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Mar 29, 2024
tire alignment

Wheel alignment involves adjusting a car’s suspension to bring the wheel and tire angles back into perfect alignment, providing a smoother, quieter, safer ride. This process requires fine-tuned adjustment of each wheel’s camber, toe, and caster angles, as outlined below. You can have your vehicle’s tires promptly realigned and your suspension fine-tuned by experienced professionals at your nearest Chevy dealership.

Why Do Wheels Need Realignment?

In carrying the weight of your car at varying speeds, wheels undergo plenty of pressure and unexpected bumps and strains. Each impact with a pothole, curb, or parking stanchion can knock a wheel slightly further out of alignment. 

Over time, worn-out ball joints, bearings, and other suspension parts can also contribute to wheel misalignment. Most vehicles eventually develop this problem and need the attention of a skillful technician to correct it. 

Problems Caused By Wheel Misalignment 

When wheels become angled unevenly, the tires undergo excessive wear and tear, which heightens the risk of blowouts or skids. The misalignment also puts strain on the suspension and can significantly reduce overall vehicle handling. 

With poorly aligned wheels, you may find your car pulling to one side or the other. Steering can become more difficult. You might even feel odd vibrations through the steering wheel. 

The Three Angles of a Wheel 

When correcting misaligned wheels, the technician will look at each wheel from three angles: camber, toe, and caster. Camber refers to the angle of a wheel when observed from the front of your car. The wheels may be tilting either inward or outward at the top and need to be straightened. 

The toe angle refers to the angle of the wheels when viewed from directly above. Here, each wheel may either tilt inward or outward like the toes of a person’s feet. Finally, caster is the angle of a wheel when viewed directly from the side. An experienced technician will patiently work on each angle in turn, bringing the wheels back into uniform alignment as intended by Chevrolet when the vehicle was designed.  

Have Additional Suspension Servicing at Patterson Chevrolet

Wheel realignment is only one part of full suspension servicing. When you have your suspension properly maintained by qualified technicians, all the components will be examined, adjusted, repaired, or replaced. 

This may include examining the shocks, struts, control arms, suspension bushings, sway bars, and many more parts. Once completed, you’re very likely to notice a significant improvement in the smoothness and handling of your car. 

Have your wheels realigned and suspension serviced at Patterson Chevrolet in Kilgore, TX, today. We’re a local full-service dealership that’s been proudly serving the region’s drivers with great cars, deals, and customer service for over two decades.