All You Need To Know About Truck Wheel Alignment

Posted on: 4 November 2021

Wheel alignment is a standard truck maintenance procedure. Most people will often forget to align their truck's wheels since, unlike other repairs, it does not prevent affect their truck's mechanical condition. If you have not aligned your truck recently, below is information on truck wheel alignment

Why Does Your Truck Need Wheel Alignment? 

Over time, your truck will hit curbs, potholes, and speedbumps. Besides, suspension components could wear off or you could make aftermarket suspension adjustments. These activities will misalign the truck's suspension. Wheel alignment aligns the suspension components, thus increasing the longevity of the truck's suspension and preventing accidents. 

What Are The Benefits Of Wheel Alignment?

One of the problems you will encounter if your truck has misaligned wheels is pulling to one side when speeding. Besides, you could experience difficulties when steering the vehicle. Such defects expose you to accidents and endanger the lives of other drivers. Aligning the wheels is a sure way to avoid such issues. Once the suspension gets misaligned, the tires suffer uneven wear. Therefore, you need to replace them more regularly. Additionally, you will have difficulties when driving in rainy weather or muddy terrain. Wheel alignment also improves your vehicle's fuel economy. Misalignment increases the tire's resistance to the road, which increases the vehicle's fuel economy.  

How Do You Conduct Wheel Alignment? 

You need to take your truck to a balancing and alignment shop for wheel alignment. Typically, the vehicle is placed on an alignment lift connected to a computerised alignment system. The system assesses the vehicle's suspension angle; the toe, camber, thrust, and caster. There are three types of wheel alignment: 

  • Four-wheel alignment is for 4WDs and all-wheel drive cars. It aligns the front and rear axles so that the vehicle's wheels align perpendicular, rectangular and parallel to each other and the ground.
  • Front-end alignment is for front-wheel vehicles. It adjusts the front axles.
  • Thrust angle alignment positions the rear wheel and axle perpendicular with the vehicle's centre line and parallel to the front axles.  

Once you take the truck to the alignment shop, the mechanic will assess the vehicle and take it for a test drive to establish the type of alignment required. In most cases, they will examine the tire wear. For instance, feathering indicates that the vehicle needs toe alignment while camber wear is a sign of positive or negative camber. 

You now have an understanding of truck wheel alignment and its benefits. You do not have to wait till the truck has uneven wear or steering issues. Instead, take the truck for alignment at regular intervals to avoid chronic suspension issues. 

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