...alignments, a critical auto maintenance service
1) What is a wheel alignment?
106 St Tire & Wheel wants its customers to know that wheel alignments are important and they are a part of standard automobile maintenance. Wheel alignment consists of adjusting the angles of the wheels so that they are set to the car maker's specification. This helps steer your vehicle effectivbely and safely.
2) Why do I need a wheel alignment?
A wheel alignment is required from a maintenance perspective because a lack of proper alignment can cause uneven or premature tire wear. Merely driving over pot holes, those metal plates used when Queens streets are being repaired or when water pipes are being re-laid or repaired, where ever Con Ed digs up the street, etc. because the bouncing of tires in an uneven pattern displace the correct alignment. Tire wear and improper tire inflation are impacted which in turn may jeopardizing the safety of you, your passengers, pedestrians, other drivers and that of your car. Being out of alignment produces wear on other critical front end parts and adds to premature wear increasing costs of repairs.
Now that gas prices are down, improving gas mileage may not be as important to drivers as a few years ago. However, rest assured improper tire inflation from needing a wheel alignment increases gas consumption costing you money while you contribute to an increasing issue of deteriorating air quality and soaring causes of breathing issues like asthma in our city.
3) What are the symptoms that a wheel alignment is needed?Pulling or drifting away from driving a straight line:
- Pulling or drifting away from driving a straight line
- Uneven or rapid tire wear
- Wandering from side to side on a straight level road
- Steering wheel is off to one side while driving straight ahead
4) How often should I have my wheels aligned? That depends on a lot.Have you had work done on your front end? How many miles have you driven and over what kind of road conditions? Are your tires wearing unevenly, is your steering wheel pulling, does the steering wheel pull to one side or another? Are you purchasing new times? If you purchase 4 new or used tires at 106 St Tire, we will give you a wheel alignment for free.
Car manufacturers generally do not make specific recommendations on what your wheel alignment schedule should be. However, don't let that deter you from making sound judgments on a maintenance schedule. If your car is riding perfectly, your tires show no sign of abnormal wear, if your steering wheel is not pulling to one side you can, as a rule, have your wheels aligned once a year with the following caution: Wheel alignments are an affordable way to help avoid expensive pitfalls like premature wear to expensive front end repairs of premature wear of your costly tires.
To help your tires have a longer life, please remember to check your tire pressure often because uneven tire inflation can make you think you need a wheel alignment when one or more of your tires could simply be low. Please check the placard on the driver's side door for your vehicles' manufacturers' recommended tire pressure.
All of our locations will be delighted to do this free, give you free compressed air and even give you a free 47 point safety check. Also, since tire pressure is so critical to safety, gas mileage, uneven wear of important front end parts, you may want to try nitrogen fill which requires less maintenance, improves gas mileage, less tire wear, better handling and performance, extended tire lifespan and peace of mind from the added safety of properly inflated tires.