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One of the key components that keeps your travel safe is having good tires. No matter whether you are getting new all-season tires or are putting on snow tires, you might wonder what all the fuss is about getting a wheel alignment. Are they really necessary?
Automobile maintenance professionals generally recommend wheel alignments on a periodical basis to help deal with tire issues. As your car moves down the road, the vibration from the surface plus any objects that you might roll over, can cause the wheels to move out of a vertical position. While auto repair shops say that you simply cannot see whether your wheels are out of alignment, you may be able to feel it. Additional vibration or pulling to one side are indications that your wheels are not completely vertical.
The benefit of having a wheel alignment by a mechanic is that they can adjust the angle of the wheel so that they are perfectly vertical and parallel, giving you a smooth ride. In addition to smoothing out your ride, wheel alignments give you increased gas mileage. Tires that pull to one side actually travel a further distance than those that are vertical. Believe it or not, improperly aligned tires can cause you to travel miles farther in terms of gas and wear than you are actually traveling. With high gas prices, every inch counts!
Auto shops also say that a wheel alignment can help your car to handle better. This is especially critical during the inclement months of winter weather. Properly aligned tires allow for better traction and contact between the tires and the road, making it safer for you and other drivers. A wheel alignment can also help you to increase the amount of time that you can have a set of tires. Auto mechanics believe that a proper alignment leads to less uneven wear on tires, saving you time and money down the road. Finally, having a wheel alignment – which is a relatively inexpensive process – is critical if you are switching from all-season tires to winter snow tires. Winter snow tires are designed to actually pull the slush and snow off of the road to give you better traction. Mechanics say that simply isn’t possible if the tires aren’t properly aligned.
While you may have questions as to whether or not wheel alignments are really necessary, as you can see, there are excellent reasons to make sure that your tires are vertical. Feel free to contact an Akron, Cleveland or Lorain area Rad Air for more information on our affordable wheel alignments. They just take a few minutes and can save you money and keep you safe!