Wheel Alignment

Is Your Car Not Holding The Road?

Do you find it hard keeping your steering wheel straight? Does the vehicle veer to one side of the road or another? Are you experiencing uneven tire wear? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then it may be time to get a wheel alignment. Don’t fret though, we at Stephen’s Automotive in Rockville, Virginia, have the experience and expertise to get your vehicle back to holding the road with confidence. Whether you have an American classic, Japanese import, or German saloon, our ASE-certified technicians are ready to take on the challenge. We value the importance of quality work and good parts. Our shop policy is “Customer Safety First.” We will treat your vehicle like it’s one of our own. To that end, we’ll tell how our technicians get your vehicle back on track.

Getting You Back On Track

After we take in your vehicle, our technician will set about diagnosing what’s wrong with your alignment. They will take the vehicle for a test drive to determine the root cause of the problem. For instance, if your vehicle’s ball joints begin to fail, you may experience a clunking noise or vibrations to the steering wheel. If any of these problems are found to be the cause of the problem, then your vehicle may need additional repair. Once the technician has finished their diagnosis and completed any repair, they will put the vehicle on the alignment rack.

Using our state-of-the-art tools, they’ll fine-tune the suspension angles to fit the manufacturer’s parameters. These angles include the caster, thrust, camber, and toe. The caster is at an angle of slope on the steering. Most manufacturers have a certain degree of positive caster. Camber is the tilt of the tire. If it’s tilted outward, that means positive camber. If it’s inward, its negative camber. The balance of the camber angle across the four wheels affects tire wear. Too much camber can cause excessive wear. The thrust angle is the attitude direction your vehicle takes while in motion. When it’s out of balance, the car’s handling will be severely affected. Last thing is the toe, which is how the wheels are turned in or out when you look at them from above. It’s very important to keep the toe centered so as to avoid destroying your tires.

Avoiding Nasty Road Hazards In The Future

After finishing the alignment, the technician will take your vehicle on one final test drive before submitting their report to the service advisor. Once all is done, you will be contacted to pick up your vehicle, and we’ll take you through the work completed on your car. We’ll also fill you on what to avoid when traveling the roads. Chief among these are potholes and road debris from accidents or delaminated tires. If you believe your vehicle is in need of alignment, don’t hesitate to give us a call at (804) 749-4421 or visit us at 2382-A Lanier Road. You can schedule an appointment on our website. Our team can not wait to hear from you. We’re invested in the community around greater Rockville and take part in local fundraisers for Veterans, and the Purple Heart Foundation. We look forward to serving you and making a part of the Stephen’s Automotive family.