A common misconception people have about vehicle maintenance is that tire alignment is only necessary when there’s an obvious problem. In reality, poor alignment—even to a minor degree—takes a toll on your tires, and it’s a recipe for ending up on the side of the road in need of a tow truck. What’s the real story about tire alignment? Here is what you need to know.
You need an alignment approximately once per year.
You should always get an alignment if you get a new tire or if you have any work done on other parts of your car that could affect your tires, such as the suspension. Alignments are also important after an accident, even if it’s just a minor fender bender. If you haven’t had any of these issues, you still need your tires to be aligned approximately one time per year. If you tend to drive on rough terrain, you should get an alignment check every six months.
When you notice an alignment problem, the issue is probably already severe.
You can usually tell when your car has an alignment problem because it pulls to one side while you’re driving. However, when you notice these symptoms, chances are that the alignment problem is already quite severe. One of the biggest reasons to get your alignment checked on a regular basis is so that the issue can be identified and fixed early, before it takes a toll on your tires.
You will get a longer life out of your tires with regular alignments.
When your alignment is off, your tires don’t run on the road the way they were intended to, which causes them to wear unevenly and faster than they would normally. This increases your risk of blowouts while you’re driving or coming out to your car to find your tires flat.
If you do find yourself dealing with a flat, Barnett’s Towing is here to help. We offer towing services 24 hours per day in Tucson, Phoenix, and beyond. To arrange a tow, please call 1-800-722-2302.
