| Although the majority of American car owners have | | | | When your vehicle is not aligned properly, you may |
| their wheel alignment checked by an auto care | | | | also feel that it does not naturally drive in a straight line, |
| professional during routine mileage checkups, there are | | | | or is pulling or drifting to one side of the road on its |
| a few tips that can help you know whether or not it is | | | | own. |
| time to have your vehicle inspected. | | | | A final, more comprehensive examination of your |
| Wheel alignment consists of adjusting the angle of the | | | | wheel alignment can be conducted using just a coin. |
| wheels so that they are completely perpendicular to | | | | Take a quarter and place it in the tread at the inside, |
| the ground and parallel to each other, Family Car Parts | | | | outside and middle of the tire, the news source |
| reports. While a recently purchased used car will be | | | | recommends. |
| perfectly aligned, normal wear and stress can cause | | | | If you find that the tread is deeper on one side of the |
| the front wheels to slowly become crooked, whether | | | | tire than the other, it's time to take your car to the |
| or not your vehicle is equipped with an adjustable or | | | | shop. Also, if it is deeper on the edges, your tire is |
| non-adjustable rear suspension. | | | | overinflated. If the treads are deeper in the center, you |
| The easiest way to assess whether your car is | | | | should inflate your tire as soon as possible. |
| misaligned is to visually inspect the tire itself. If there is | | | | Proper wheel alignment is important for a variety of |
| uneven or especially rapid tire wear, take your vehicle | | | | reasons. Improper alignment can lead to premature tire |
| into the shop immediately. While tire wear is the | | | | wear, decreased gas mileage, poor handling and can |
| simplest way to diagnose poor alignment, it is often the | | | | even cause accidents, Hunter Engineering reports. |
| last symptom to appear. If you let the problem go | | | | Industry experts recommend that you have your |
| unattended for too long, you may find yourself being | | | | vehicle's tires checked every 10,000 miles or once |
| forced to purchase four new tires. | | | | every year. |