Truck Repair: Essentials of Wheel Alignment

Wheel Alignment

A proper wheel alignment ensures The Haze the truck drives in a straightway. It is usually done during a truck repair so that wheels are perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other so that even if the steering is held idle, the truck will move straight and not align towards left or right. The alignment needs to be checked regularly to ensure proper driving.

Wheel Balancing

Balancing is a different procedure from alignment, though it is often confusing. Wheel Balancing allows the tires and wheels to spin without causing any vibrations. This is accomplished by checking for any heavy spots on the wheel-tire combination and compensating for them by placing a measured lead weight on the opposite side of the wheel from where the rich area is.

In this article, the importance of wheel alignment is discussed-

1. Faulty alignment can lead to higher fuel consumption. It can result in uneven pressure on the tires and increased frictional resistance from the road surface.
2. Tires require frequent re-treading or replacement as improper alignment affects their durability. It causes uneven wear and tear on the tires.
3. Did you ever think improper alignment can lead to environmental pollution? Higher fuel consumption will increase your carbon emissions, something one should be careful about with the paradigmatic shift in climatic patterns.
4. The vehicle tends to pull to one side of the alignment towards the left or right, putting a lot of strain on the driver.
5. Driving with a faulty alignment can be risky when roads are covered with thin ice or wet. A full-traffic road can also lead to accidents if the driver is not careful.
6. Faulty alignment also strains the other vehicle systems like steering, suspension, brakes, etc., Therefore affecting the performance and longevity of the vehicle.

When to get a wheel alignment?

One should be alert as to when the vehicles require a wheel alignment. Following are the conditions when you should certainly consider a wheel alignment-

1. When the truck starts pulling towards one side ste,ering becomes difficult even when it points straight.
2. When one tire looks fine, but the other starts wearing out quickly.
3. When the truck gets a new set of tires fitted.
4. When the vehicle has suffered an accident or even hit something on the road like a bump.
5. When there is a suspension or strut replacement on the truck.

Whether to get a 2-wheel or a 4-wheel alignment?

Until about ten years ago, it was difficult to come by trained people and proper equipment to carry out a 4-wheel alignment; hence, a 2-wheel (only the front wheels) was the norm. With computerized equipment availability, the situation has changed, and 4-wheel alignments are now quite common. With a state-of-the-art laser alignment system installed in many truck repair shops these days, a 4-wheel alignment has become simpler, accurate, portable, and easy to operate. Though the cost may be a little higher, going for a 4-wheel alignment is advisable as all the wheels will get the benefits, and your truck will drive like new.

RELATED ARTICLES :

• Should I buy 16 GB of DDR3 or 8 GB of DDR4 memory?
• Yoga Business Management Software
• 5 Reasons You Should Monitor Tire Pressure
• 5 Ways to Get That Old Car Out of Your Driveway
• All-New Suzuki Vitara 2016

One should always get the alignment done with trained professionals and precise equipment. Very often, fine-tuning by a skilled technician is required even after alignment.

Lotus Inc. is one of Ontario’s leading truck repair and maintenance companies. They use state-of-the-art computer diagnostic technology to perform computer diagnostics on your fleet of vehicles. Utilizing this technology allows their experts to fully understand any vehicle areas needing repair that would otherwise go unnoticed by conventional methods. This is a very efficient use of time and money and helps in targeted truck repair and reliable maintenance.