Alignments

Winter has a tendency to be hard on vehicles.  Between potholes, extreme cold temperatures, and everything in between, there are a lot of factors that can negatively affect the alignment of your vehicle.

It's always a good idea to have your vehicle checked as the winter months come to a close, especially the alignment.  A misaligned vehicle can cause damage to your tires, which could require you to purchase new tires.

In order to preserve the integrity of your tires and the suspension or alignment of your vehicle, look for these warning signs:

• pulling in one direction
• excessive bouncing
• visible tire damage or uneven tire wear
• loss of control when driving
• low tire pressure

Any of these signs indicate that something isn't quite right with your vehicle.  If your vehicle exhibits any of these signs, please bring your car into Jake's Auto.  The sooner your alignment is checked and fixed, the less damage will be incurred, and the sooner you will be back on the road.

Have You Hit Any Potholes Lately?

The month of February usually brings various temperatures.  It might be freezing and snowing one week, and the next it will be sunny and 60 degrees.  With fluctuating temperatures come freezing and thawing, freezing and thawing.  The result...potholes!

Nobody likes a pothole, unless you are splashing in rain puddles.  However, your car definitely does not appreciate the sudden jolt it receives as you unknowingly (or sometimes knowingly, but nothing you can do) drive over the huge hole.  Sometimes the pothole seems to appear out of nowhere.

You may or may not be able to avoid hitting a pothole.  If you happen to hit one, the first item of business should be to pull over, just as you would in an accident.  Take a picture of the pothole, and then walk around your vehicle and inspect it. You are going to be looking for visual damage to the vehicle, tires or the rims.  If you can see damage, call a tow truck.  You don't want to add to the damage by driving it, if there's already a problem.

Call the non emergency police number to report and document the pothole. Inform them of any damages to your vehicle.  If you've hit the pot hole, chances are someone else has too.

If you don't see any damage, pay attention to the way your car handles as you drive it after hitting the pothole. The wheel alignment, tire balance, suspension and steering systems are sometimes damaged, and you may not be able to see it.  Here are some helpful warning signs to look for:

• Is your steering off-center?  If so, have your wheel alignment checked.
• Is your steering wheel shaking? If so, have your wheel balance checked.
• Is your car pulling to one side?  You may have an alignment problem or component damage.
• Is the car ride rough? You may have damaged springs, shocks, or struts.

It's always a good idea to have your car checked after hitting a pothole.  It's always better to be safe than sorry.

Alignments -- What? Why? When?

At one time or another, we've all had a car that has needed an alignment.  We may have hit a pot hole, endured a cold winter with lots of freezing temperatures, or even just had some repair work done on a vehicle.

As such, you might be wondering what exactly an alignment is or does. An alignment adjusts the angles of the tires on your vehicle to ensure the most efficient and safe drivability. There are three components to an alignment: the camber, caster, and toe.

The camber is the angle of the wheels in proportion to the road.  If a tire is perfectly perpendicular the camber would be 0 degrees.  If a tire leans in toward the vehicle, it would be negative camber, and if a tire leans out away from the vehicle, it would be positive camber.  Each make and model of vehicle has it's own specifications set up by the manufacturer as to the degree of camber.

Caster is the angle of the tire as attached to the vehicle.  You will have a zero degree caster if the point of contact is perpendicular to the road.  The caster will be positive if the angle of the point of contact is angled forward, and negative if the point of contact is angled backward.

Finally, toe is the angle the tires are turned in towards the car and towards each other.  You can see the toe when you look down at the tires from above.  Positive toe is when the tires are angled in toward each other, and negative toe is when the tires are angled away from each other.

Having your tires properly aligned extends the life of your tires, steering, and suspension systems.  A vehicle that is not properly aligned, will wear tires.

What are some signs that your car might need an alignment?  Some signs that you car may need an alignment are:

• Pulling in one direction
• Excessive bouncing
• Visible damage to a tire(s) or uneven tire wear
• Loss of control when driving
• Off-center steering wheel
• Low tire pressure

Last December, we were able to add an alignment machine to our shop.  This way we can better serve you, our customers.  There are some repairs that require an alignment to be completed once the repair has been completed.  With our new alignment rack, now you will only have to make one stop before your car is back up and running smoothly.

How to Tell if Your Car is in Need of an Alignment

Correctly aligned tires will reduce wear and ensure that your vehicle travels straight and true (without “pulling” to one side).  Always pay attention to that “pulling” to one side.   It’s also a good idea to check your tires frequently, both during routine maintenance (by a qualified automotive technician) and by making a habit to look at your tires and noticing any new damage or differences.  You can always come in to Jake’s Auto, and we are happy to check alignments, if you are unsure or have questions.  It’s also a good idea to have the alignment checked regularly to prevent wear and tear on the tires.