Simply stated, a wheel alignment consists of adjusting the angles of the wheels so that they are perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other. The purpose of these adjustments is to maximum the life of your tires and to make sure that your vehicle tracks straight and true on a straight and level road.

Wheel alignment is often confused with wheel balancing.  Other than the fact that both of these adjustments affect the ride and handling of your vehicle, they really have nothing to do with each other.  If the car alignment is not adjusted properly, it will cause excessive wear and tear on your tires, along with steering or tracking problems.  If it’s just a wheel that is out of balance, you will likely feel a vibration in the steering wheel and/or the seat at highway speeds.

Wheel Alignment Basics:

• A proper wheel alignment should always start and end with a test drive.
• Before having a car alignment service, have the front end and steering linkage checked for excessive wear.
• The tires should all be in good shape with even wear patterns.  If one of your tires has excessive camber wear, the tire will only make partial contact with the road after the car alignment problem is corrected.
• Pulling problems are not always related to wheel alignment.  Problems with tires (especially unequal air pressure), brakes and power steering can also be responsible.

The informed driver will be able to recognize that they have a problem, understand the technicalities of a wheel alignment, and take their vehicle to a car alignment technician for inspection and possible repair.

Need a wheel alignment? Whether you need a basic oil change, a car alignment, or an engine rebuild, our qualified auto mechanics can help you keep your car on the road.  Contact the ASE Certified Technicians at Precision Automotive today by calling (406) 248-2838, or go on-line to www.pricesprecisionauto.com for more information. Our Tech-Net professional auto repair shop in Billings, MT, also services vehicle owners in the areas of Shepherd and Laurel, MT.