If you live in a warm-weather state, there are fewer ways to misalign your vehicle suddenly. You have to hit a curb or something else fairly hard. Unfortunately, we live in a state that's only warm part of the year so there are plenty of "something elses" around at times. They're called potholes and they range from the "little-bump" variety to the occasional "jolt-awakes." I discount as rumors the swallow-your-vehicle-in-a-single-gulp potholes, even though a couple have starred in Hollywood movies.
Whatever causes a vehicle to be misaligned, the effects show up in poorer handling, shorter tire life and wasted fuel. But the most important reason to keep your wheels aligned is safety. Worn tires that poor alignment can cause, provide less traction in skids and on wet or slippery roads, and don't perform as well as good tires in emergency driving maneuvers.
Because of our annual pothole season, we have a problem knowing when to get an alignment. Auto manufacturers recommend alignment (and wheel balancing) about once a year. Because a pothole can immediately put a recently aligned vehicle out of whack again, you might consider, if your last alignment was nearly a year ago, waiting until most potholes have been filled.
But if you notice any of the following, have your alignment checked no matter when it was looked at last:
Your steering wheel "pulls" or "drifts" right or left when you're driving straight on a level road;
Your steering wheel isn't centered when your vehicle moves straight ahead;
You notice uneven, excessive or rapid tire wear, especially tread that's deeper on one side or that feels smooth in one direction but jagged in the other.
If there's vibration in your steering wheel, usually at 50-70 mph, or a "loose" feeling in the steering, you probably have one or more wheels that need balancing. Getting that done with an alignment saves you time.
Many places do alignments and balancing. Motorists should consider dealerships for these services because dealer technicians are experienced performing these tasks. Many dealerships have equipment that measures lateral and radial force variations in tires when they're on rollers, simulating real-world driving. The equipment is better for the many vehicles with front-wheel-drive and/or independent rear suspensions. This equipment is especially good for vehicles with finely tuned suspensions. By compensating for tire variations, the equipment enables those suspensions to perform as intended.
When you get an alignment at a dealership, you know that all possible causes of a misalignment will be checked. These include broken or bent parts, improper tire inflation, too-tight lug nuts or problems with brakes or power steering. Your vehicle also receives pre- and post-alignment test drives.
Be sure to replace tires heavily worn on one side after an alignment. Otherwise, you'll have much less rubber contacting the road. You need it to drive safely and avoid the curbs or "bounce-out-of-your-seat" potholes that can bounce you right back out of alignment.
Sources: www.familycar.com, local dealers.
