Alignment Services
What To Expect When Having Wheel Alignment Service
One aspect of routine car maintenance is to have the wheel alignment adjusted occasionally to compensate for how normal driving conditions can result in the suspension system's moving parts becoming unbalanced over time. When such service is needed, the vehicle is raised on a lift so the technician can easily access the underside. We'll use specialized measuring tools to set the wheels' proper angles and distancing back to what the original design called for to achieve optimal performance, a balance of power, and fuel efficiency. Front-wheel drive cars generally only need two-wheel alignment, four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive vehicles need four-wheel alignment service.
Alignment Services
- Two-Wheel Alignment - Also known as a front-end alignment, two-wheel alignment is generally performed on vehicles with a solid rear axle; it involves inspecting and adjusting the camber, toe, and caster angles on the front wheels.
Learn More
- Four-Wheel Alignment - Vehicles with independent or semi-independent rear suspensions will need to have the camber, toe, and caster angles inspected and adjusted on all four wheels; this is also called an all-wheel alignment.
Learn More
Reasons for Wheel Alignment Services
Ideally, alignment checks are conducted after a particular amount of mileage, as the car's engineer designed the vehicle based on average driving conditions. An accident, whether at road speed or a small parking lot fender bender, can result in the need for an alignment check because the suspension was designed to distribute the force of the accident through itself rather than to the driver and passengers. Likewise, running over a pothole or debris left on the road can knock the alignment out of position, which is a much better option than allowing such force to be placed on the passenger cabin area. Even though the vehicle is designed for such use, if a large portion of driving time is spent off-road or towing excessive loads, alignment services may be called for more often than what is recommended for average driving conditions.
What Happens When Your Wheels Need Alignment
Fortunately, there are distinct symptoms that occur when the alignment begins to become displaced so the driver can schedule unexpected alignment checks outside of what is recommended for routine maintenance service. The most common symptom is for the vehicle to veer left or right when the steering wheel is centered, requiring small adjustments while driving down a straight road. As it gets worse, the steering wheel will need to be held off-center when driving straight and causing turning to become less intuitive than usual for the experienced driver. Other symptoms might include odd vibrations in the cabin area, poor gas mileage, uneven tire tread wear, or loss of power.
Where To Find Ford Wheel Alignment Services in New Braunfels
Modern cars are built to tighter tolerances than traditional vehicles required, and as such, are better serviced by an authorized dealership technician such as Bluebonnet Ford in New Braunfels. Our technicians are trained to understand the needs of your Ford vehicle and keep you on the road without further concerns for the performance or safety features of your car or truck.