Pairing Wheel Alignment with Your New Tire Purchase — Auto Stop Elite

A Fresh Start

Imagine purchasing a new set of shoes–only to wear them with a pair of dirty, unwashed socks! Chances are you wouldn’t do that, yet that’s the same concept some people apply when they purchase new tires and install them on misaligned wheels. While not every vehicle will need a complete alignment job with new treads, you should at least consider having your car checked for proper alignment. At Auto Stop Elite in the Dulles area of Sterling, Virginia, our ASE Master certified technicians can ensure that your automobile is ready and suitable to receive and protect new tires.

A Crash Course in Wheel Alignment

Although we don’t want you to have a crash, we’d like to provide a “crash” course in wheel alignment. This term refers to the relationship between the axles, wheels, and vehicle itself. Wheel alignment is correlated to the extent to which your tires are connected to the road, so it’s critical to your ability to control and steer. Further, wheel alignment determines the amount of stress and wear placed on other parts of your car. There are several types of wheel alignment (front end, all-wheel, and thrust). Which one you need depends on what kind of auto you own and any known problems. Using the alignment process, a technician adjusts the major suspension angles. These include toe (a measure of distance difference between front/back or front tires), thrust (relationship between the rear axle and front wheels), camber (a measure of left/right tile when the car is seen from the front), and caster (slope of the line to be drawn between upper/lower ball joints).

All About Timing: Alignment and New Tires

Wheel alignment is always important, and there is no absolute requirement to get one done when you buy a new set of tires. It is, however, a good practice. If your car’s suspension isn’t aligned, all other body/suspension parts are at risk. The newly purchased tires can’t connect well with the road. This makes your ride bumpier and impedes your ability to control your auto. This can be dangerous. Additionally, your tires will likely wear in some spots more than others (unevenly), so they will not last as long as they could and should. The warranty will probably be voided, and you’ll need to pay out of pocket to replace them sooner than you planned.

All About People and Place: Your Alignment Shop

While proper alignment is undeniably important, at Auto Stop Elite, we believe that our customers are ultimately more important than any vehicle. Our motto is “people first, cars second.” Therefore, make us your local shop for quality wheel alignment.