Wheel Alignment in Flint, MI

Tire maintenance is one of the most important components of keeping your car safe and performing properly. Along with tire rotation and regular pressure checks, aligning your wheels can ensure excellent handling. The service department at Applegate Chevrolet has certified professionals who can adjust the suspension to make sure your steering and wheels stay aligned.

The Importance of Wheel Alignment

“Chevy Camaro tire” by Ben Straw licensed with CC BY 2.0

Wheel alignment is crucial for keeping your vehicle handling properly. By performing this routine maintenance, you can make sure your vehicle has maximum stability on the road. Misaligned wheels also cause unnecessary wear and tear to your car, so checking and adjusting your alignment around every 6,000 miles can help you keep long-lasting tires.

Signs of Misalignment

It can help to know the signs of misalignment so you can bring your vehicle in for immediate servicing. There are several reasons you may need to take your car or truck in for wheel alignment, including:

• Treads wear unevenly.
• Off-center steering wheel when driving forward.
• Vehicle moving to the left or right when steering straight.
• Vibration from the steering wheel.

How Can Applegate Chevrolet Help?

Applegate Chevrolet can help you realign your wheels to the factory measurements. The certified experts at Applegate will inspect your tires for uneven wear and make sure they realign the suspension so all four wheels have an even distribution of the vehicle weight. Here are some common things our professionals at Applegate Chevrolet may check out with your wheels:

Toe

Toe is how inward or outward tires appear from above. If they face inward, this is a positive toe. If they angle outward, it’s a negative toe.

Camber

Camber is how inward or outward a tire angle is when looking at it straight. You can notice a negative camber if the top part of the wheel appears to lean inward while a positive camber is when they lean outward. Some vehicles may require a negative camber for stability.

Caster

Caster is the angle of the steering axle when you view it from the side of the vehicle. Mechanics often align this with a vertical centerline.

Thrust

Thrust is how the rear axle aligns with the centerline down the middle of a car. A thrust alignment often verifies that the front and rear axles are in alignment.

What Goes Into Alignment?

Professionals adjust tires and wheels on a car to ensure they are straight and aligned with a vehicle’s suspension. This helps each wheel stay on the road to avoid pulling or uneven wear. Your mechanic might take the car for a test drive to evaluate any obvious issues. After this, they often use a hoist to lift the car and attach clamps that can measure the alignment in a vehicle, reviewing the specifications on a computer. The mechanic can adjust the clamps and review the measurements until they align properly. During alignment, professionals often check tire pressure to avoid any other issues.

Types of Alignment

There are several types of alignment you might see:

Front-End Alignment

Front-end alignment is when a mechanic adjusts the front axle of a vehicle. This might involve adjusting other parts of the suspension and is often the most basic type of alignment.

Thrust Alignment

A thrust alignment is when a mechanic ensures that all four wheels are square in a vehicle. Common in vehicles with solid rear axles, this measures an even line from the center of the front axle to the center of the back axle.

Four-Wheel Alignment

Common in vehicles with adjustable rear alignments, mechanics perform this to align the front and back axles. They often combine this with a thrust alignment to ensure they align each axle and ensure the two are in alignment with each other.

Other Tire Maintenance

Along with wheel alignment, Applegate Chevrolet can help you with other types of tire maintenance to keep your car or truck running smooth:

Tire Pressure

Many newer Chevrolets come with a tire pressure warning when your tires get below the required amount of pressure. If checking manually, your tires can indicate the recommended pounds per square inch (psi). It’s important to maintain your tire pressure to maximize vehicle performance and safety. Low tire pressure also can decrease your vehicle’s fuel economy. If you have frequent pressure issues, you can take your Chevrolet into Applegate to investigate any potential leaks or punctures.

Tire Rotation

Tire rotation is when you move the rear tires to the front to ensure even wear on each tread. By performing this preventative maintenance, you can maintain vehicle performance and increase tire life. Depending on if your car is front-, rear-, or all-wheel drive, you might have different rotating patterns to maximize performance. We recommend rotating your tires every 7,500 miles. When rotating, ask our service department to reset the tire pressure monitoring system for accurate results.

Tire Replacement

Treadwear is one of the most common reasons to replace your tires. The rubber on your tires naturally wears over time and this can happen faster with unique road conditions. You can measure your tire tread depth with a tread gauge to ensure you have more than one-sixteenth of an inch of treads left. You might automatically replace your tires every six years. Other reasons you might replace your tires before six years include sidewall cracks, bulges in the tire, or punctures that you can’t patch.

Contact Us Today for Wheel Alignment

Whether for preventative maintenance or necessary repairs, Applegate Chevrolet can help with all of your tire needs. You can schedule an appointment with our certified service professionals today. You can review our exclusive offers on new tires or services, like getting up to $100 back when purchasing Goodyear brand tires. For all other service department needs, like brakes, parts, and transmission, you can schedule time for our department to inspect or repair your Chevrolet. Take advantage of our maintenance coupons, like oil change packages, to continue getting the most out of your vehicle.

If you’re looking for a new car completely, you can browse our used car and new car inventory and contact our sales department to discuss your options. If you see anything you like, learn if you qualify for any of our special deals, like those for military, first responder, and educators. Leasing and financing payment options are available along with trade-ins for your current vehicle.