You’re driving along and your car, truck, or SUV keeps pulling to the right. Why is it doing that when you’re driving straight? Pulling to one side or the other when your steering straight is just one sign your vehicle is out of alignment. It’s easy to knock your automobile’s wheels out of alignment; people do it every day. Auto Solutions lists five things that mess up wheel alignment below.
Accidents
The force of an automobile accident can easily knock your wheels out of alignment. It doesn’t take a serious accident to do this, either. When you crash into another car or are crashed into, your wheels take some of the force. Depending on how you’re hit, they may take the brunt of the force and this will knock them out of alignment. If you’re hit hard enough, the accident can also mess up your suspension.
Bumps
Well, mostly speed bumps, but all bumps can give your wheel alignment a jolt and knock it out. If you drive by this rule, never drive over speed bumps going any faster than 5 mph, you will do a good job of protecting your wheel alignment. Depending on the speed bump or road bump, however, it might be an even better idea to drive slower. Use common sense and be cautious going over bumps.
Curbs
We’ve all misjudged the distance and hit a curb once or twice, but when this happens you send a jolt through your wheel alignment that it isn’t capable of absorbing, especially if you hit the curb at a high speed. Curbs and parking space concrete markers are your wheel alignment’s natural enemy. Be careful when driving around them or pulling into a parking space to prevent damaging your wheels.
Potholes
As with bumps, potholes can damage your wheels and tires, their balance and alignment, and your suspension. These road hazards have taken out many a car, truck, and SUV, and you don’t want them to take out your vehicle. Avoid potholes if you can. If you can’t, drive slowly over them. Don’t worry about the angry drivers behind you. Go slow to protect your wheel alignment, tires, and suspension.
Vehicle Maintenance
Finally, the best way to avoid misaligned wheels is to take care of them. Have your tires rotated and balanced every 6,000 miles and your wheels aligned every two to three years or per your vehicle’s manufacturer’s recommendation. If you get a new set of tires put on your automobile, the wheels should be balanced and aligned then, too, or you’ll have a bumpy ride and ruin your new tires.
Located in Orlando, FL, Auto Solutions can align your wheels. Call us today to schedule an appointment.