Steering Problems? It could be the Wheel Alignment!

Has your car developed steering problems after navigating winter's icy roads filled with potholes? When driving on a straight level road, does your car pull or drift to one side or the other? Or are you feeling too much "play" in the steering wheel? It is hard for the average driver to know exactly what is causing the problem. Is it due to a poor car alignment or damage to the suspension or braking system?

If you are looking for Wheel Alignment Princeton MN than find our dedicated Automotive Service Princeton MN Services shop. Also find Exhaust Systems Princeton MN to have safe driving.

To determine whether your vehicle needs an alignment service, tire rotation, tires balanced, or some other type of repair, a skilled auto mechanic will look at four basic issues:

1. Eliminate tire problems:
   • Are all four tires inflated to the recommended pressure?
   • Is the tread and tire size the same on both front wheels?
   • Is there unusual tread wear or damage?
2. Examine the front-end alignment in rear-wheel drive vehicles:
   • Toe-in -- The front of each tire, when driving straight, points slightly to the centerline of the vehicle so that each tire has equal traction (i.e., bite) when cornering.
   • Castor -- The vertices angle of the centerline of the tire from front to back. Unless the ball joints, control arm bushings, or king pins are seriously worn, the castor won't vary much.
   • Camber -- The vertical angle of the centerline of the tire perpendicular to the cross-section of your car.
3. Perform a road test:
   • When driving on a straight level road, does your car pull to the left or the right?
   • Are there scraping, whining or grinding sounds coming from the front?
   • Are the front wheels tracking in the same groove as the back wheels?
4. Check for other car problems:
   • Worn struts or shock absorbers.
   • Worn out or loose wheel bearings, gear box, tie-rod ends, ball joints, upper and lower control arm bushings, and other steering components.
   • Uneven distribution of heavy loads.
   • Poor driving habits--hard cornering, braking, or swerving.

Important Tip: It is wise to take your car for a test drive following a wheel alignment service!

Wondering if you need a car alignment service? Contact our ASE Certified Technicians at Rum River Automotive by calling (763) 389-3811, or go on-line at http://www.rumriverauto.com for more information about steering problems. Since 1997, our auto shop has served vehicle owners in Princeton, MN and in the surrounding areas of Milaca and Zimmerman, MN.