Wheel alignment keeps steering stable, tires wearing evenly, and driver assist features behaving as designed. Still, a lot of advice about alignments is outdated or just plain wrong.
Let’s clear up the most common myths so you know when an alignment truly protects your car and budget.
1. “Alignment Is Only for Cars That Pull.”
A steady pull is one symptom, not the only one. Slight toe errors can shave rubber off the inner or outer shoulders without any obvious drift. You may notice a faint steering wheel tilt, light feathering across the tread, or a car that feels “busy” on straight roads. Catching small angle changes early prevents premature tire replacement.
2. “You Only Need an Alignment After a Big Hit.”
Curb strikes and potholes can definitely bend things, but normal wear moves angles too. Rubber bushings relax with age, springs settle, and tie-rod ball sockets develop tiny amounts of play. Even a fresh suspension install can shift a degree or two after its first few heat cycles. An alignment check after new tires, major suspension work, or a year of mixed driving is cheap insurance.
3. “New Tires Don’t Need an Alignment.”
Fresh tires mask issues for a few weeks, then shoulder wear returns. The new tread is tall and compliant, so it takes a set quickly to whatever angles the car has today. Aligning when you install tires helps them start life straight, reduces the chance of noise as they age, and keeps warranties easier to honor because wear patterns look correct from day one.
4. “Toe Is the Only Angle That Matters.”
Toe chews tread fastest, but camber and caster decide how stable the car feels and how evenly the contact patch loads in corners and under braking. Too much negative camber can cook inner shoulders on highway commuters. A weak caster makes the wheel reluctant to self-center. On vehicles with driver assist systems, angle errors can confuse lane-keeping and pull-compensation features.
5. “All Alignments Are the Same.”
They are not. Equipment accuracy, vehicle setup, and whether worn parts are corrected first decide how long the result lasts. A quick toe tweak on a car with a tired control-arm bushing might look fine on the screen, then drift out the moment it hits a speed bump. Our technicians measure, load the suspension correctly, and confirm the wheel is centered on the road, not just on the rack.
Quick Clues Your Alignment Is Drifting
- Light steering wheel tilt on straight, flat pavement
- Inner or outer shoulder wear that returns soon after rotations
- A car that follows road grooves or needs frequent micro-corrections
- Squeal from front tires during slow parking maneuvers
- Lane-keeping or pull-compensation that overcorrects or feels inconsistent
What a Modern Alignment Involves
Today’s chassis need more than “set toe and go.” A quality job starts with tire pressures and a look at wheel and hub runout, so a bent rim does not hide as an angle error. Suspension play is checked at every pivot, then camber, caster, and toe are measured against service data with the vehicle at the proper ride height.
Where the platform allows, camber and caster are adjusted to the green, not just close enough. We road-test to verify a centered wheel and confirm the car tracks straight with light hands.
Smart Timing for Alignment Checks
Think event-based rather than mileage-only. Plan a check when you: mount new tires, feel a new vibration or drift, notice shoulder wear, replace control arms, struts, or tie rods, or finish a season of rough roads. One quick visit here can save a set of tires later.
We like to see a printout you can keep, so trends are easy to compare the next time.
Get Accurate Wheel Alignment in Ft. Collins, CO with Community Auto
If your wheel sits a little off center, shoulder wear keeps returning, or the car feels vague on straight roads, schedule an alignment with Community Auto in Ft. Collins, CO. Our team of certified mechanics inspects for worn parts first, then sets camber, caster, and toe precisely so the car tracks straight and tires last.
Book your alignment today and drive away with a centered wheel and quiet, even tread.