Wheel Alignment in Vandalia, Ohio, at Evans BMW

Routine maintenance is designed to help your vehicle perform better and extend the lifespan of the components of your car in addition to your car itself.

One of these routine maintenance requirements is tire alignment or wheel alignment. A wheel alignment is simply a process of adjusting the suspension on your vehicle to help your tires perform better and wear more evenly.

A tire alignment adjusts the suspension in your vehicle, which is a system that connects the wheels of the vehicle to the vehicle itself. A wheel alignment doesn’t adjust the tires or wheels themselves but rather the angles of the tires that affect how they connect to the road.

Why Wheel Alignment is Important

You will often hear it recommended that you pair a wheel alignment with a tire rotation, but even a wheel alignment on its own can be hugely beneficial to your vehicle and your tires. Keeping up to date on your wheel alignment allows your tires to make optimal contact with the ground, ultimately ensuring that your tires wear evenly to provide optimal traction, improve handling, and increase the lifespan of your tires. In fact, misaligned tires can cause your tires’ lifespan to be decreased by thousands of miles if not corrected!

When You Should Get a Wheel Alignment

While getting a wheel alignment should be part of your routine maintenance schedule and manufacturers recommend that you get a tire alignment done once per year, driving circumstances can cause your vehicle to need one sooner than the one-year mark.

Common indicators that it is time to get a wheel alignment include visible indicators such as uneven tread wear on your tires, as well as factors you can feel while you drive, such as if your vehicle pulls to the left or right while your steering wheel is directed straight, if your steering wheel is off-center while you are driving straight, and if you feel the steering wheel vibrate while you are driving.

If you wait too long to address problems with your tires, you might end up with tires that don’t last nearly as long as they should. When this happens, Evans BMW has your back with our BMW Tire Center.

Components of a Wheel Alignment

When a service technician checks your alignment, they mainly focus on the camber, toe, and caster.

Camber

The camber is the inward or outward angle of the tire when you look from the front of the vehicle. The inward or outward tilt is called negative or positive camber and can be caused by worn bearings, ball joints, or other parts of the suspension.

Toe

The toe is the inward or outward angle of your tire when viewed from above. This might mean that the front or your tires are pointed inward or outward, known as toe in or toe out. This is similar to if you look down at your feet if you are pigeon-toed or duck-footed.

Caster

Last but not least, the caster is the angle of your steering axis when viewed from the side of your vehicle. The caster helps with steering, stability, and cornering. A positive caster will have a steering axis that tilts toward the driver, while a negative caster will have a steering axis that points toward the front of your car.

The Wheel Alignment Process

Many people like to know exactly what to expect when they get service done. The good news is that a wheel alignment is a relatively simple task for a trained professional so they can service your vehicle quickly and easily.

Step 1

To start, a service technician will check the alignment of your camber, toe, and caster to assess the starting alignment of your wheels. They will also check for unusual tire tread wear such as feathering - when one side of the tread is smooth and the other side is sharp; camber wear - when the inside or outside of the tread is more significantly worn than the center; and heal and toe wear - when one side of your tread blocks wears down fastener than the other in a circumferential direction.

Step 2

After assessing, the technician will make the necessary adjustments to the suspension to correct the misaligned angles.

Step 3

The technician will check to confirm that the angles have been corrected and the wheels are optimally aligned. Once this is confirmed, you are good to drive!

Cost of Wheel Alignment

You can expect to pay different amounts based on where you like or what service center you take your vehicle to, but in general, the national average for a complete wheel alignment is between $50-$170. Specific costs will also vary depending on the specific alignments you need and location.

For reliable service in Dayton, OH, Evans BMW can provide premium service at affordable prices through our award-winning Service Department. You can also check out our Service Specials page to see our currently available service specials!

Questions to Ask Your Service Technician

• What can cause tires to be misaligned?
• How can I help prevent misalignment?
• What can I do to help maintain my alignment?
• If my alignment caused my tires to wear unevenly, when will I need to get new tires?

Signs of a Quality Wheel Alignment

A quality wheel alignment will correct any of the noticed errors mentioned before, such as pulling left or right when the wheel is straight, an off-center steering wheel while you are driving straight, and if you feel the steering wheel vibrate while you are driving. In other words, there should be no steering wheel vibrations and the car should go straight without pulling when the wheel is positioned straight.

Caring for Your Vehicle After a Wheel Alignment

Once your tires are aligned properly, make sure to keep an eye out for additional tire wear. To maintain your wheel alignment, you can also remove any heavy or bulky items from your trunk, as heavy items in your trunk can throw off your alignment temporarily. Additionally, make sure to keep your tires inflated to the proper levels. Lastly, make sure to avoid potholes and curbs as best as you can to avoid jarring movements that can throw off your alignment.

Contact Our Service Department in Vandalia, Ohio

The Service Department at BMW of Dayton offers quick, reliable, and affordable service. Our Service Research page helps keep you informed about everything service-related. Our highly-trained service professionals can help guarantee that your vehicle is in the best shape possible. To schedule an appointment, give us a call at 833-207-3761, visit us in person, or go online to schedule today!