Wheel Alignment, everything you need to know as a car owner.

It's important that wheels and tires are aligned. If they aren't, you could be damaging your tires and affecting the vehicle's handling characteristics.

The Importance of maintaining your car’s wheel alignment

Most people do not know the Importance of maintaining your car’s wheel alignment. First, alignments help to improve the handling of your car. Second, they help to improve fuel economy by ensuring that your car wheels are pointing in the same direction. Third, a properly alined vehicle helps to prolong the life of your tires by evenly distributing the weight of your car on all four tires. Fourth, alignments help to prevent premature wear on your suspension components. 

At TMJ Bimmers, we are Houston’s local wheel alignment experts. We offer a variety of alignment services, and we are always happy to answer any questions you may have about the process.

How do I Know if my Tires are Misaligned?

Some of the key telltale signs that your car needs an alignment are …..

1. Your steering wheel isn’t centered

2. Your vehicle pulls to one side or the other

3. You notice abnormal tire wear in certain spots

4. The handling feels loose

5. The steering wheel doesn’t return to center

Why is wheel alignment important

Wheel alignments are important because they offer a variety of benefits. You will gain fuel mileage back. Houston is a high-mileage town. You can easily lose up to 3-4 miles per gallon with an improperly aligned vehicle. 

You will also preserve the life of your tires. Improperly aligned vehicles will prematurely and improperly wear down the value of those high-performance tires. While we may have an advantage of not needing to invest in any Winter tires down in Houston, If you’ve spent the money investing in those high-dollar performance tires, why not make them last as long as possible? 

Another important benefit to note is that when your tires are aligned, you will be able to fully enjoy the handling of your high-performance vehicle. As we all know, Houston has notoriously bad streets that wreak havoc on our beloved vehicles. If your suspension is out of alignment, it is likely affecting the vehicle's handling.

And, understand that while avoiding this necessary service for your high-performance vehicle definitely reduces your vehicle’s performance, you could also be damaging component parts of your car. If your vehicle becomes misaligned, the performance of your BMW will certainly be noticeably worse than it otherwise would be. You'll notice this mostly in the steering and the handling of the vehicle which will become difficult to manage. Driving straight will become more difficult, braking may prove to be unsafe or it may also feel like your brakes are skipping. Your fuel efficiency will reduce and your tires will wear down much faster than they ordinarily would. In the end, it will cost you more money in the long run if you put off getting an alignment. 

Alignment Check vs Alignment Appointment: What can I Expect?

 An alignment check is exactly what it sounds like. It is a way of checking the direction your tires are pointing. When your vehicle and the tires are correctly aligned, they'll turn in unison in response to your steering column and will help your vehicle handle more efficiently. And with TMJ Bimmer’s free alignment check service, our technicians will ensure your wheel’s alignment meets your manufacturer’s recommendation, plus we’ll inspect your tires, suspension and steering for any signs of unwanted wear. This process takes about 15 minutes and is complimentary at most local independent shops.  

How Often Should I Check the Wheel Alignment?

While the manufacturer may suggest an alignment every 10,000 miles, you should always ask your local independent repair shop to perform a free quick check, or check your maintenance manual to determine best mileage or time interval for an alignment. At TMJ Bimmers, we recommend bringing your car in at least once per year for a free tire alignment checkup. We also check your alignment for free during our multi-point inspection process every time you visit for a service or repair.

However, your driving habits and road conditions can heavily influence how often you need to get your vehicle aligned. And, depending on where you live in Houston, a wheel alignment may be required on a more frequent basis. For example, if you notice your vehicle is pulling sharply in one direction, or if you are experiencing a steering wheel vibration or a crooked steering wheel then your wheel alignment might be off. These are definitely reasons to make an appointment to stop in for a complimentary quick check and we’ll let you know. 

Does wheel Alignment impact Safety?

Short answer: yes. You can experience difficulty steering, possibly causing your steering wheel to jerk out of your hands or lean to one side. If you are struggling to keep your vehicle moving in a straight line or find yourself holding your wheel turned in one direction in order to move forward, it’s definitely a good time to realign your wheels. Even a minor steering issue can increase dramatically without warning. This is particularly common as you hit a sudden bump on these notoriously bad streets. Don't allow an unexpected Houston pothole to cause you to lose control of your vehicle.

And replacing tires because of a single bald spot or a single worn-out inner or outer line, is extremely frustrating but you can thank poor wheel alignment for that. Misaligned wheels cause uneven wear patterns that decrease the lifespan of your tires. 

Finally, driving on misaligned wheels will cause suspension issues over time. A misaligned vehicle causes additional stress on one side of your suspension system, causing it to wear out more quickly than the other side. And wheel alignment is much cheaper than a new suspension system, trust us!

What are Wheel Alignment Angles?

There are three main wheel alignment angles, which determine how each wheel is positioned relative to the car, the ground and each other. These are camber, caster and toe. Camber and Toe angles refer directly to the wheel, while caster is a measurement of the suspension geometry.

When you get your tires aligned by a licensed technician, they are mainly checking three specific wheel alignment angles. The first of these is the camber. The camber is the inward and outward angle that can be viewed from the front of the vehicle. If there is too much inward or outward angling of the tire, this indicates that the alignment needs to be adjusted. Camber misalignment can be caused by wheel suspension issues as well as worn bearings or ball joints.

The next area our technicians will check for is toe alignment. Toe alignment can be recognized through inward or outward turning of the tires when viewed from above. The final check that your technician will do is evaluate the caster angle. Caster alignment helps steering, cornering, and stability, and this angle can be viewed from the side of your vehicle when looking at the steering axis. Too much tilt in either the direction of the driver or towards the front of the vehicle can be problematic.

How will raising or lowering my car affect my wheel alignment?

While you may be looking for improved handling or less air drag, or just the sleeker look of a lower vehicle, did you know that raising or lowering your vehicle will affect your wheel alignment? Lowering your suspension is what we are most often asked for as a BMW shop and it will most definitely affect your toe, camber or caster angles. This is because lowering your vehicle changes the geometry of your wheel-tire fitment and if it isn't done correctly, meaning if an alignment is not performed after this adjustment to your suspension, then it’s likely your vehicle’s alignment is out. Plus, while the following repairs aren't as “fun”, if a repair or replacement of your struts, shocks, ball joints, tie rods, bushings or control arms is being recommended to you by your local independent, it's likely that your vehicle's alignment is also out. 

Even new tires need to be aligned

If you’ve just bought some fresh new rubber or are considering getting some soon, you are probably wondering whether you need to align your wheels after tire replacement. While this question is always up for debate between mechanics, most will say that an alignment is necessary after installing new tires. Our position is that even new tires need to be aligned. This helps you get the most life from your new tires. We all want our tires to last longer, and no one wants to run to the store every few months to replace tires. This will help you get the most life from your new tires. Whether you are replacing 2 tires, or 4 , a wheel alignment after the installation of new tires is a good rule of thumb to make sure those brand new tires you just bought last as long as they can.

Tire balancing

Though both should be part of regular auto maintenance, the difference between balancing your tires versus getting an alignment is that a wheel alignment corrects the angles of the tires so they travel in the same direction and make contact with the road properly whereas balancing your tires makes sure that weight is evenly distributed around the entire circumference of the unit. The common symptoms of out-of-balance tires and misaligned vehicles are similar – uneven and faster tread wear, poor fuel economy, and vibration in the steering wheel so oftentimes tire balancing and alignment are perceived to be the same thing, but they are not. However they are similar in that tire balancing is essential for proper tire care for the same reason as wheel alignment: prevention of premature tread wear. 

Having tires aligned and balanced every 5,000 to 6,000 miles can help maximize their lifespan and overall performance. When all areas of the wheel-tire unit are as equal in weight as possible, the tire will roll smoothly. This helps it wear evenly, for the longest life. Balancing also contributes to ride comfort: Imbalanced tires will wobble or hop up and down, which causes vibration. If a front tire isn’t properly balanced you’ll likely feel vibration in the steering wheel. If the problem is in the rear the tremor will be noticeable in the seat or floor. Imbalanced tires are easily corrected, but the work is precise. It’s done by attaching small weights, just fractions of ounces, to the wheel.

Common causes of wheel misalignment

We have already discussed many things that necessitate getting an alignment but have you ever wondered what the most common causes of wheel misalignment are? Ever wondered if that terrible pothole you just hit or the massive bump in the road actually knocked your alignment out of whack? A good rule of thumb is, the larger the impact, the higher the potential you have of throwing your vehicle's alignment out. And, we always recommend an alignment check after any significant impact to your vehicle from an unexpected collision. Again, remember the key telltale signs mentioned above and ask yourself … is my steering wheel still centered? Is my car now pulling one way or another? Or, does the steering wheel now feel looser than before? If the answer is yes, don't ignore it. Schedule a free alignment check for peace of mind.