When you maintain your car, you prolong its life. Alongside oil replacement, brakes check, and other necessary services, it is good to inspect your tires for any sign of misalignment.
When your tires are straight, your ride remains smooth and pleasurable. In other cases, when tires are misaligned, you may face changes in handling and uneven tire wear on your vehicle.
Then the question arises.
How often should you get your tires aligned?
Car manufacturers advise running a tire alignment check once for 2-3 years or after 9.000 to 12.000 miles of mileage when your car has to be maintained.
The way how and where you exploit your vehicle determines when you may need the tire alignment check.
Timely discovery of any signs of misaligned tires on the vehicle saves your time and wallet.
What is Meant by Tire Alignment?
Tire alignment incorporates altering the vehicle`s suspension to the correct position. Car mechanic performs adjustments on a flat surface to make all the tires even with others. Seasoned mechanics resort to special equipment to detect which wheels are to adjust according to the angles needed for every separate vehicle.
How Often Should You Get an Alignment?
There is no certain time period for a tire alignment check. Most automakers recommend making it once every two or three years. The determining factor is where and how you use your car.
If you are driving through bumpy and uneven terrain with portholes daily, there is a higher possibility that you may need tire alignment during the year.
The best time frame for a tire alignment check is between 9.000 to 12.000 miles when your car tires are to be replaced with new ones either rotated or your vehicle needs scheduled maintenance like oil, brakes, and the inspection of other components.
What Indicates That You May Need a Tire Alignment Soon?
There are a lot of various circumstances for that. However, you can check if your tires have to be aligned without a help of a seasoned car mechanic should you notice one of the following symptoms.
Uneven tire tread wear
Tire wear is one of the first indicators that your tire(s) may need alignment soon. When you detect that your tire (or more of them) has one-sided wear, it means that your tire`s camber is violated to other tires and needs alignment.
The vehicle pulls to the side
If you notice that your car pulls to the left or the right side while your steering wheel position is straight, your tires are 95% out of alignment. Also, if you notice that the car is slowing down when coasting, this may also be why the tires are misaligned. In this case, you should immediately visit a tire alignment service.
The vehicle or steering wheel vibrates
If you notice vibrations on the car’s body while driving or when holding the steering wheel, the cause may be in misaligned tires. In this case, you have to resort to the tire alignment station, where an experienced mechanic will inspect your car thoroughly and tell if tire alignment is necessary.
To Sum Up
Tire misalignment can occur while you are driving your vehicle or happen unexpectedly. Hitting a bump or a porthole can lead tires to come out of their usual position. When you notice any sign that your tires are out of alignment, you must visit a tire alignment service for a more scrupulous inspection or adjustment.
It is recommended to check your tires once for two or three years. This will give you confidence that your tires are fine or indicate that tire alignment is needed.
