Vehicle Alignment

Why does my vehicle need an alignment?

Vehicle alignments help prolong the life of your tires. If your car is misaligned, your tires will wear unevenly, or even worse, you may experience problems with the handling of your car such as pulling to the right or left or vibration.

When you buy your car from Mike Patton Auto, the tires and wheels will have been aligned and balanced. For new cars, the factory alignments the vehicle and balances the tires to ensure the longest tire life and best overall performance. Wheel alignments and tire balancing are not required very often on your vehicle - typically about every six months or so, depending upon your driving habits. If you notice that your tires are wearing unequally or if your car is pulling to the right or to the left, you should call one of our vehicle service centers to get an alignment.

Neglecting to keep your tires balanced can have negative and expensive consequences - such as a shortened tire life, or bearings, shocks, and other suspension components needing repair or replacement. Your ride quality can also be affected when you have a tire that is out of balance. If you notice your vehicle vibrating when driving on a smooth road, your tires and wheels may need to be rebalanced, and you should have it checked before a larger problem arises.

What is camber?

A camber describes the tilting of your vehicle wheels either to the left or right when viewed from the front of your car. When the wheels tilt outward at the top, the camber is positive. When the wheel tilts inward at the top, the camber is negative. The amount of tilt is measured in degrees from the vertical. Camber settings influence the directional control and the tire wear.

How does camber affect wheel alignment?

• Negative camber causes both tires to wear prematurely toward the inside of the tire. it can also cause excessive wear on the suspension parts.
• Too much positive camber causes both tires to wear prematurely toward the outside of the tire, and can also cause excessive wear on the suspension parts.
• Unequal side-to-side camber can cause your car to pull to the side of the most positive camber.

What is caster?

The caster angle refers to the forward or backward slope if you were to draw a line through the upper and lower steering pivot points when you are looking at the car from the side. The caster is stated in degrees. If the line slopes toward the read of the car at the top, the caster is said to be positive. If it slopes to the rear of the vehicle at the top, it is said to be negative.

Caster settings allow the vehicle manufacturer to balance steering, high speed stability, and to aid in front-end cornering.

Recommendations

Having wheels that are properly aligned is necessary to balance your tire wear and get optimal performance from your tires. You will save money over the long term with regular wheel alignments because it will save you money replacing your tires. Tire rotations and wheel alignments should be considered part of your routine, preventative maintenance.

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Service
Day	Open	Closed
Monday	7:30AM	5:30PM
Tuesday	7:30AM	5:30PM
Wednesday	7:30AM	5:30PM
Thursday	7:30AM	5:30PM
Friday	7:30AM	5:30PM
Saturday	8:00AM	1:00PM
Sunday	Closed	Closed