April 29, 2024

Mileage Matters: Why Regular Wheel Alignments Are Important

Travelling on the road isn’t always smooth and easy. Potholes, road debris, hard to spot curbs and bad shocks and struts can cause general wear and tear including throwing your wheels out of balance. A wheel alignment in Brisbane literally sets you straight again.

Your wheels are an essential part of your vehicle, and keeping them properly aligned and in top condition is essential to getting the most out of Mazda’s ‘Soul of Motion’ experience. Wheels that aren’t properly aligned can cause your tyres to wear out faster and have you spending big to replace them before their time. They also put needless stress on the suspension system of your Mazda.

The general wisdom is that you should book a wheel alignment twice a year or every 10,000 kms, which makes a car service the perfect time for a wheel alignment in Brisbane.

Aspley Mazda offers a wheel alignment with every service. Drop into our Mazda service centre on the north side of Brisbane to preserve your tyres, your suspension and your whole quality of driving experience.

What is a wheel alignment?

Your wheel alignment is the angle of your wheels relative to each other and to the body of your vehicle. It’s a different art to wheel balancing, which is adjusting a wheel or tyre’s weight distribution. If you’re driving in a straight line and find that your steering wheel is off-centre or your vehicle is pulling to the left or the right, that’s a sign that it’s time to get your wheel alignment checked. Uneven tread on your tyres is another giveaway.

Three important factors in wheel alignment are camber, caster and toe angles: the angles at which your vehicle’s tyres and the road meet. Camber is the wheel’s angle when you view your car from the front, and if your camber angle is misaligned, one side of the wheel will wear out a lot quicker than the other. Caster refers to the pivot angle when you use your steering wheel to turn your car’s front wheels. Toe angle refers to how the angles of your tyres compares to your vehicle’s centre line when you look down at it from above.

What happens during a wheel alignment?

During a wheel alignment, a trained technician adjusts the angles of the wheels relative to each other and to the frame of the car. This involves adjusting the camber, caster and toe angles to the specifications the manufacturer has laid out.

The mechanic will drive the vehicle onto an alignment rack and mount it to a comfortable position to work on. The mechanic will mount targets to the wheel ends to match the rack’s manufacturer, and adjust the camber and caster angles before moving onto the toe one.

Benefits of a wheel alignment

How is getting a wheel alignment good for your vehicle and you? Here are some of the biggest benefits to receiving a wheel alignment in Brisbane from Aspley Mazda:

Better safety

A wheel alignment in Brisbane will provide your car with better stability and handling, reducing the risk of accidents.

Extended tyre lifespan

Wheel alignments make your tyres go a lot further and save you money on having to replace them early.

Better fuel efficiency

Properly aligned tyres experience less resistance, which makes your fuel go a lot further between savings at the pump.

More comfortable driving

A car that’s properly aligned provides smoother handling and a more comfortable ride, allowing you to experience Mazda’s elegance and grace properly.

Longer-lasting steering and suspension parts

Proper alignment means less stress on your car’s steering and suspension components, which helps both of them last a lot longer.

Higher resale value

If you decide to sell your car, a vehicle that’s been properly taken care of – including regular wheel alignments – will command a higher price than one that hasn’t received the same level of care.

Book your wheel alignment with Aspley Mazda

Need a place to get your car’s wheels aligned? Booking a wheel alignment in Brisbane with Aspley Mazda can be added to your service, or booked on its own. It’s an easy and convenient way to maximise the lifespan of your tyres.

Aspley Mazda provides services for all car brands. Our car service options are designed to suit your lifestyle, so our options include Quick-Smart Servicing in 90 minutes and Mobile Servicing that involves us coming out to you. While you wait for your car to be serviced, you can sit back in our service lounge with a complimentary barista-made coffee and Wi-Fi access.

Established more than 50 years ago, Aspley Mazda is a Mazda service centre and dealership committed to serving the people of Brisbane’s northside. A family owned and operated business, our commitment to quality customer service has seen Mazda reward us with their prestigious ‘Master Dealer’ award in 2020. We’ll bring the same degree of commitment and dedication when we undertake your wheel alignment in Brisbane.

Book your car service with Aspley Mazda or get in touch with our team.