 | Jeff Wood is owner of Vietti’s Auto Body & Alignment in Pittsburg and has 27 years of experience in the body shop. He has Co-Owned & owned Vietti’s Auto Body & Alignment since September ‘99. Jeff graduated from the auto body tech program at Pitt State. He was also an insurance adjuster for Mid State in Joplin for 2 years. |
Automotive Service & Repair
2011-05-01 11:25:00
Wheel alignment
Question: As far as regular car maintenance, where does wheel alignment fit in? How often should it be done?
Answer: Wheel alignments are VERY important to keep your car or truck healthy and are a cost efficient way to maintain your car. It’s like going to the doctor for an annual checkup, in many ways because many problems can be detected in the process:
1. Checks for worn out tie rods
2. Worn ball joints
3. Shocks and struts
4. Brakes and bearings
5. Tire pressure
6. Tire wear patterns
Consider getting an alignment every 6,000 miles or before if you notice your tires wearing unevenly, notice the vehicle pulling to one side or if you get new tires.
There are many advantages to making alignment part of your regularly scheduled maintenance. If your car is aligned it improves fuel mileage especially with gas prices being on the rise this could be a pocket saver. It also helps the wear pattern of the tire, extending the life of the tire. If a tire starts to get a wear pattern most tires can be rotated around the car to even out the tread. If a tire is worn too much, in most cases it needs to be replaced. Additionally, worn tread may be as a result of another problem such as loose parts, which could be detected and corrected at that time. That’s why its important to have your vehicle checked out by alignment shops; It increases vehicle safety, and saves you money in the long run by; buying tires, fuel mileage, and overall check of parts.
