Wheel Alignment - Get It Done Right
You’ll know you need a wheel alignment when you feel your vehicle pulling to one side or another as you drive it. Your steering wheel might be crooked when you’re driving straight, or you may notice your tires wearing unevenly. All of these are common signs that your vehicle is out of alignment. You might notice them after hitting a big pothole or curb.
Having your vehicle aligned is a routine part of car maintenance, so don’t be alarmed if you’re experiencing any of the above even if you don’t remember hitting anything. Vehicles can go out of alignment because of other factors, so you could need a wheel alignment for another reason. But, don’t ignore these signals either. Your vehicle won’t suddenly align itself on its own. You’ll need to have your vehicle professionally aligned to make sure you don’t wear your tires down even more or cause further damage to your vehicle.
When it comes to adjusting your wheel alignment, there’s only one right way to do it. Find out how we handle wheel alignments here at Spring Works, and see what a difference it makes to have your wheel aligned by trusted professionals who get it done right, every time. We’ll save you time and make sure your vehicle is precisely aligned so you can get back on the road in no time.
Highly qualified and certified technicians
At Spring Works, all of our alignment technicians are required to have completed 51 weeks of comprehensive automotive training prior to employment. In addition they receive hundreds of hours of specialty alignment/suspension training before they are eligible to perform alignments independently here at Spring Works. This intensive training means they’re the best in the industry. They are highly trained and motivated to perform the very best alignments possible. Customer satisfaction is our number one priority at Spring Works, and we ensure your vehicle is 100 percent properly aligned.
The best wheel alignment equipment in the industry
We only use the best wheel alignment equipment, which is in part how we’re able to align vehicles so precisely every time we perform a wheel alignment. At Spring Works, we use Hunter HawkEye Elite®, which is the best wheel alignment equipment available in the industry. It uses four precision cameras to accurately measure the orientation and position of targets mounted to each wheel.
Not only is the equipment extremely precise, it’s also incredibly fast. In a very short time, the HawkEye Elite® can give us alignment results so we can get to work. Working with this advanced equipment technology means we can have your wheel alignment done in as little time as possible to the highest degree of accuracy as possible. That’s doing wheel alignment the right way.
A thorough and complete wheel alignment pre-inspection
We don’t just dive into your wheel alignment when you bring us your vehicle. We run your vehicle through a very thorough and complete pre-alignment inspection process. During this process, we check all suspension and steering components for wear, as improper alignment can lead to wear and tear on these components.
When the parts that are responsible for holding the wheels in alignment are worn, there’s no way the tires will be able to stay in alignment, even after we make the proper adjustments. At Spring Works we do not align vehicles with worn parts.
In some cases, there could be several factors that play a role in your wheel being out of alignment. For instance, your alignment might be off because of the springs. Weak springs can change the ride height which in turn changes the alignment and can make your car pull in one direction or another. If this is the case, we will need to replace your springs and correct the ride height prior to the wheel alignment to ensure your vehicle is able to be properly aligned.
We’ll also inspect your tires when you bring your vehicle in for a wheel alignment, since tire wear can play a big role in your wheel alignment. Your tires might have to be replaced prior to the alignment if they are severely worn as a result of misalignment.
Precision adjustments to exact tolerances
Once we have correctly identified the root cause of your misalignment and inspected your vehicle thoroughly to determine the root cause, we’ll get to work adjusting your vehicle to exact tolerances. This is the part where skill, knowledge, and superior technology meet to determine the quality of your wheel alignment. Even though wheel alignments are relatively routine for us, we know you don’t want to have to bring your vehicle back for one anytime soon. That’s why we make sure to get it done right the first time.
When we’re finished with the wheel alignment, we’ll take your vehicle out for a test drive to ensure it’s driving straight instead of to one side or another. We’ll make sure you understand what we did by providing you a before and after print out of you alignment specs and measurements. Your vehicle will be exactly aligned before we hand it back over, so you can rest easy knowing that your vehicle is in the best possible hands when you bring it to Spring Works for a wheel alignment.
Types of wheel alignments
Vehicles typically receive one of three types of wheel alignments: two wheel front-end, four-wheel alignment and thrust alignment. Spring Works does not do 2 wheel front end only alignments. Which one your vehicle needs depends on your vehicle’s suspension. When you bring your vehicle into Spring Works, our experienced technicians will be able to tell what type of alignment your vehicle needs, so don’t worry if you don’t know what type of suspension your vehicle has.
Two wheel front-end alignment
The front-end alignment is the most basic type of alignment available and is an inferior alignment. In this type of alignment, adjustments are made to the vehicle’s front axle only with no reference to the rear axle. It’s also called a two-wheel alignment or front end alignment, since adjustments are only made to the two front wheels of the vehicle.
Thrust alignment
In a thrust alignment, the vehicle’s front wheels are aligned to its rear axle. The thrust angle is a line drawn perpendicular to the rear axle's centerline. The measurement is automatically calculated by the alignment machine. It compares the direction that the rear axle is aimed with the centerline of the vehicle. The thrust angle on a vehicle is measured when performing a four-wheel alignment. A thrust alignment is generally performed on vehicles that have a solid rear axle. in addition, the thrust angle is measured for all four-wheel alignments.
Four-wheel alignment
As the name suggests, this type of alignment involves all four wheels. It combines elements of both front-end and thrust alignments. In addition, it positions the rear axle angles. Usually, four-wheel and all-wheel drive vehicles that have adjustable and independent rear suspensions must have four-wheel alignments. Great wheel alignment service and repair by suspension specialist. Best prices expert service by Spring Works located in Santa Rosa, California.
If you’ve noticed your vehicle pulling in one direction, uneven wear on your tires, or you’ve recently hit a curb, pothole, or other object, bring it by for a wheel alignment. You can schedule your appointment online today.
