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You May Need a Wheel Alignment and Not Even Know It!

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You May Need a Wheel Alignment and Not Even Know It in Anchorage, AK

You may not know it, but you probably need a wheel alignment. If it's been a while since you had the wheel alignment checked on your car, truck or SUV it is probably time to let Alignment Center and Alaska Car & Truck in Anchorage, AK, have a look. If you are like most drivers and have never had this important maintenance procedure performed then you definitely should come see us.

What Is A Wheel Alignment?

Wheel alignment is the process of making sure your wheels are rolling straight and true. Your wheels have built-in adjustments for toe-in, camber and caster to make fine changes when your wheels are not aligned. Camber adjust the tilt of the wheel from top to bottom. The toe-in adjustment puts your wheels in parallel, while the caster adjustment moves your wheel forward and back around an imaginary caster line. If any of these settings is out of spec you could be looking at dangerous handling problems and ruined tires. 

What Causes Misalignment?

Unlike other maintenance procedures, proper wheel alignment is not a function of miles or time. Every time you hit a large bump, pot hole or curb your wheels there is a chance that you have knocked your car out of alignment. In fact, you could get a full alignment service, leave the shop, hit a monster pot hole and end up right back in the shop.  

The truth is, your suspension and steering system is pretty tough and it generally takes a pretty hard hit or a long string of smaller ones to mess up your wheel alignment, but we have seen it happen.

How Do I Know If I Need A Wheel Alignment?

There are some symptoms of alignment problems that show up right away. They include:

  • A crooked steering wheel when your wheels and tires are pointing straight ahead
  • Wandering to the left or right on straight, even road surfaces
  • Constantly having to correct steering input to keep the vehicle on the road
  • Grinding or thumping noise when turning
  • Pulling to one side when you apply the brakes
  • Your car wanders when you run over bumps, called bump steer, or follows imperfections in the road surface, called tram lining

These issues are easily observed and necessitate a visit to Alignment Center and Alaska Car & Truck right away.

What Happens If I Don't Get A Wheel Alignment?

An alignment problem will never get better or go away on its own. What you may not see is the gradual degradation of your tires that wheel alignment issues can cause.  Many times you don't realize your tires are being ruined by a wheel alignment problem until they are beyond repair and must be replaced. Alignment problems can cause your tire tread to cup in the middle, to wear on the inside or the outside tread surface or to become choppy. 

Alignment is measured in thousandths of an inch; very small numbers that you can't see with your naked eyes. Our technicians employ a very sophisticated device called an alignment rack that measures your wheel position and allows our trained service pros to make sure your wheels line up based on our database of factory specs for all makes and models.

We Offer Wheel Alignments in Anchorage, AK

Whether you notice symptoms or not, you should bring your ride to the alignment specialists at Alignment Center and Alaska Car & Truck for a comprehensive wheel alignment check and correction.  Visit our auto repair & tire service store in Anchorage, AK, today and extend the life of your tires.

 

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Address: 100 E 51st Ave
Anchorage, AK 99503
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Alignment Center and Alaska Car & Truck offers top quality auto repair and maintenance in Anchorage, AK. We have decades of experience delivering quality services, great customer service, and a no-nonsense approach to auto maintenance and tire sales. That’s why we have been the popular resource for drivers in Anchorage, AK since 1977. Our top-quality auto repair and maintenance services include auto air conditioning repair, car battery replacements, engine repair, oil changes, preventative maintenance, RV repair, suspension repair, wheel alignments, tire rotations and more!