Why Your Wheel Alignment Matters
Proper wheel alignment has a far-reaching impact on your car’s overall health and can be easily compromised by everyday encounters like potholes, damaged roads, and bumping the curb. That’s why it’s important to keep an eye out for signs that your car is handling differently or that tires are showing uneven wear and book a service appointment at Heffner Toyota if you think something might be wrong. We also suggest that you ask our team of trained professionals about getting any new tires balanced before attaching them to your vehicle, as uneven tire wear can impact your vehicle’s fuel-efficiency and handling and end up costing you more in the long run. If left unchecked, alignment issues can even pose a risk to your safety. Luckily, Heffner Toyota’s Tire Centre is here for you, so you can rest assured your car is in expert hands.
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What is Wheel Alignment?
When you book a wheel alignment with Heffner Toyota, our team of qualified automotive professionals will adjust the angles of your vehicle’s wheels to fit Toyota’s specifications for optimal performance, including balance, steering stability, equal tire wear, and maintaining road grip during turns. This process configures your vehicle’s suspension for proper contact between tire and road, lengthening tire life and keeping your drives as straight and smooth as possible.
Although wheel alignment is a different process from tire balancing (which focuses on weight distribution across tires), which should be performed whenever you purchase new tires.
What’s the Difference Between Two-Wheel and Four-Wheel Alignment?
You might hear the terms ‘two-wheel alignment’ and ‘four-wheel alignment’ and wonder which you should book your vehicle for. In short:
- Two-Wheel Alignment is usually focused on a vehicle’s front wheels and is most common in those where the front wheels steer. Although this type of wheel alignment is also referred to as “front-end alignment” it may apply to the rear two wheels if necessary.
- Four-Wheel Alignment adjusts all four wheels, usually for vehicles with four-wheel drive and vehicles with independent suspension that require co-operation between the front and rear of the vehicle.
If you’re unsure which is right for you, don’t worry; our team of friendly experts are more than happy to answer your questions and diagnose which service fits the needs of your Toyota.
When Should I Book a Wheel Realignment?
Toyota recommends booking your wheel alignment at least once a year or every 6,000-8,000 miles, whichever comes first. This recommendation is actually the same as Toyota’s maintenance schedule for tire rotation, so it’s worth booking both with us at the same time for your convenience.
However, there are some warning signs you might notice while driving that indicate something is wrong with your wheel alignment. If you encounter any of these, don’t hesitate to reach out to our service team at Heffner Toyota and have one of our top-class technicians look into the cause.
- Uneven tire wear, patches, or baldness
- Vehicle veers to one side or is bumpy
- Faster fuel consumption
- Steering wheel is off-centre
