GayAttack t1_jdnntwv wrote
Alignment means ensuring the wheels are properly straightened and the car rolls in a straight line. If the wheels are misaligned, the car might veer slightly when moving.
RILICHU t1_jdo6fmw wrote
Poor alignment can also cause uneven and quicker wear on your tires reducing their lifespan. It also reduces your mileage per gallon a bit as well.
winoforever_slurp_ t1_jdov2f7 wrote
I once had a friend ride in my passenger seat for less than five minutes before telling me I needed a wheel alignment. Turns out he was right. How can you tell from the feel of a car that it needs an alignment?
OrochiJones t1_jdoxbe0 wrote
If you have to turn down a straight road, it's most likely your alignment. If the car is badly out, it will understeer in one or both directions.
winoforever_slurp_ t1_jdp0nvv wrote
Ok, maybe the steering wheel was slightly turned to go straight. I always assumed he felt a wobble or something
sbear37 t1_jdphq5n wrote
Wobble is wheel balance
keestie t1_jdpv2s8 wrote
Wobble can be a million things; wheel balance is one of those things, but only one. Could be alignment, bad steering dampener, bad power steering system, bulged tire, loose steering components, loose suspension components, or brake disc warping, and that's not even a full list.
SirVanyel t1_jdphrox wrote
He probably noticed that you never let go of your wheel, or the times that you did the car veered off
It's probably the best way to spot if someone's not servicing their car regularly, considering wheel alignments are ultra cheap and are sometimes even done for free alongside a service.
winoforever_slurp_ t1_jdpjd9n wrote
Do people often let go of the steering wheel while driving? 😲
SirVanyel t1_jdpjiy1 wrote
If I'm going slow through a suburban area I'll often let go for a second here or there, or just hold on with a couple fingers with my hand on my lap. It's not a good habit, but if your car drives straight you'll feel far more confident
CurnanBarbarian t1_jdoxlvj wrote
You can usually tell by the way the car pulls when nobody is touching the wheel or how you correct. If the car always pulls to the left, you'll always correct to the right. Also if the steering wheel is crooked when the wheels are straight you need an alignment.
kyrsjo t1_jdq6m26 wrote
I had a crooked steering wheel for a while - there was a recall to replace some cable inside the wheel, and they put it back on slightly crooked. So it drove completely straight without needing any steering input, with a 5 degeee angle on the wheel. It was mostly unnoticeable on shorter drives requiring more manuvering, but very annoying on long highway drives.
It required an alignment to fix it.
Frostybawls42069 t1_jdphf3e wrote
If you know the feeling, sometimes you can feel the resonance through the vehicle. He could have also noticed you were constantly counter steering as well
Sethrial t1_jdpqpfh wrote
I had a car that was so badly out of alignment that it shook just driving a straight line. Not saying this guys was that bad, but at a certain point it’s definitely noticeable even if you’re not looking for it.
Unique_username1 t1_jdoovhj wrote
The worse problem is when one wheel is pointing left and the other right. If the only problem was the car not rolling straight the driver could turn the steering wheel, and then it‘s straight. When the wheels are facing in opposite directions the driver can’t correct for this and actually may not be aware of it as it may not cause the car to turn, but with the tires (slightly) sliding to the side instead of rolling straight ahead, they will wear out much faster then they should.
Randyaccreddit t1_jdp1vio wrote
If off by a little bit like 2° and going on a windy highway it's a bad time..
dug99 t1_jdq4r0c wrote
There's actually a bit more to it than just "all the wheels pointing straight ahead". The front wheels in particular usually have three settings - camber, caster, and toe. Camber is the vertical angle the wheel meets the road at ( left - right tilt ), caster is the steering angle ( forward / aft tilt ), and toe is the horizontal alignment of the wheel ( toe-in or toe-out ). If any or all of those adjustments are incorrect ( due to normal wear and tear, or hitting something on the road ), your tyres will wear in an uneven and premature way. These settings need to be periodically adjusted as suspension and steering parts wear and settle over time.
RRumpleTeazzer t1_jdpwckl wrote
Just creeping to the side is obviously corrected by the steering wheel. The obvious issue are the wheels each steering to different sides.
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