Feeling Off-Center? Time for an Alignment!

Wheel alignments also known as tire alignment refer to the position in which adjacent wheels rest relative to the vehicle’s body. Driving on uneven surfaces, and hitting bumps or potholes can wear down your vehicle’s suspension system, resulting in tire misalignment. Getting proper wheel alignment at Firebird Tire can improve your handling, extend tire life, and increase fuel efficiency. 


The pros at Firebird Tire strive to help you achieve the ideal road tire orientation by accurately determining the degree of suspension adjustment your wheels need. Here is a guide that showcases how proper wheel alignment secures your vehicle’s optimal performance.

Car on a lift with a wheel removed, showing the brake assembly in an auto repair shop

Various Types of Wheel Alignment

There are several factors to consider when dealing with tire alignment. One major condition is to meet the manufacturer specifications which vary depending on the type of alignment angle. 


Below are some of the alignment angles our experts at Firebird Tire deal with in case of vehicle control issues:


1. Camber Alignment

This refers to how far the wheels lean inward or tilt outwards away from the vehicle when viewed from the front or back. A positive or negative camber is when there’s too much of an outward or inward tilt respectively and is measured in degrees and minutes. An off-camber angle causes worn-out bearings and ball joints that affect the handling stability of your motor vehicle.


2. Toe Alignment

Unique from camber alignment, toe alignment involves the extent to which tires turn outward or inward towards the center of the body viewed from above the vehicle. Such a bird’s eye view helps in pointing out whether the wheels are straight ahead or not. Our pros at Firebird Tire can set it back to the original manufacturer specification and not excessively Toe-in or Toe-out.


3. Front-End Alignment

Also described as a two-wheel alignment since it focuses on the front wheels only. The angles of the wheels adjust parallel to each other ensuring that they are perpendicular to the ground.


4. Rear-End Alignment

This kind of alignment mimics the front-end alignment, but focuses on the back wheels of your vehicle where they are parallel to each other upon adjustment.


5. Thrust Alignment

With thrust angle alignment, we at Firebird Tire ensure that all four tires are square with each other. It is ideal for vehicles with a solid rear suspension as it offers superb safety results while enhancing fuel economy.


6. Four-Wheel Alignment

As the name suggests four-wheel alignment is for 4WDs motor vehicles as they have four-wheel independent suspensions. The alignment combines thrust and front-end alignment to position and measure the rear axle angles. This kind of tire alignment is the most comprehensive as it boosts the overall handling of your vehicle securing durability and safety.


Importance of Wheel Alignment

During vehicle maintenance, wheel alignment is an aspect that you may overlook. Some of its benefits include:

  • Improved Safety:  Proper wheel alignment keeps your motor vehicle track in line as they respond accordingly to steering system inputs. Misaligned tires have handling stability issues causing traction rolling due to reduced friction on uneven tire wear. Therefore, you should ensure there’s correct tire alignment to reduce the likelihood of accidents occurring.
  • Reduced Stress on Suspension Parts:  Misaligned wheels strain suspension components leading to early tire wear and tear. Such stress lowers the lifespan of the suspension system contributing to its potential failure. By maintaining proper wheel alignment you’re able to avoid costly repairs resulting from premature wear.
  • Enhanced Comfort:  Once your tires are well aligned with each other there are reduced vibrations that promote a smooth ride. Also, there’s minimal squeaky noise making your driving experience more pleasant.
  • Increased Fuel Efficiency: Improper alignment of your vehicle’s tires means that they aren’t working together as they should. This forces your vehicle’s engine to work harder in propelling you forward and ends up consuming a lot of fuel. All these are avoidable by getting appropriate wheel alignment of your vehicle at Firebird Tire. 


Warning Signs of Misaligned Wheels

1. Squealing Tires: When taking corners the wheels stray out of their usual position causing friction that leads to all sorts of unpleasant noises. Once you start experiencing this then you know you have a wheel alignment issue that we can resolve at Firebird Tire.

2. Drifting: When you’re heading down a straight level path, you may feel your motor vehicle pulling towards a resistance-even direction. If you keep on applying a little extra effort just to stay on course then you have tire alignment issues with your vehicle. 

3.   Decentralizing steering wheel: This happens when you complete a turn and the steering wheel of your vehicle fails to return to its normal position on its own. When this happens to you, schedule your motor vehicle for wheel alignment maintenance at Firebird Tire to avoid future accidents.

 

Steer Clear of Trouble with Firebird Tire’s Alignment Services

Getting regular wheel alignment check-ups and maintenance at Firebird Tire can prevent costly replacements in the foreseeable future. We’ve invested in various alignment equipment to improve the reliability and longevity of your vehicle’s suspension and braking systems. Reach out to us at (623) 582-9212 or visit 22444 N 19th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85027 for professional wheel alignment and suspension adjustment services.