New Tires. New Alignment?

Do New Tires Need a Wheel Alignment?

Although it’s not a rule “written in stone,” it’s a great idea to get a wheel alignment performed when you purchase new tires. After all, tires can be expensive, and they’re critical to your safety. It’s in your best interest to keep them in great condition as long as possible. If you’re ready for new tires or suspect that your vehicle may have a wheel alignment issue, schedule an appointment with AutoStream Car Care Center in Baltimore, Maryland.

A Brief Overview of Wheel Alignment

The relationship of the axles, wheels, and vehicle to each other constitue wheel alignment. This is crucial to your car’s ability to perform as it should as well as to enable you to have proper control in maneuvering. That’s because the alignment directly correlates to the amount of time your tires spend connected to the road. It also impacts the amount of stress and wear placed on other components.

The type of auto you drive along with the details of any detected issues will determine what kind of alignment your technician performs. An alignment allows for adjustment of the major angles. These are camber (the measure of left or right tilt when viewing the car from the front), thrust (the relationship of the front wheels to the rear axle), toe (the measured distance difference between the front and back of the front tires), and caster (the slope of a line that one might imagine being drawn through upper and lower ball joints).

Why Alignment is Particularly Important When You Buy New Tires

As stated, there is no hard rule that mandates a wheel alignment be performed when you purchase new tires. However, it is unquestionably a best practice. When your vehicle is not in proper alignment, nearly everything else suffers. If your new tires aren’t in optimal contact with the road, the quality of your ride is reduced. Worse, you cannot handle the car as well, a situation that can be dangerous. Your tires will also wear unevenly if the auto is in need of a wheel alignment. Even though the set is new, you may quickly find that some spots have plenty of tread life left, while others are balding. This is surely not the return you were hoping for when you invested in new tires. Further, improper alignment usually voids the tire manufacturer’s warranty.

Your Local Alignment Specialist

As you can see, wheel alignment is nearly synonymous with tire health. If you’re purchasing a new set of tires, you should check with your mechanic to see if you need a wheel alignment to correct pre existing problems. AutoStream Car Care Center in Baltimore is your local specialist for wheel alignment, and all of your other vehicle maintenance and repair needs.