Thinking about getting alignments after having new tires put on or if you hit a pothole might not be at the top of your to-do. But, here’s why they should be.

When we talk about alignments and suspension, it’s all about your tires and how they’re - essentially - angled in comparison to your car or the road. There are vehicles out there with a chassis whose tires are designed to sit on an angle for aesthetic reasons. But they’re not your usual run-and-gun commuter cars. If your tires are angled, it’s time for them to get alignments.

1. It Will Improve Your Vehicle’s Suspension

Your vehicle’s alignment and suspension are directly related. Your tires can get knocked out of alignment for many reasons; for example, getting new tires fitted, hitting a pothole, being in an accident or just driving for a few thousand miles. If this happens, your car’s suspension won’t be optimal and you’ll feel every nook and cranny of the road as if you’re running on flats.

When you get alignments on your wheels, your shock absorbers will have the right space to effectively absorb those nooks and crannies. So, you’ll feel fewer bumps in the road when your suspension is in check.

1. It Will Make Your Drive Quieter

Another component to do with the suspension when you have bad alignments is the abhorrent presence of knocks and squeaks as you maneuver the road.

All the parts of your car are attached to one another via some form of joint, weld or bearing. When any of these components - i.e. the wheel’s alignments - are out of whack, it sends a radiating effect of misalignment down the frame and arms. If anything is rubbing against each other or even knocking against one another as you head down a dirt track, you’ll hear it. So, ensure you get quality alignments and suspension control to quieten your ride.

1. It Will Increase Your Car’s Safety - no swerving

Safety should be your number one concern. Even though we’ve established you’ll have a smoother and quieter ride, you will have much more control over your car if you have good alignments on your tires.

With bad alignment, even if it’s just one tire, you could feel your car swaying, swerving or pulling to one side as you drive. You may even find that turning is more difficult than when you first took your car out for a spin. That’s because your tires are trying to go in one direction while the rest of your car is fixing to another. So, good alignment can decrease chassis resistance and increase your control.

1. It Will Cut Costs on Fuel

Again, your wheels are striking the road in one direction while you’re fighting the steering in the other. Because of this resistance, you’re using more fuel to travel the same distance than you would if you had correct facing toe, camber and caster alignments.

You’ll see the benefits of a quality alignment and suspension check immediately; you won’t be fighting the road and your fuel economy will increase. Not by a small amount, either.

1. It Will Save You New Tires

If your tires are rubbing against the road in a way they aren’t designed to, they will wear down far quicker than they would without any additional resistance. If this happens, they can become “feathered” (which is a sign of bad toe alignment). It’ll show if you have tread that is smooth on one side but sharp on the other.

Over the course of a period of time, tires should wear evenly; if you have bad alignments, that same wear will happen in select zones and your tread will go down quicker, meaning you’ll need to pay for a new set of tires before their expected due date.

And there you have the five benefits of having quality tire alignments and suspension. If you still have questions, head over to our FAQ article “Auto Repair Alignments and Suspension: What You Should Know”.

Alternatively, call our ASE-certified team today at (972) 242-0092 to find out when our team can book you in for your wheel alignments. Then, you can give us a holler right here at our shop in Carrollton, TX.

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