What should my alignment be

The general recommendation is to have your alignment checked at the first signs of misalignment or around every 6, miles. Your tires and your wallet will thank you. A tire alignment ensures optimal drivability. From helping your tires last longer and keeping your vehicle drive smoother to ensuring your wheels are pointed in the right direction, regular wheel alignments provide many great benefits.

Alignment issues can also cause your car to guzzle gas more quickly, so an alignment can potentially lead to a more efficient ride as well. Poor alignment is a common cause of uneven tire wear. Enjoy better fuel economy and longer-lasting tires by having your alignment checked, at the very least, with every other oil change or at the first sign of uneven or premature tire wear.

There are some noticeable signs that could indicate a misalignment. Just use your eyes, ears, and hands. Your senses and even the good old personal hunch are great for spotting alignment issues. Here are some common signs that you are dealing with poor alignment:. Are you noticing symptoms of alignment issues?

Schedule an alignment check at Firestone Complete Auto Care to get your ride pointing in the right direction. Here are some tips:. Tire misalignment can be so subtle, you may not even realize it. If you are unsure about your current alignment, call on your local Firestone Complete Auto Care.

Luckily, we have the precision equipment and expertise to check your alignment and fix it if needed. An adjustment is needed when either of these angles fall out of their predetermined specifications.

Camber measures the angle that the wheel and tire stand relative to the road. Camber is typically positioned with a slight angle as opposed to completely upright which helps counterbalance forces due to cornering. Caster measures the angle from top to bottom of the steering axis related to the suspension components at the wheel.

Simply put, caster is what ensures your vehicle drives in a straight line while also providing directional stability to return to that position after completing a turn. Toe measures the direction that the wheels are rolling.

When the alignment process begins, the technician will use an alignment machine to measure the vehicle. Many alignment reports are printed in full color to help the reader identify which angle is too positive or too negative. Just like a stop light, green means go, yellow means caution, and red means stop. So, too, does the alignment report.

Red often indicates that the alignment is too negative or positive while green means the measurement is right on target.

In some cases the report will print yellow to indicate to the reader that the alignment is approaching the predetermined limit. Inside or beside the colors, there are numbers that are measured in degrees to indicate the variances in the angle of measurement. For example, a negative number identifies when there is not enough angle in camber, caster, or toe while a positive number indicates when there is too much angle.

Whether positive or negative, both numbers indicate adjustments need to be made in the opposing direction. Now that you understand how to read an alignment report, schedule your next alignment with Sun Auto service.

Our skilled technicians use only the most sophisticated alignment machines to guarantee your vehicle is aligned to the specifications set forth by your vehicle manufacturer—all in about an hour! Toe is the fore-and-aft difference in tire distance. Most vehicles are slightly toe-in for a lighter steering feel and to keep a slight pre-load on wheel bearings. To check the toe, park the vehicle on level ground with the tires straight ahead and the steering wheel centered.

Jack up one of the front tires, secure the vehicle on jack stands, then spray-paint a stripe on the tread while spinning the tire. Scribe a sharp concentric line in the paint on the tread by spinning the tire. We used a small nail held in a mini vise and lightly pressed against the tread to ensure a straight line.

Here's a detailed shot of the scribed line. Try to position the line on the tread blocks to make the line as continuous as possible for easier measuring. Perform the same steps on the other tire. Measure again on the back sides of the tires.

Make sure that the tape is level and the same distance above the ground as it was for the front reading. Compare the two measurements to reveal the toe, accounting for measurements taken lower than at the tires' center for actual toe. This vehicle exhibited one-eighth of an inch too much toe-in. The adjustment begins by loosening the tie-rod adjuster sleeves. Penetrating lubricant helps break the nuts loose. Assuming that the steering wheel is already centered, adjust the tie-rods on each side the same amount.

Roll the vehicle back and forth several feet a few times to transfer your adjustment to the tires, then re-measure the toe. Repeat this step until the toe is within spec. Torque the adjuster-sleeve nuts to factory specs to complete the adjustment. Many aftermarket companies offer alignment tools that check toe. Courtesy Eastwood Co. Camber measures tire lean.