Wheel alignments are important. If you have been on the road for the most part of the winter, then both you and your car must be exhausted and eagerly awaiting the spring season, which brings with it warmer temperatures and a comfortable environment for staying on the road. Whether you like to take road trips with your friends or have a job that involves driving across the country, it is very important to keep your vehicle well-maintained.
When spring rolls around, you should get your car inspected from top to bottom, and this includes checking the wheel alignment. The wheel alignments refer to the angle at which your wheels are set. There are different types of wheel alignment, such as caster, camber, and many others.
Luckily, there are some ways you can check the wheel alignment on your own, or at least decide if the alignment needs to be inspected by professionals. Let’s have a look at those methods.
Your Car Doesn’t Move in a Straight Line
When you are driving your car, it is supposed to move in a straight line, even if you release the steering. However, if you experience the car swerving left or right when you leave the steering. This is caused by an uneven angle at which each tire is moving. Each tire moves along the road at different angles, and the wheels struggle to move your car in a straight line.
If you experience this in your car, this is a strong indication that you should take your car to the wheel alignment shop and get the alignment checked. If you neglect it for a long time, it would lead to further problems.
Your Tires Make Noises as You Drive
When you are driving your car with the wheels misaligned, not only does your car swerve sideways, but it also causes the tires to make a hissing or squealing sound. This is caused due to the differing angles of each wheel, which causes each tire to go in slightly different directions. So, the noise is often caused by the axles or steering system.
Therefore, if you hear any unusual squealing noises coming from your wheels or axles, this would mean that your car is due for a wheel alignment.
Wheel alignments after driving on rough roads
If you have been driving your car extensively during the winters, there is a high chance that you have subjected your car to potholes, bumps, and slippery roads due to snow. These are often contributing factors that cause the wheels to go out of alignment quickly. Therefore, as soon as springtime starts, you will start experience problems with the drive, and getting our wheel alignment checked should be on the top of your car maintenance checklist.
This concludes our guide on how to self-check your car’s alignment after the winters. Once you start experiencing the “symptoms” that are mentioned above, all you need is to take your car to a reliable, where an experienced technician can check your wheel alignment and also adjust it to avoid any further issues.