Wheel misalignment is a common issue faced by multiple truck drivers, which could be because of numerous causes. A strong impact on your vehicle can cause misalignment. Trucks are usually used for transportation, so the vehicle must experience every type of road or trail. Sometimes, exposure to many deep potholes in the street or colliding with other vehicles can result in misalignment. Most importantly, hopping over the curbs leads to this problem. Your car also needs regular checkups. If you ignore this problem while you are aware of it and there is an overdue misalignment, the car's condition will deteriorate, and other types of wear and tear will occur too.

BAD IMPACTS OF MISALIGNMENT:

Tyre misalignment is a severe problem as it can increase the average fuel consumption because your wheels would have to put in more effort to drag the vehicle on the road, and therefore, the fuel consumption would increase. You won't be able to balance the car quickly, as the steering wheel would also soften. Sometimes the steering wheel starts vibrating due to the wrong alignment of the wheels. You will suffer while accelerating your vehicle, which would, in turn, affect its performance. This misalignment is detrimental to your vehicle and a safety hazard for you.

HOW TO KNOW WHETHER YOUR WHEELS ARE MISALIGNED?

A simple test on an empty road is one of the best ways to know whether your wheels are misaligned. You should start your car to accelerate before letting go of the wheel while still entirely in control of the vehicle. If you notice that your car is sliding or moving towards only one end of the road and can't maintain a straight line, it is an indicator that your wheels have a misalignment. In this case you need to see an experienced mechanic as early as possible. You can repeat this test twice or three times to ensure the problem exists. This test is not only an indicator of misalignment but also tells you about the efficiency and safety of your vehicle. A person is not mentally available 100% of the time while driving, and a little mistake could lead to your car crashing into road banks or other automobiles.

WEARING OF THE TYRES:

Tyre wear could be an indicator if you want to diagnose this problem by looking at your tyres. In cases of misalignment, the tire wears. Tyre wearing won’t occur if you make sure that the pressure in your tyre is appropriate and doesn't exceed the limit, and your tyre should also not remain in an inflated state for an extended period. Similarly, improper, lousy quality or worn-out tyre suspensions can also lead to the wearing of tyres and misalignment.

YOU NEED TO SEE A MECHANIC:

All the above are signs and symptoms that can tell you much about your wheel’s overall health. If you realize there is a problem with your wheel alignment, you must visit a professional motor mechanic. Fortuna Straightline Engineering, for example, offers wheel alignment every 6 or 12 months with the utmost professionalism. Fortuna Straightline Engineering has been operating since 1943 and has the exact expertise required.

Some techniques that help you learn about the type of misalignment of your wheels include:

  • CAMBER:

This helps you see the alignment from the front side of the car. If the upper part of the wheel moves inside, that is, towards the vehicle, and the lower portion moves outward, that is, towards the road, it is negative camber, and vice versa is positive camber.

  • CASTOR:

It helps examine alignment in terms of the pivot of your wheel. If the pivot is to the right, it is a negative castor, and if it is to the left, it indicates a positive castor:

  • TOE IN, TOE OUT:

While looking at the front tyres concerning the back ones, if the front ones move outwards, it is a toe-out condition, and if these are positioned inside, that is, towards the center of the car, it is a toe-in.

There are many solutions for your misaligned wheels, but you have to make sure you take the problem seriously well in time, as not only will your wheels suffer, but your vehicle will equally be affected.