Have you ever felt as though your truck pulls to the right or left when trying to drive straight? This is usually due to an imbalance somewhere in your steering and wheel setup. Whether through age or prolonged use, tires can sometimes end up pointing in slightly different directions. That slight distance is often enough to throw off a vehicle’s performance altogether, hence the pulling to one side. Another sign that you may need a wheel alignment is that of shaking. Your steering wheel may shake or rattle at high speeds in the event that you need a wheel alignment.
What happens if I don’t get a wheel alignment?
Improper alignment can cause a variety of different issues. Firstly, if one of your tires has camber, you may end up with uneven tread wear. This reduces the life of your wheels and ruins vehicle performance. If your camber is fine but your wheels are pointed in different directions, chances are you have a toe misalignment. This ends up putting a lot of stress on your suspension as it has to hold everything under despite the significant stress.
Do I have to align my wheels or just my suspension?
Generally, a bad alignment has to do with the rods and linkages that hold the wheel on, rather than the wheel itself. However, there are cases where you have to balance the wheel in order to fix your alignment. An unbalanced wheel may shake, bounce, or even bring your steering out of alignment. Balancing your wheels is simply a matter of strategically placing weights around the rim in order to physically balance it out. You want the wheel to roll smoothly without bias in one particular area. This combined with the truck alignment will ensure a smooth and steady ride for years to come.
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