Misaligned tires are tires that are not pointing parallel to each other, but are instead sitting on angles that cause them to either push towards or pull away from one another. Needless to say, tires that are pointing in different directions can have a significant impact on your entire vehicle. Knowing some of the downsides associated with misaligned tires, and how tire alignment can benefit your vehicle, can help you understand why you should have your tires realigned at regular intervals no matter what your driving habits are.
Improve Mileage
An often overlooked symptom of misaligned tires is reduced fuel efficiency. Since your tires will be pulling in opposite directions from one another instead of travelling in a straight line, there will be a great deal of wasted energy that is not translated into speed or motion. This can reduce the efficiency of your engine and drain your gas tank more rapidly, especially at higher speeds.
Increased Tire Lifespan
Perhaps the most obvious benefit of having your tires realigned is the fact that doing so can reduce the amount of wear and tear that your tires' treads experience. This can increase the overall lifespan of your tires by reducing the risk of blowouts and flats developing, and ensuring that your treads are wearing down evenly instead of only on a single side.
Reduce the Chance of Other Issues
Another thing to note about tires that are out of alignment is that they can place a great deal of stress on other parts of your vehicle, especially your suspension, your power steering, and your axles. Severely misaligned tires that are continued to be driven on can lead to additional mechanical problems like axle damage or power steering failure that are quite expensive to fix, and dangerous to experience while driving.
Better Vehicle Control
Beyond preventing damage to your tires and other associated systems within your vehicle, tire alignment can also help improve how much control you have over your vehicle while driving, reducing the chances of a collision or accident. This is because misaligned tires can sometimes cause your vehicle to pull in one direction, forcing you to constantly adjust your steering wheel to stay within the lines and increasing the amount of effort it takes to change directions. Making sure that you have your tires aligned on a regular basis can reduce the risk of dangerous collisions and their costly associated repair work.
Share23 April 2019
After my car died and I was stranded on the freeway a few years back, I knew that I had to do what I could to avoid similar issues in the future. I began working hard to identify different issues with my car, so that I could prevent problems. I began working with a mechanic to get help, and he taught me a lot about going through my car and being able to evaluate different things that were problems. It was really interesting to explore the possibilities of different car failures, and before I knew it, I could tell when my car was struggling. Read more about the early signs of car trouble on my blog.