Have you noticed a change in the way your car handles while you drive?
Does your vehicle drift to the right or left while driving straight ahead?
They may be a sign of trouble with tire alignments.
What causes misaligned wheels?
When you drive your vehicle, it can undergo a lot of stress, even under normal driving conditions. Potholes, curbs, even dips in the road can all cause damage to the way your wheels operate.
Overall, there are three causes of wheel misalignment:
- Sudden impact – this is caused by hitting something in the road, such as a pothole.
- Worn parts – over time, parts start wearing down and can cause a problem with the way your tires connect with the road.
- Height adjustments – all vehicles are designed with specific guidelines in place. If you make modifications to the parts on your car, it can impact the way it performs. This includes adjusting the height of the suspension system, without adjusting for the way the wheels connect with the road.
How do you know if the wheels are misaligned?
Like other parts on your vehicle, if tires are in need of alignment, it gives warning signals to let you know. Pay attention, and you can catch minor problems before they escalate into bigger ones.
Gas efficiency – have you noticed your fuel costs are rising? If you’re spending more at the pump without any other explanation, it could be a sign of wheel misalignment. If a vehicle doesn’t drive straight, and you’re constantly adjusting the wheel to keep the car in its lane, it increases fuel consumption for this trigger effect.
Tire wear – when tires are correctly aligned, they move in a straight line. They connect perfectly with the road, and all parts of the tire wear evenly. If tires are in need of alignment, you’ll start noticing uneven tread. That’s because you’re consistently adjusting the car to keep it on track, and various parts of the wheel are connecting with the road differently than the rest of it. This extra pressure on the tires is caused by back and forth movement, which causes premature wear and tear.
Drifting side to side – if you’re driving on a straight road, the steering wheel should sit straight, and your car should move forward effortlessly without adjustment. If you start feeling it drift side to side, needing more control from you to keep it within the lane, it’s a sign the wheels are misaligned.
Flats and blowouts – notice your tires are flat more often? Need to adjust the air pressure regularly? Misalignment causes tire tread to wear faster due to unequal pressure on each of the tires. That means as you drive, the tire becomes more susceptible to punctures, loss of air pressure, and eventually control over the vehicle. If the problem is allowed to persist, it puts you at more risk of a blowout, which can lead to total loss of control and cause accidents.
Unusual noises – as with other systems on your vehicle, always pay attention to the noises it makes as you drive. For example, if you hear a squeal coming from the tires as you move, it’s a sign to schedule an inspection to ensure the safety of your vehicle.
What problems can wheel misalignment cause?
Today’s vehicles have around 30,000 parts. They are all intricately designed to work together to keep you safe while you drive.
As one part wears out, it can quickly impact other parts within the system. That one part can escalate and impact a variety of components if you don’t act quickly. That also escalates the dollars you’ll spend repairing your car.
One of the most common problems with wheel misalignment is causing uneven wear on the tires. This wears out the tires faster, affects performance, and will eventually create unsafe situations, possibly from a blowout.
Misaligned wheels also show up as lower fuel economy. Because it takes more energy to keep your car under control, it shows up in the form of lowering your gas mileage. While you might not notice this right away, if you consistently track your gas mileage, you can be alerted to this potential problem quicker.
How do you fix tire alignment?
Luckily, fixing a problem with tire alignment is relatively easy to fix when you bring it into an experienced mechanic. They will use a wheel alignment machine to check the alignment and adjust the various components of your vehicle, according to the manufacturer’s guidelines of your car. They will potentially make adjustments in three different ways:
Camber – adjusting the camber means adjusting the tilt of the tire relative to the way it sits on the road. A positive camber is when the top of the tire leans away from the car, while negative camber leans towards the car.
Caster – caster involves the angle of the steering wheel pivot point as it sits according to the front and back of the vehicle. A positive caster is angled forward, while a negative caster is angled backward.
Toe – toe settings impact the vehicle’s handling related to the way the tire sits on the line of the vehicle.
Mechanics continue to refine the adjustment of the wheel until the tire alignment is straight.
How do you prevent wheel misalignment?
The best way to prevent wheel misalignment is to stick with a regular maintenance schedule. If you or a mechanic catches a problem before it escalates, you reduce the risk of potentially costly repairs, as well as accidents that can form from a damaged vehicle.
Avoid curbs and potholes – be aware of the way you drive. Avoid severe shock of the suspension system by moving slowly through dips and bumps, avoiding connection with curbs, and avoiding potholes whenever possible. If you hit a particular severe bump, it pays to schedule a maintenance visit and have your car checked out.
Avoid accidents – accidents are called accidents for a reason, yet many drivers receive minor damage regularly. If you bump a curb, back into a pole, or sideswipe a rail, it can cause extensive damage, some of it might not be immediately visible. While you might not choose to bring in your vehicle after every situation, scheduling regular checkups throughout the years can alert you to minor problems before they escalate out of control.
If you suspect your tires are out of alignment, schedule a maintenance visit soon.
Je, umegundua mabadiliko katika mwenendo wa gari lako unapoendesha? Je, gari lako huelekea kulia au kushoto linapokuwa likisafiri moja kwa moja? Huenda zikawa ishara ya tatizo la usawaziko wa tairi. Ni nini husababisha magurudumu yasiyofaa? Unapokuwa ukiendesha gari lako, linaweza kuwa na mkazo mwingi, hata chini ya hali za kawaida za kuendesha gari. Potholes, curbs, hata dips katika barabara yote inaweza kusababisha uharibifu kwa njia magurudumu yako kazi. Kwa ujumla, kuna sababu tatu za misalignment gurudumu: - Ghafla athari <unk> hii husababishwa na kugonga kitu katika barabara, kama vile shimo. - Vipande vya kuvaa <unk> baada ya muda, sehemu kuanza kuvaa chini na inaweza kusababisha tatizo na njia tairi yako kuungana na barabara. - urefu marekebisho <unk> magari yote ni iliyoundwa na miongozo maalum katika mahali. Ikiwa utafanya marekebisho kwenye sehemu za gari lako, inaweza kuathiri jinsi inavyofanya kazi. Hii ni pamoja na kurekebisha urefu wa mfumo wa kusimamishwa, bila kurekebisha kwa njia ya magurudumu kuungana na barabara. Unajuaje ikiwa magurudumu hayo hayako sawa? Kama sehemu nyingine za gari lako, ikiwa tairi zinahitaji kusawazishwa, hutoa ishara za onyo ili kukujulisha. Ukiwa makini, utaweza kugundua matatizo madogo kabla ya kuwa makubwa zaidi. Ufanisi wa gesi <unk> Je, umeona gharama zako za mafuta zinaongezeka? Kama wewe ni kutumia zaidi katika pampu bila maelezo yoyote mengine, inaweza kuwa ishara ya gurudumu misalignment. Kama gari haendeshi moja kwa moja, na wewe ni daima kurekebisha gurudumu kuweka gari katika lane yake, inaongeza matumizi ya mafuta kwa ajili ya athari hii trigger. Tire kuvaa <unk> wakati tairi ni sahihi aligned, wao kusonga katika mstari wa moja kwa moja. Zinaunganishwa kikamilifu na barabara, na sehemu zote za tairi huvaa kwa usawa. Ikiwa tairi zinahitaji kulinganishwa, utaanza kuona nyufa zisizo sawa. Hiyo ni kwa sababu wewe ni mara kwa mara kurekebisha gari kuweka juu ya kufuatilia, na sehemu mbalimbali za gurudumu ni kuunganisha na barabara tofauti na mapumziko yake. Shinikizo hilo la ziada kwenye tairi husababishwa na mwendo wa mbele na nyuma, ambao husababisha kuvaa na kupasuka mapema. Drifting upande kwa upande <unk> kama wewe <unk>re kuendesha gari juu ya barabara moja kwa moja, gurudumu lazima kukaa moja kwa moja, na gari yako lazima kusonga mbele bila juhudi bila marekebisho. Kama wewe kuanza kuhisi ni drift upande kwa upande, haja ya udhibiti zaidi kutoka kwenu kuweka ndani ya lane, ni ishara magurudumu ni misaligned. Flat na blowouts <unk> taarifa tairi yako ni flat mara nyingi zaidi? Je, unahitaji kurekebisha shinikizo la hewa kwa ukawaida? Kusawazisha hufanya lami ya tairi kuvaa haraka zaidi kwa sababu ya shinikizo lisilo sawa kwenye kila moja ya tairi. Wakati wa kuendesha gari, tairi huwa rahisi zaidi kwa makovu, kupoteza shinikizo la hewa, na hatimaye kudhibiti gari. Ikiwa tatizo linaruhusiwa kuendelea, linakuweka katika hatari kubwa ya mlipuko, ambao unaweza kusababisha kupoteza kabisa udhibiti na kusababisha ajali. Sauti zisizo za kawaida <unk> kama vile na mifumo mingine kwenye gari lako, daima makini na kelele inafanya kama wewe kuendesha. Kwa mfano, ikiwa unasikia kelele kutoka kwa tairi unaposafiri, ni ishara ya kupanga ukaguzi ili kuhakikisha usalama wa gari lako. Ni matatizo gani yanayoweza kusababishwa na kutoelekeza magurudumu sawasawa? Magari ya leo yana sehemu 30,000 hivi. Zote zimetengenezwa kwa njia ya hali ya juu ili zifanye kazi pamoja ili kukuweka salama unapoendesha gari. Sehemu moja inapoharibika, inaweza kuathiri sehemu nyingine za mfumo huo upesi. Sehemu hiyo moja inaweza kuongezeka na kuathiri vipengele mbalimbali kama huwezi kutenda haraka. Hiyo pia huongeza dola utakazotumia kurekebisha gari lako. Mojawapo ya matatizo ya kawaida yanayosababishwa na kutoelewana kwa magurudumu ni kuharibika kwa magurudumu kwa njia isiyo sawa. Hii huvaa tairi haraka, huathiri utendaji, na hatimaye itasababisha hali zisizo salama, labda kutokana na mlipuko. Magurudumu yasiyofaa pia huonyesha uchumi wa mafuta ulio chini. Kwa sababu inahitaji nishati zaidi ili kudhibiti gari lako, inaonekana katika fomu ya kupunguza mileage yako ya gesi. Ingawa huenda usitambue jambo hilo mara moja, ikiwa utafuatilia matumizi yako ya gesi, unaweza kuonywa tatizo hilo haraka zaidi. Unatengenezaje usawa wa tairi? Kwa bahati nzuri, kurekebisha tatizo la usawa wa tairi ni rahisi kurekebisha wakati wewe kuleta katika mechanic uzoefu. Tumia mashine ya kusawazisha magurudumu ili kuangalia usawa na kurekebisha sehemu mbalimbali za gari lako kulingana na miongozo ya mtengenezaji wa gari lako. Kwa mfano, kuna njia tatu za kurekebisha: Camber, ambayo inamaanisha kurekebisha mwinuko wa tairi kulingana na jinsi inavyowekwa barabarani. Camber chanya ni wakati juu ya tairi leans mbali na gari, wakati camber hasi leans kuelekea gari. Caster <unk> caster inahusisha pembe ya pivot hatua ya gurudumu kama inakaa kulingana na mbele na nyuma ya gari. Mshale chanya ni angled mbele, wakati mshale hasi ni angled nyuma. Toe <unk> toe mipangilio athari gari <unk>s kushughulikia kuhusiana na njia tairi anakaa juu ya mstari wa gari. Wasanifu-mafundi huendelea kurekebisha gurudumu hadi gurudumu liwe la moja kwa moja. Unazuiaje magurudumu yasiyopatana? Njia bora ya kuzuia magurudumu yasipate usawa ni kufuata ratiba ya kudumisha magurudumu kwa ukawaida. Ikiwa wewe au fundi wako wa magari utapata tatizo kabla ya kuenea, utapunguza hatari ya kurekebisha gari ambalo linaweza kuwa na gharama kubwa, na vilevile aksidenti ambazo zinaweza kutokea kutokana na gari lililoharibiwa. Epuka vijia na mashimo <unk> kuwa na ufahamu wa njia unayoendesha. Kuepuka mshtuko mkubwa wa mfumo wa kusimamishwa kwa kusonga polepole kupitia dips na bumps, kuepuka uhusiano na curbs, na kuepuka potholes wakati wowote iwezekanavyo. Ikiwa umepata tatizo fulani kubwa, ni vizuri kupanga ziara ya matengenezo na kukagua gari lako. Kuepuka aksidenti <unk> aksidenti huitwa aksidenti kwa sababu, lakini madereva wengi hupata uharibifu mdogo mara kwa mara. Ukigonga ukingo wa barabara, ukigonga nguzo, au ukigonga reli, unaweza kusababisha uharibifu mkubwa, ambao baadhi yao huenda usionekane mara moja. Ingawa huenda usichague kuleta gari lako baada ya kila hali, kupanga vipimo vya kawaida kwa miaka yote kunaweza kukujulisha matatizo madogo kabla ya kuongezeka bila kudhibitiwa. Ikiwa unashuku kwamba tairi zako haziko sawa, ratiba ya ziara ya matengenezo hivi karibuni.