When wheels are out of alignment, they don’t point in the same direction. You can check how aligned your wheels are by checking how far your tires are wearing on the top. If you’re noticing that one of your tires is wearing excessively on the right side, but not on the left, there’s a good chance that your car needs an alignment.
A tire rotation is also important for getting good mileage and keeping your car running smoothly. A tire rotation means rotating which tires are on the front and back so that they get worn evenly.
If you get an alignment, don’t forget to get a tire rotation too. If you get either service done at the same time, your car will be alignment-ready for years.
How often should you get an alignment? More than 80 percent of cars need an alignment every 30,000 miles or once a year/12 months whichever comes first. However many companies recommend every 20,000 miles because that is how often they typically rotate tires. It can vary based on how much you drive and how heavy your foot is on the gas pedal when driving so it’s best to check with your local mechanic when setting up an appointment if possible.
If you want to keep your car in good condition, one of the most important things you can do is start getting regular wheel alignments. However, how often should you get an alignment? While it varies by how hard you drive your vehicle and how well made your car is, most vehicles need alignments about every 6 months. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule- if your car is supposed to be aligned less than that or more than that time period, following these guidelines won’t necessarily ensure damage doesn’t occur. But they will make sure that most cars stay in good shape for the majority of their life without too much extra expense on behalf of the driver or owner.
Learn how long it takes tires to wear down when driving.
If you want to make sure your car is getting the type of alignment it needs, how do you know how often to get an alignment? What are some telltale signs that indicate a change in how often your vehicle requires alignments? In general, if your car drifts more than one degree from left to right or from front to back when on flat ground, then it’s time for a new alignment. However, cars that aren’t driven on perfectly flat roads will need new alignments more often- even a slight incline of a road can affect how much a car drifts while driving straight. If you notice any steering issues while driving- such as pulling down one side of the road instead of going straight down the center of the lane- this is a good indication that a wheel alignment may be needed soon. Of course, how often should you get an alignment is going to vary from how hard you drive your car and how well the vehicle is made. If your car’s manufacturer recommends an alignment every 15,000 miles or less, it probably shouldn’t be driving erratically with too much more than this mileage on it. Some cars can go as long as 50,000 miles between alignments without major damage happening to the suspension system of the car, but most modern cars shouldn’t have to wait nearly so long for another wheel alignment.
In general though only specific models of cars should regularly get their alignment checked because not all models benefit from them regularly.
Learn more about how often you get an alignment here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tire_rotation