Potholes & Wheel Alignment

Every driver in northeast Ohio has experienced it. You’re driving along, minding your own business when—BANG! Yes, it’s that

time of year again. Pothole season! Hitting a pothole can cause hundreds of dollars in damages to a vehicle. Tires can be

ruined, wheels can be cracked, and suspension parts can be broken by the shock load placed on these components by hitting a

pothole. More common than the observable problem of a flat tire or broken suspension, is the wheels of the car being knocked

out of alignment. The tendency to pull right or left is the most obvious sign of a vehicle being out of alignment. This is caused by any one of

the four wheels no longer tracking a straight line. Rather, the wheel is forced to skid along the roadway as the other three

wheels travel in a straight line. As this condition continues, the tread is actually scrubbed off the tire. Misalignment can

be detrimental to gas mileage as well as it causes the engine to work harder. Wheel alignment consists of adjusting the angles of an automobile’s wheels so they are perpendicular to the road and run

parallel to each other. Alignment angles are adjusted on three axis or planes, referred to as camber, caster, and toe.

Camber is the vertical axis of the wheel when viewed from the front of the car. This angle is measured in degrees of an arc

at the top. The purpose of this angle is to have the tire tread ride perfectly flat on the road surface. Camber angle is

adjusted to an optimal setting for minimum tire wear when a vehicle is at highway speed. A vehicle’s front wheels are

attached to the suspension on pivot points. When the steering wheel is turned, the front wheels pivot at these points turning

in the direction you wish the car to travel. Caster is the vertical angle of these pivot points viewed from the side of the

car. The purpose of this angle is to make the vehicle easy to steer and track in a straight line. The easiest way to

visualize the caster angle is to examine the front wheels of a shopping cart. You will notice the pivot is ahead of the point

where the tire is in contact with the road surface. This causes the wheel to follow the vehicle and track a straight line.

Again, caster specifications are engineered to be optimal at highway speeds. Toe is the horizontal axis of the wheel when

viewed from the top down. Toe settings change due to the geometry of the steering linkage in relation to the geometry of the

suspension. Once again, the toe specifications are engineered so the wheels are at zero degrees at highway speed. Improper

toe angle is the most common cause of premature tire wear. At Uptown Auto Service, we utilize the latest Hoffman computerized, optical alignment equipment. Our technicians are trained

and certified in the latest, 3-dimensional, alignment technology. We specialize in maintenance and repair on all types of

suspension, steering linkage, and computerized ride control. Visit our facility at 2075 West State Street in Alliance, Ohio

or call us at 330-821-3065.

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