The Basics: What and Why

What is wheel alignment, and why is it important?

It’s not an adjustment of the tires themselves, but rather the components of the suspension system that hold the tires in place. Proper alignment is important because it extends the life of your tires, improves gas mileage, avoids unnecessary wear on your suspension system and prevents dangerous pulling so you stay in control and on the road. 

What happens if I drive my car while it’s out of alignment? 

Uneven Tire Wear – Your tires should be perfectly parallel with each other and perpendicular to the road surface. When your car is out of alignment, your tires are slightly angled inward or outward. This causes the tires to scrub or drag against the pavement instead of rolling smoothly. The dragging action creates excessive friction on certain parts of the tire, leading to premature and uneven wear. This shows up as tread that’s significantly worn down on just the inner or outer edge, which forces you to replace your expensive tires thousands of miles sooner than you should.

Undue Wear Leads to Costly Repairs – Normally, your suspension is built to handle forces that go up and down (like hitting a bump). But when the wheels are misaligned, they are trying to roll sideways a little bit, constantly forcing the suspension components to take sideways loads they weren’t designed for. Parts like ball joints, tie rod ends, control arm bushings, wheel bearings, struts and shocks will require expensive replacement far too soon.

Poor Fuel Economy – When your alignment is off, your tires drag instead of roll freely. This added resistance forces your engine to work harder, negatively affecting your gas mileage and costing you extra at the pump. Alignment quickly reverses this issue and restores your fuel efficiency.

How do you know if you need an alignment?

Here are the most common signs you need your alignment corrected:

Pulling / Drifting –  Your car’s steering wheel is perfectly straight, but your car still drives to the left a little. This happens because the wheels aren’t tracking straight—it’s like trying to walk in a straight line while pointing your toes to the left. The car is doing the same thing, forcing you to constantly steer sideways to correct it.

Uneven or Premature Tire Wear – You might notice one edge of your tire being bald when the rest isn’t. When your alignment is off, the wheels drag sideways instead of rolling smoothly. This quickly scrubs the tread off one side, shortening the lifespan of an expensive set of tires by thousands of miles.

While DTE offers repairs and roadside assistance, we truly hope that a roadside emergency is the last thing you ever have to deal with—let us help you prevent it. Give us a call or stop by, we’ll get it taken care of!