It’s important to have your car’s alignment checked once a year or when new tires are installed. This service can prevent tires from wearing prematurely.
While performing a wheel alignment on a Honda CR-V, we noticed that one of its tires needed to be replaced.
Not only was the tire worn down to its tread wear indicator, it was going down to the secondary rubber. On the inside, the tire’s steel belts were showing.
In this particular case, the problem had to do with the camber adjustment being too negative which allowed for accelerated inner tire wear.
Camber, caster and toe are the main specifications our technicians check when conducting a wheel alignment.
Worn or bent suspension components and a vehicle being overloaded consistently cause this problem, as well.
Sometimes, items and their weight could impact an alignment.
If you’re consistently driving around with 1,000 newspapers in the back, for example, you may want to have the alignment done with the newspapers in the car.
A lot of cars now have specifics on how much weight is in the car, if the fuel tank is full. and the ride height, because the engineers try to compensate for this problem. However, they can’t make up for extreme conditions.
On most Hondas, you do perform a four-wheel alignment because you can adjust the rear toe from the factory settings.
How worn parts can impact a wheel alignment
When it comes to worn suspension components – like rear upper control arms on Honda CRVs and elements – the bushings go bad and the top of the tire looks like it’s leaning toward the inside of the car.
Replacing them with upgraded upper control arms – which comes with adjustments – you can then adjust the rear camber.
The strut assemblies can wear down over time and cause problems, as well.
Hitting potholes, curbs and objects in the road can bend control arms or struts and steering knuckles, which can also cause a tire wire/wheel alignment problem.
HomeTowne Auto Repair & Tire is an authorized Michelin and BFGoodrich tire dealer located in Woodbridge, Virginia. Automotive repair services are performed on all makes and models, including oil changes, brakes, alignments, inspections, and computer engine diagnostics.