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Be Aware of
Tire Wear
While irregular tire wear is a good indication that it might be
time to have your tires replaced, did you know that it can also
be a warning sign that your vehicle is experiencing steering,
alignment or suspension problems? Becoming familiar with these
early warning signs is a good preventative maintenance tip that
will keep you on the road.
Steering:
If your vehicle is pulling to one side, make sure you first
check your tire pressure. If your tire pressure is balanced,
your steering problems could be due to any of the following: an
uneven tire rod length, incorrect toe, unequal camber or caster,
or an incorrect center link/rack height. If you are experiencing
excessive steering play or hard steering, have your technician
check for loose or worn struts, strut mounts, shocks, springs
and/or bushings.
Suspension:
There are many components within the suspension system of your
vehicle. If you are experiencing suspension problems, have your
technician check the tire alignment, bearings, bushings, strut
rods, springs and/or control arms. Be sure to inspect all
suspension components and repair all parts that are worn or
damaged. Failure to do so may allow the problem to reoccur and
cause premature failure of other suspension components.
Alignment:
Wheel alignment is needed for proper handling and tire wear.
Proper wheel alignment keeps the wheels from scuffing, dragging
or slipping. It also reduces fuel consumption and strain on
steering and suspension parts, and improves steering ability.
There are three alignment angles that affect your vehicle;
camber, caster and toe.
Camber is the inward or outward tilt of the wheel at the top
from a true vehicle line and is measured in degrees. The purpose
of this adjustment is to distribute the vehicle load closer to
the point of road contact. This makes steering easier and helps
prevent excessive tire wear:
Caster is a directional control angle measured in degrees and is
the amount that the steering axis tilted from true vertical
backward or forward. Caster affects turning ease, straight-line
stability and steering wheel returnability.
Toe is the difference between the front and rear of the
corresponding tires at spindle height. This is easier to
understand when you compare your car's wheels to your own feet.
When the fronts of the tires face in toward the car, this is
called toe-in. When they face out from the car, this is called
toe-out. Incorrect toe will increase tire scrub and wear. |
