When it comes to car maintenance, most drivers observe most of the evident things: oil change, brake pads, tire rotation, just to name a few. However, one of the very important parts of vehicle maintenance that is often forgotten is wheel alignment. Proper alignment isn't just about your car driving straight; it's about the overall health of your vehicle. Neglecting wheel alignment can cause a host of problems; some of which result in unexpected, costly repairs.
In this post, we will explore the importance of wheel alignment, how poor alignment wreaks havoc on your vehicle, and the potential financial implications of neglecting this critical maintenance task.
Understanding Wheel Alignment
Alignment basically involves an adjustment made to the suspension of a vehicle; this is the system that connects a vehicle to the wheels. The adjustment does not involve changing the tires or wheels themselves but rather aligning their angles to best contact the road. The major components of alignment include:
1.Camber – Inward or outward angle of the tire as viewed from the front of the vehicle.
2.Toe – How far your tires turn in or out, viewed from directly above.
3.Caster – The angle of the steering axis as viewed from the side of the vehicle.
These angles are aligned with the specifications stipulated by the manufacturer for the purpose of attaining the highest level of performance and good tire wear for the vehicle.
Consequences of Poor Alignment
Poor alignment can cause a wide range of problems, from immediately apparent to insidiously gradual. Some of these include:
1. Uneven Tire Wear
One symptom that is very common due to bad alignment is the uneven wear of the tires. Tires not aligned make uneven contact with the road surface. This means that there are parts that begin to wear out faster compared to the rest. For example, if the camber is off, the inner or outer edges of the tires are likely to wear out faster compared to the rest of the tire.
Odd wear of tires reduces the time your tires can serve you; hence, this may necessitate replacement now and then. Replacement of tires is not cheap, it will be an added cost every time you have to replace them sooner than required. Besides, driving worn-out tires is hazardous because their traction goes down while the chances of blowouts go up.
2. Poor Fuel Economy
Proper alignment keeps your tires rolling in the same direction with as little resistance as possible. Poor alignment forces your tires to drag slightly, raising the resistance to rolling. That means your engine has to work a bit harder to pull the vehicle along, which surely increases fuel consumption. Poor alignment will eventually add up the extra fuel use over time, costing you more money at the pump.
3. Steering Issues
Misalignment will make the steering more labored and less exact. You might notice that your car will pull to one side; you will be in constant correction just to make it go straight. The added result of this is that driving gets more exhausting and hazardous, which could get worse if done at high speed.
It may cause loss of control in extreme conditions, especially in bad weather when traction is poor. Such steering parts worn out due to poor alignment will be highly expensive to repair, let alone an accident occurring due to losing control.
4. Suspension Damage
Your car's suspension system is designed to absorb the up-and-down road shocks, and produce a smooth ride. If your wheels are not in proper alignment, it puts extra stress on components of the suspension like your shocks, struts, and ball joints. (I'm looking at you, tilty wheel boys)
With time, this will result in uneven wear and tear on these parts, or even lead to their failure. Suspension repairs are usually very expensive, and ignoring alignment issues results in the need to perform major suspension work, increasing your repair costs even more.
5. Increased Accident Risk
As also noted, poor alignment could also be a cause of steering problems; this increases the chances of accidents. You may not have full control over your vehicle, particularly in the event of an emergency maneuver, as your vehicle pulls to a side.
Besides that, worn-out tires will lower the traction of your vehicle, especially on wet or icy surfaces. It will be much easier to skid or hydroplane, and even lose control, making an accident much more probable. The cost to repair any accident damage is much greater than the cost of an easy alignment check.
How Poor Alignment Affects Your Wallet
Now that we have gone through how improper alignment can harm your automobile in various ways, let's get into the very financial aspect of it all.
Cost of Replacing Tires
The cost for a new set of tires can be anywhere from $400 to $1,000 or more, depending on what kind of vehicle you have and the quality of the tires you choose. If you have to replace your tires more often because of poor alignment, that expense can add up pretty fast. For example, if you have to replace your tires every 20,000 miles when normally you could go 40,000 miles, you are basically doubling up on your tire costs.
Tire Costs
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, for every 1% of fuel economy lost, it adds up to $0.02 cents more per mile on fuel costs. With a 3% decrease in fuel efficiency due to poor alignment, driving 15,000 miles on an annual basis would add an extra $90 to your yearly fuel costs. This might not seem like much, but over the life of the vehicle, it certainly adds up.
Suspension and Steering Repairs
Suspension repairs can be all over the map, with the replacement of shocks or struts generally running from $500 to $1,500. If the ball joints or control arms need replacement, it may be higher.
Accident Costs
Poor alignment can cause an accident, and this might involve an astronomical cost. Even minor accidents can easily rack up repair bills of $1,000 or more, besides sending your insurance premiums sky-high. If the accident is severe, the costs might be higher, and you may be looking at medical bills or even some lawsuits.
How Regular Alignment Checks Can Prevent Costly Repairs
Considering the potential cost of poor alignment, routine checks for road alignment should be your priority in your periodic vehicle maintenance. Most manufacturers will advocate for you to check your alignment at least annually or every 10,000 miles. If you often find yourself driving on rough roads or experience any major impact - a guilt pleasure when hitting a curb or pothole - or if any of the symptoms above are observed, its ideal to have your alignment checked immediately.
But thinking about it, an investment in a wheel alignment with Gyraline ranges from 99¢ (Phone alignment only) to $50 (Phone with Gyraliner alignment), it is truly such a small deal to pay compared to potential repair costs due to neglect of this vital service.
Conclusion
Proper alignment doesn't just keep your vehicle traveling straight but also allows the prevention of other systemic vehicle health and unexpected, costly repairs. Probably most importantly, proper alignment keeps your vehicle safe on the road while keeping you vigilant and regularly checking to save a buck, prolong the life of your tires, improving your fuel efficiency, and being safe on the road.
Poor alignment should not be an excuse to break your wallet, and with Gyraline readily available at any time, it wont. So take better care of your investment for a smoother and safer drive for you and everyone around you.
