Driving with improperly aligned wheels can make your vehicle less fuel efficient, wear out your tires more quickly, and make your car more difficult to steer. Routine wheel alignment at your Lincoln dealership can ensure your suspension and wheels are in optimal condition to drive on the road.
Lincoln's Guide to Efficient Wheel Alignment
A wheel or tire alignment is a routine service that aligns the suspension system to ensure your tires are properly aligned with the track width of your vehicle. During this service, it's typically for a Lincoln mechanic to check the camber, toe, and caster of your tires to make sure that each wheel is locked at the right angle.
To correctly align your wheels, a mechanic will adjust the suspension to make sure the camber or tilt of your tires is centralized. Sometimes, replacing the ball joints or bearings of your suspension may be necessary to correct a negative or positive camber. Next, a mechanic will make sure the toe of your tires have the same straight angle and that the angle of your steering axis is balanced.
Do All Four Wheels Need Alignment?
Whether or not all four of your tires need alignment depends on your specific suspension system. If your vehicle has an independent rear suspension, then aligning all four of your wheels is a good idea. On the other hand, if your vehicle has a non-independent suspension, then only your front suspension will need to be adjusted. You check the specifications of your suspension system in your owner's manual.
When Should You Visit Your Lincoln Dealership for Alignment Service?
As a good rule of thumb, you should ensure your vehicle has a tire alignment at least every 6,000 miles. A convenient time to schedule alignment service is during your routine tire rotation, which should be scheduled every six months. You should also have your wheels aligned when you get new tires on your vehicle, such as if you replace the whole set or upgrade to performance tires.
Aside from alignment service at routine intervals, you can also schedule tire alignment when you notice performance issues. If your vehicle drifts to either side when you use the brakes, your steering wheel shakes, or your steering wheel pulls when you're on the road, these can all indicate issues with your tire alignment.
The main consequence of skipping your routine alignment service is uneven tire tread wear, which means you may need to buy new tires more frequently. To save money and ensure ideal vehicle handling, you should schedule an alignment service with your routine tire rotation appointments. Call West Point Lincoln of Sugar Land in Houston, TX 77031 to book your next service appointment today.
