A wheel alignment sets the angles of the wheels — camber, toe, and caster — back to the manufacturer's spec. When those angles drift, the tires scrub against the road instead of rolling cleanly, which wears them fast and can make the car pull or wander.
Signs Your Alignment Is Off
The car pulls to one side on a flat road, the steering wheel sits crooked when you're going straight, the tires wear more on one edge, or you hear a faint squeal from the tires at low speed. Hitting a big pothole or curb can knock it out in an instant.
Why It's Worth Doing Promptly
Alignment wear can ruin a tire in a few thousand miles. Once the tread is scalloped or feathered, an alignment stops it getting worse but can't undo it — so catching it early is the difference between an adjustment and a new set of tires.
When to Get One
After hitting a hard pothole or curb, when you install new tires, after suspension or steering work, or whenever you notice the signs above. Many drivers also have it checked once a year.
Alignment Service for Albuquerque's North Valley
We're at 4201 4th St NW in the North Valley, and the rough streets and dirt roads around the metro knock alignments out more often than smooth highway miles. See our wheel alignment & tire service.