correct alignment means, what changes and wears out the tyres when these are not aligned and why you should check these regularly and correct what is bad for your vehicle.
Understanding Wheel Alignment
Wheel alignment is another term for the angle and direction of your tyres when they face the road, but how do they make contact with the ground? How can you be sure you created a good angle? In alignment, three main adjustments affect tyre performance and wear: Toe-inThis adjustment makes your tyres point slightly towards each other at the front of the car (while the rear pushes further than the front) and slightly apart at the rear of the car (while the front pushes more than the rear). Toe-outConversely, toe-out makes your tyres point away from each other at the front of the car (while the rear pushes outward beyond the front) and slightly pushed into each other at the rear of the car (while the front pushes further than the rear).CamberOn the other hand, camber, mentioned earlier, is the inward and outward angle of the upper side of the tyre.
Camber: The inward or outward tilt of the tire viewed from the front of the vehicle. A tire that’s tilting in or out too much will cause uneven tyrewear.
Toe: How much your tyres turn toward (toe-in) or away (toe-out) from the direction your car is moving when seen from above. Tyres that are set incorrectly can wear unevenly.
Caster: the angle of the steering axis as shown on the side of the car. It leads to more or less ‘understeer’ depending on the direction of the caster but, while it affects vehicle stability, it has less direct impact on tyre wear than camber and toe.
With all four wheels going in the same direction, the driving forces are equally distributed everywhere, giving you maximum traction, even tyre wear, and balanced handling. Over time, a pothole, a curb or just normal wear of your suspension can cause your wheels to become misaligned, which will eventually cause yet another series of problems for you: short tyre life.
How Misalignment Affects Tire Wear
1. Uneven Tire Wear
Uneven tire wear is perhaps the most widely experienced symptom of wheel misalignment because they are the parts suffering the consequences when wheels are out of synch. Tire wear can be accelerated in different areas against the direction they were designed to spin because of the different types of misalignment. For example:
This side to side effect is called camber misalignment and is evidenced by faster wear out at the inner or outer edge of the tyre.
This toe misalignment results in scalloped or feathered tyres, with wavy wear on the tread.
It should be obvious that this uneven wear reduces the effective lifespan of the tyre, since the tread can’t be reduced uniformly across the surface. Ultimately, it might make it necessary to replace the tyres before their actual useful life is over, although some of the tread could still be in good condition.
2. Increased Tire Heat
Alignment is another factor that can go awry. The way that the tyre comes into contact with the road changes, which increases friction and heat. By being off-kilter, tyres can be dragged or rubbed along the tarmac instead of rolling – and friction creates heat, which speeds up the deterioration of rubber. It might not be evident right away; slow wear can lead to blowouts or even delamination when the tyres are on a motorway or travelling at high speeds.
Good alignment ensures that the tire stays where it should, making equal contact with the road instead of skidding, which means the heating effect between the pavement and tyre is just right, with less friction, less heat buildup and no blowouts. In the long run, not only are your tyres saved, but you also have a safer vehicle, especially when travelling in hot weather over long journeys.
3. Reduced Traction and Handling
Misaligned wheels will also impact traction and handling, which can result in extra tyre wear. When your wheels aren’t properly aligned, you’ll notice something off about your car’s handling: perhaps it’s drifting to one side of the road or requiring constant adjustments in the steering wheel, or even being unstable on straight roads. This will make your car feel less stable and this lack of stability forces the tyres to work harder, which will lead to quicker and uneven tyre wear.
It also keeps the tyres in a straight line and ensures that they don’t wobble from side to side like a staggering drunkard’s walking stick. This ensures that the correct part of the tyre is always in contact with the road surface, maximising both grip and handling. Tires that are not properly aligned also last longer. Recent experience has also shown that good alignment is especially important in wet or slippery driving conditions.
4. Impact on Suspension and Other Components
Besides causing you to replace the tyres sooner than you need to, misalignment can place extra stress on your vehicle’s suspension and steering components. Because the car’s suspension system has to compensate for the uneven contact with the road surface, it is possible for parts that connect tyres to the chassis – such as ball joints, tie rods, and control arms – to wear prematurely.
The extra stress on those parts of the vehicle can wind up costing you money in expensive repairs, and over time, poor alignment issues could get worse, causing more rapid wear on your tires. Proper wheel alignment keeps other vehicle parts in better shape, and gives you a smoother ride that’s more comfortable as well.
The Benefits of Regular Alignment Checks
Since tire wear and overall vehicle performance can be affected by even slight misalignment, constant checks are required. Why?
1. Prolonged Tire Life
One of the most easily observable benefits of correct alignment is that it makes your tires last longer. As your tires wear down, aligned tyres preserve evenness, getting you the full value of your investment by extending your tyres’ miles of service. The price of top-quality tyres is high – getting good and well-performing tyres can often cost hundreds of dollars, then – how much should someone spend on those premium tyres if they weren’t going to get the most out of them because they wore unevenly?
2. Improved Fuel Efficiency
Badly aligned wheels add rolling resistance and drag, causing the engine to work harder to maintain speed and, as a result, waste fuel. Good alignment allows your tyres to turn smoothly as your vehicle rolls down the road; better rolling means reduced rolling resistance which, in turn, saves gas. Over time, you can recoup the cost of regular alignment maintenance through the savings in fuel alone.
3. Better Vehicle Handling
It also helps your car track properly, which means your car will steer accurately and confidently. You’ll get more positive steering response, less pulling to one side or the other, and an over-all feeling of better control over your vehicle. You’ll drive safer and more confidently, especially on long trips and in adverse weather conditions.
4. Enhanced Safety
And maintaining alignment is just plain safe. Wheels that are out of alignment can reduce lateral stabilisation while braking or cornering. Uneven shape or wear can reduce tyre-road contact surfaces (especially in wet or icy conditions). But even wear and proper alignment cause your tyres to wear uniformly, maximising the safety features that your vehicle’s manufacturer built.
5. Preventing Costly Repairs
This can, in turn, indicate other problems, like your suspension or steering components wearing before they should. By catching and dealing with alignment problems early, you minimise the total cost of ownership and the chance you’re going to have to do something else expensive to your car later. It’s not just your tyres: alignment checks help keep your care roadworthy.
Signs That Your Car Needs an Alignment
You could save a lot of money on repairs and tyres if you know your cars ‘red flags’ that it needs an alignment.
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It is important to recognize the signs that your car needs an alignment:
Uneven or rapid tire wear: Inspect your tyres regularly for irregular wear. Note whether one side of a tyre wears more quickly than another.
steering wheel off-centreIf the steering wheel is offset on either side when driving straight, your wheels are probably not aligned.
Vehicle pulling to the left or right: If your car feels like it pulls to the left or right when you drive it straight down a road, you may be experiencing misalignment.
Vibrating steering wheel: A vibrating steering wheel could be a sign of poor alignment or worn-out parts in the suspension.
If you experience any of these symptoms, please take your vehicle to a service professional to correct this problem and to prevent any further tire damage.
Conclusion
To maximise your tires’ life and get the best performance out of your vehicle, it’s essential to keep your wheels aligned. When your wheels are out of alignment, your tyres will wear unevenly and could blow out prematurely. Out-of-alignment wheels can also decrease your fuel economy and make your car handle poorly on the road. Regular alignment checks will be sure to keep these problems at bay, save you money in the long run on pricey new tires and put you back in control of your car.
It’s an investment that improves your tyre longevity, maximises vehicle safety, improves performance and fuel economy and, in the long term, it’s a simple and cost-effective way to keep you moving safely mile after mile.
