If you notice any of the signs outlined above, it’s time to book an alignment service.

A wheel alignment is also a proactive, regular service to extend the life of your tires. Schedule a wheel alignment at least once a year or whenever new tires are installed. Since winter and early spring mean more potholes, timing your seasonal tire change with a wheel alignment is an easy way to stay on top of it.

Rough Canadian roads and seasonal conditions not only disrupt alignment. They can also speed up wear and tear on your vehicle. Suspension parts, such as ball joints, suspension arms, and torsion bars, can become damaged from bumpy roadways. Over time, these parts will need replacing, and after new parts are installed, a wheel alignment is necessary.

This is why a professional full-vehicle inspection is much more important than a quick adjustment. Certified technicians can identify these issues before they develop into more serious and costly repairs.

Your tires are considered aligned when discrepancies in three angles have been corrected:  the camber, caster, and toe.

What Does Camber Mean?

Camber is the inward and outward tilt of your tires when viewed from the front of the vehicle. If the camber isn’t at the correct angle, your tires won’t roll straight and will wear unevenly.

What Does Toe Mean?

Toe is the angle at which your tires point inward or outward when viewed from above. Correct toe alignment minimizes friction and tire wear, contributing to a smoother, safer ride. If your tires are pointing in different directions, it can cause excessive wear and a higher risk of skidding.

What Does Caster Mean?

Caster is the angle of your steering axis. A caster angle that is out of alignment can negatively affect your steering and handling.

Not all wheel alignments are the same. A 2-wheel alignment (also called a front-end alignment) adjusts only the front axle. This is a standard service for older, rear-wheel vehicles where the rear axle is fixed and can’t be adjusted.

A 4-wheel alignment adjusts all four wheels and is required for most modern vehicles, including front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, and many newer rear-wheel drive models.

Since all four tires affect how your vehicle tracks and handles, a 4-wheel alignment provides a more complete picture of how your wheels sit on the road.

Your NAPA AUTOPRO technician will assess your vehicle to determine which type of alignment it needs before any adjustments are made.

Because misaligned tires aren’t pointing in the same direction, they’re fighting against each other as they roll, forcing the engine to work harder to maintain speed.

Severely misaligned tires can wear out thousands of kilometres faster than properly aligned ones, meaningyou’ll need to buy a new set of tires much sooner than expected. They also impact fuel economy, meaning you’ll need to visit the pumps more often.

Delayed alignment also places uneven load on suspension components, accelerating wear on parts that are already under plenty of stress from rough roads. When these parts fail, the repair bill is significantly higher than the cost of keeping up with regular alignments.

A wheel alignment corrects the angles of your wheels, while tire balancing corrects uneven weight distributionin the tire-and-wheel assembly.

If you notice vibration through the steering wheel or floor while travelling at highway speeds, this is likely a sign you have a balancing issue.

But if you notice pulling, drifting, or uneven tire wear, this means it’s an alignment issue. Luckily, alignment and balancing services can be done at the same time to keep your tires in excellent condition.

Canadian driving comes with a lot of hazards. Rough winters and pothole season mean it’s even more important to invest in a professional seasonal tire changeover and wheel inspection. The small price of a wheel alignment will pay off big when it comes to preserving your tires, suspension, and safety.

Find your nearest NAPA AUTOPRO service centre and book your wheel alignment appointment today at napaautopro.com.