We hear it so often this time of year, and especially this year, “My car shakes as I drive it, it pulls to the side, I have hit so many potholes.” This has been a banner year for those dreaded potholes, slides into curbs, and other winter related mishaps. Your car or truck can take a terrible beating through all of this. The damage starts from the bottom at the tires and carries throughout the car. Normal driving takes a toll without any additional help from your driving habits or the weather.
Alignment procedures, tire design and compounds, steering mechanisms, and suspension technology are vastly different from just 20 to 30 years ago. The dynamics and inter-workings of each system are complex, yet simple. You may not understand the terms of caster, camber, toe set, or slipped belts (unless it is your plumber’s), but your car does. Next time your vehicle is in the shop, have them show you the various parts of your suspension and steering. Examine your tires, especially the inner and outer edges. Do you see even wear at all points? Is there more wear on one tire or on one edge? If so, you have a problem. The solution may be as simple as more frequent tire rotation or improper tire pressure. Have the car checked out. A repair shop may offer a free or inexpensive alignment check. This time also allows the shop to check other parts of the car, so you can get a lot for next to nothing.
How do you explain to the service writer that something is wrong? Does the car shake? Does the car pull hard to one side in routine driving? What happens when you brake? “I seem to wear out tires way too often.” We hear these comments all the time. In general, shaking is due to the tires or balance, pulling is an alignment issue involving the steering and suspension, and tire wear or brake problems can be a combination of both. Yes, braking is affected by your suspension and steering. If there is any question about the problem you are experiencing, have the technician or service writer ride in the car with you and point out what you see, feel and hear when driving.
Does your vehicle need a 2-wheel or 4-wheel alignment? Most of today’s cars and pickups have alignment adjustments at all wheels. You would not want to adjust one end and cause problems at the other. There are components that wear and can be damaged on all wheels. Shocks and struts must work properly to hold tires flat to the road. In the past, these were subjected to the bounce test. This is not an accurate indicator any longer. These are designed to hold the tire down more than control bounce; springs control bounce. The construction of tires contributes to many of the problems with tire wear and car shakes. Tires are assembled in layers (plies) and the layers can shift or separate over time or due to defects. This separation can cause both severe shaking in the vehicle, and/or a pull in the steering. This separation can be visible if severe enough. Tires should be balanced and rotated several times each year. This allows tire technicians time to focus on the tires and to give a good visible inspection of the bottom side of your car.