Truck Repair: Essentials of Wheel Alignment

What exactly is wheel alignment?

During truck maintenance, wheel alignment is performed to ensure that the wheels are perpendicular to the ground and parallel to one another. If the wheels are completely aligned, the car will go straight even when the steering is turned off. If you see the vehicle veering to the right or left side, this is an indicator that the alignment is not perfect and must be examined and repaired quickly.

What exactly is wheel balancing?

This is a distinct operation that involves correctly balancing the wheels in the discs during vehicle maintenance. Even experienced folks have been known to mix up these two objects. While all of these operations are vital truck maintenance chores, I will only describe "wheel alignment" in this post.

How Does Wheel Alignment Affect Vehicles?

Wheel alignment is an important part of normal automobile maintenance and is essential for the health of the vehicle. Alignment refers to all of the components that work together to keep an automobile straight. A vehicle's four wheels should be at least 90 degrees to the ground. When the car begins to pull to one side, the wheels are most likely out of alignment. Other causes include uneven tire wear, vibration, and strange handling.

Wheel alignment is critical.

1. Improper alignment causes uneven tire pressure and greater frictional resistance from the road surface, resulting in higher fuel consumption.

2. Improper alignment causes uneven wear and tear on truck tires, necessitating regular re-treading or tire replacement.

3. More gasoline usage, which equals increased pollution. This is a crucial factor to consider in today's "Green" environment.

4. Improper alignment exerts extra pressure on the truck driver since the vehicle constantly pulls to one side.

5. Improper alignment makes driving on wet or ice-covered roads more dangerous.

6. Poor wheel alignment causes issues with other truck components such as steering, suspension, and brakes. As a result, the vehicle's performance and longevity are put under significantly greater demand.

When should you have your wheels aligned?

Checking and fixing the truck's alignment becomes important if any of the following circumstances exist:

1. When steering becomes difficult as a result of the truck tugging to one side while facing straight ahead.

2. When one side of the tires is discovered to be wearing down faster than the other.

3. When the truck's tires are being replaced.

4. When a car collides with something on the road.

5. When old or broken suspensions or struts of a truck are replaced with new ones.

Optional 2-wheel or 4-wheel alignment:

Until roughly a decade ago, 2-wheel alignments (just the front wheels) were the standard since adequate equipment and skilled personnel for 4-wheel alignment were hard to come by. However, with the development of automated technology for 4-wheel alignment, this scenario has altered. In addition, several truck repair companies have installed cutting-edge laser alignment devices that are easier, portable, more precise, and simple to use. Even though the expenses may be slightly more, it is preferable to go with 4-wheel alignment because it benefits all of the truck's wheels.

Where can I have my wheels aligned?

Truck owners and fleet owners should keep in mind that alignment should only be performed by skilled specialists using the proper equipment. Even after the wheels have been aligned exactly according to the vehicle manufacturer's standards, some fine tuning by expert technicians is frequently necessary to "finish" the process. As a result, they should avoid attempting such alignment work on their own. If they want to get the most out of the workout, they should only get it done at a modern, well-equipped truck repair shop. SRB Equipment is #1 truck and trailer repair shop in Edmonton. Contact the experts now for best wheel alignment Edmonton.