When you need a wheel alignment in Murwillumbah
Look no further than Halls Tyres & Mechanical
What is a wheel alignment and why do you need one?
In simple terms a wheel alignment is the measurement, analysis and adjustment of your suspension to get all your tyres contacting the road surface at the optimum angle and direction.
There are three measurements to be checked and adjusted.
1. Camber.
Camber is the vertical angle that the wheels sit in relation to the road when viewed from the front or rear of the vehicle.
If the tyre has a tilt inwards at the top this is negative camber. If it tilts outwards this is positive camber.
2. Caster
Caster angle is the angle of a line measured from the top and bottom steering pivot points (top and bottom ball joints in most cases) which is relative to an imaginary vertical line through the centre of the wheel when viewed from the side of the vehicle.
3. Toe
Toe is the relative position of the tyres when viewed from above. If the tyres point inwards at the front this is ‘positive’ or ‘toe in’. If they point outwards it is ‘negative’ or ‘toe out’. The easiest way to understand this is to stand up and look down at your feet. Point your toes inwards ( toe in) and think about your feet as tyres rolling down the road. Now point your toes outwards ( toe out ) and do the same. It isn’t hard to imagine how this position alone can lead to instability and uneven tyre wear let alone a bad combination of the three angles.
To get the best performance and the best life out of your new tyres having a wheel alignment is vital. Each vehicle has a different optimum setting where each of these measurements are combined to create the perfect suspension geometry, extending tyre life and making a safe driving condition.
What can cause your wheel alignment to change?
There are many things that can cause your wheels to become misaligned such as hitting a curb or pothole, bad suspension and worn components.
Signs of a bad alignment are that you may notice the car pulling or steering left or right or just generally wandering and not going straight, the vehicle pulling either way when you brake, the steering wheel not being straight as you drive down the highway or the inside or outside of your tyres wearing before the rest. Not only is this unsafe it also causes your tyres to wear much quicker than they should. You will then have to replace them much sooner than you would if the wheels were perfectly aligned, which is an avoidable cost.
Types of Wheel Alignment
There are two types of wheel alignment, A two wheel alignment where the front wheels are aligned only or a full four wheel alignment were all four wheels are aligned together.
How we can help.
Here at Halls Tyres & Mechanical we can do either a four or a two wheel alignment in Murwillumbah depending on the type of vehicle you have and what it is that you and your car need.
Our latest technology equipment combined with our expert staff can make sure that your car, van or SUV is in perfect shape for the road ahead.
Come in or call us and talk to one of our friendly staff who will be happy to help in any way we can.