Wheel alignment is maintenance, we should get one every year.
Wheel alignment is a repair and we only need it when a problem exists. A proper wheel alignment lasts many years and sometimes the life of the vehicle. One major indication of a possible alignment problem is tire wear.
Hitting a pot hole will knock the alignment out.
For the alignment on most vehicles to change, something has to bend, wear or become damaged. A normal pothole will not knock the alignment out if was properly done. This is why AGCO gives a one-year/12,000-mile warranty. When tire wear or pulling is a repeated problem, they are likely not properly diagnosing the issue.
If the steering wheel shakes the alignment is out.
Shake or shimmy in the steering is a problem, just not an alignment problem. More likely it is related to worn parts, a bent wheel, an out of round/balance tire or something else that rotates when the vehicle is driven.
A new alignment machine means an accurate wheel alignment.
A skilled technician can deliver excellent results with the earliest wheel alignment equipment. An unskilled technician will not get a satisfactory outcome with any machine. Just as an expensive new stove will not make an unskilled person a chef, an alignment machine will not create a good alignment.
All cars are supposed to pull to the right.
Most roads are sloped slightly towards the side with the drainage. This is often on the right side, but not always. Gravity causes the vehicle to roll down a slope. Skilled technicians allow for road crown to deliver a vehicle that drives straight on the majority of roads.
Some vehicles cannot be aligned or brought into specifications.
All vehicles are built within specifications, and will remain unless something changes. Any problem can be diagnosed and corrected by a professional.
All vehicles need a four-wheel alignment.
All wheels should be checked for alignment, but many vehicles will not require an adjustment in the rear. In this case the front is referenced to the rear, providing the same benefit at a lower cost.
A vehicle that pulls to one side when driving needs an alignment.
Many things cause a vehicle to pull, other than alignment. Low air pressure in a tire, a bad tire, mis-matched tread patterns or wear and many other things. Temporarily crossing front tires from right to left is a good diagnostic procedure. If the vehicle pulls in the opposite direction after moving the tires, the tire problem needs to be addressed before alignment is attempted.
For more information on how AGCO has built it’s reputation for great wheel alignment, see out wheel alignment category. AGCO will set you straight.
