wheel alignmentIf you own a car, you might be aware of the regular maintenance steps that have to be completed periodically, such as an oil change, spark plug replacement, and tuning. But one step that is often overlooked by people is wheel alignment, which involves adjusting the angle of your wheels to make them match each other.

During wintertime, your car experiences a lot of rough use, which is why its wheels often get misaligned. Here are some reasons why your vehicle loses it wheel alignment after the winters.

Wheel Alignment and the Roads

During winters, there is a lot of snowfall, which causes the roads to become particularly slippery, and your car’s tires have to work harder to maintain a strong grip on such roads. This causes their wheel alignment to go off by a few degrees. Slippery roads also bring with them a lot of potholes and bumps, and if you are not careful, they can throw off your car’s alignment greatly. Therefore, it is highly important for you to get your wheel alignment checked when winter ends.

Excessive Braking

Another negative impact of winter driving on your car is that you have to use the brakes more frequently than you normally do, since it can be harder to control the car on slippery or snowy roads. When you press the brakes, uneven force is applied on each wheel and this puts a lot of pressure on the suspension, thus changing the angle at which each wheel is placed. This can also lead to your brakes losing their efficiency, which can be highly dangerous for you. By maintaining your car’s wheel alignment, you will be able to ensure the proper function of the steering and braking system for a long time.

Older Tires

If you have older tiles installed in your car, they will be more prone to wear and tear due to driving in the winter. Moreover, winter driving with older tires can be unsafe for you and can lead to accidents. Secondly, it is also easier for old tires to maintain their alignment, because their treads are quite worn off. As a result, your car’s driving performance isn’t as smooth as you would expect. Sometimes, a wheel alignment expert will ask you to get your tires replaced instead of adjusting their wheel alignment. This may lead to higher costs, but this is a necessary expenditure.

As you can see, driving your car in the winters can put quite a lot of strain on your vehicle, particularly its tires, braking system, and steering system, which includes the axles, suspension, and steering rod. If the wheel alignment isn’t taken care of on time, it can lead to further issues, as well as higher repair and maintenance costs. Therefore, there are various benefits of getting your car’s wheel alignment checked on time. Make sure to take your car to an experienced wheel alignment service with advanced equipment, so that your car is well-maintained and you can enjoy a safe and smooth driving experience.