Does My Car Need A Wheel Alignment?

Myrtle Beach’s roads can be tough on your car or truck and your wheels bear the brunt of the harsh conditions. In fact it is very common for a vehicle to become slightly out of alignment after just a year or less. You don’t have to worry though, vehicle alignments are a simple process and the state-of-the-art systems at Turn Key Auto Repair can diagnose and align your car or truck quickly and affordably.

Is My Vehicle Aligned?

It’s easy to tell if your car or truck is out of alignment, follow these four simple tests and you’ll know for sure if you need to stop your mechanic for a quick alignment service. If after these tests you’re still not sure if you have an issue, just stop by and see us at Turn Key Auto Repair and we can take a look and diagnose if you have an issue at no charge!

• Does your steering wheel pull to the right or left? You may notice this more when breaking.
• Do you feel any vibration when turning?
• When driving on a straight, well-maintained, road, does your vehicle slowly veer to the side?
• When driving straight, is your steering wheel also straight?
• Do you notice any uneven tread wear on your tires?

How does this happen so quickly? Simple, every bump in the road adds up to out of alignment wheels. Your driving habits and road conditions also have a lot to do with your alignment life. What happens and how can you extend the life of your vehicle’s wheel alignment?

• Driving Habits: You are the big reason your wheels lose alignment and the harder you drive your vehicle the more quickly you will have alignment issues (as well as other vehicle maintenance needs).
• Road Conditions: Bumpy and rough roads are a surefire way to have issues with your wheels. Pot holes, uneven pavement, bumper strips, and harsh conditions can lead to premature wear.
• Accidents & Emergency Maneuvers: Slamming on the breaks and yanking the steering wheel will absolutely pay havoc on your vehicle’s alignment. Even if you avoid an accident, you may very likely still have issues with your vehicle driving straight after a harsh emergency maneuver.
• Daily Driving: Even with the best habits and cautious driving your car or truck will eventually become out of alignment.

Uh Oh… I Think I Need An Alignment

Don’t worry if you need an alignment for your car or truck. It’s a simple process and can be done quickly and affordably. The state-of the-art, computerized alignment system at Turn Key Auto Repair will allow our certified techs to diagnose and adjust all four wheels quickly. Not only is this quick, but also very affordable. In fact you can typically be in and out in just an hour.

During our alignment process we will test and adjust the four primary angles of adjustment needed to perfectly align your vehicle.

• Toe: This is the most important test and adjustment in a wheel alignment. The toe refers to the direction of the wheels and if they point straight forward or slightly toward each other. Tires that point toward each other are referred to as being “toe-in”, while those that point outward are “toe-out”.
• Camber: The next test and adjustment is for wheel camber. Ideally your vehicle’s wheels will all stand straight up and down. However if they are tilted it will cause alignment issues and premature/uneven tire wear.
• Caster: The caster angle refers to how the wheels align to an imaginary vertical line straight through the center of the vehicle. This is what makes your vehicle go straight when your steering wheel is straight. You will know if your caster angle is off when your steering wheel is always tilted when you’re driving straight ahead.
• Thrust Angle: This is the final alignment test and ensures that all four of your wheels are properly aligned and parallel to that imaginary line through the car or truck as well as to each other.

Ready for An Alignment?

Still have questions?  We’re here to help.  Give us a call at 843-293-6793 or Contact Us if you need help getting your car or truck aligned and back on the road.