Wheel Alignment Service Near Smithville, MO

Close up view of a tire getting balanced

Wheel Alignment Service at Victory Chevrolet of Smithville

The service department automotive experts at Victory Chevrolet of Smithville want to keep you and your passengers safe when driving around Independence, Kansas City, and Olathe. We provide many professional services to help keep your vehicles functioning perfectly, but none are as vital as expert wheel alignment service. Without proper wheel alignment, there is an increased risk of losing control of your car, truck, or SUV on poor road surfaces when you drive over a pothole or even if you veer around an obstacle in the road and the tires contact the berm or dirt along the side of the road.

What Does Professional Wheel Alignment Service Do?

If you are asked to visualize your car, you likely imagine the wheels all positioned perfectly up and down, with the tread surface meeting the road evenly on the left and right sides of the tire. As you picture the car moving forward, the tire rolls smoothly along the ground. However, that is typically not the case for most modern vehicles. Instead, the engineers who designed the car have calculated the perfect angle of the tires to provide the ideal handling and grip you need for both safety and enjoyment while driving.

Being a three-dimensional object, the wheels on every vehicle are adjusted on three planes. Unless they are all set correctly, your vehicle will lose traction on the road surface, experience decreased maneuverability and handling, and provide a less pleasant ride. The three planes for all-wheel alignment are:

  • Camber – the angle inward and outward for the tire as viewed from the front of the vehicle
  • Toe – the angle inward or outward for the tire when viewed from above
  • Caster – the steering axis of the tire when viewed from the side

A professional wheel alignment service uses a complex computerized program to reset each of these adjustments to the precise specifications of the vehicle manufacturer for that model and the wheels on your vehicle.

Indications Your Vehicle Needs Professional Wheel Alignment Service

You likely have no idea what the perfect alignment of your car’s tires looks like as you look at the car. However, there will be a few apparent hints from your vehicle when it needs a wheel alignment, such as:

  • The vehicle pulls to one side or the other when driving
  • The steering wheel is turned slightly to drive straight down the road
  • After making a turn, your steering wheel should right itself and be centered; if it does not, you typically need a wheel alignment
  • When driving on the highway, you are constantly making slight steering corrections to remain centered in the lane
  • The wear pattern on your car’s tires is uneven

Make the Wise Investment

If you ignore the indications that your vehicle needs wheel alignment, know that you will soon face a more significant bill than the reasonable price to correct the alignment problems. If left uncorrected, improper wheel alignment will cause uneven and extensive wear and tear on your tires that cannot be fixed. Soon, the car will shimmy and shake even on a smoothly paved surface, and you will have no other solution than a new set of tires and professional wheel alignment at Victory Chevrolet of Smithville.

If you notice any signs that your vehicle is out of alignment, contact Victory Chevrolet of Smithville service department to schedule a professional wheel alignment inspection and service.