ALIGNMENT
SERVICE

Two-Wheel Alignment vs Four-Wheel Alignment Service

At this point, the car is ready to drive until other recommended maintenance procedures are needed. It’s hard to predict how often alignment services are going to be needed. Someone who lives in a rural area with a three-mile drive on a gravel road every day to go to work or the grocery store is going to put more stress on their vehicle’s alignment than someone who drives a few miles daily on nicely paved suburban roads. A parking lot mishap can knock the alignment out of place. Not to worry, the alignment was designed for such things. Front-wheel drive vehicles have fixed rear wheels and only need a front wheel alignment. Four-wheel or all-wheel vehicles have alignment adjustments for all four wheels. It has to do with how the power is distributed from the drivetrain to the tires.

Two-Wheel Drive Alignment

Four-Wheel Drive Alignment

What Happens when Wheel Alignment Is Off

When wheel alignment is off, the car will handle poorly. One of the first and most noticeable signs of the vehicle being out of alignment is how it will veer left or right when driving a straight road with the steering wheel centered. Wheel alignment is expected after driving certain mileages, again that might vary according to driving style and local conditions, or it might come up after a specific incident such as a parking lot fender bender, running over a large pothole, or bumping a curb or parking divider. The alignment is designed for such things but needs to be readjusted after such an occurrence.