What is an alignment?
An alignment is the process of adjusting a vehicle’s suspension, assuring tires or wheels are properly angled and meet the manufacturer’s specifications. Alignments are part of the standard maintenance of a vehicle’s suspension and will help reduce tire wear, prevent abnormal wear, and keep your vehicle traveling straight.
When does my car need an alignment?
An alignment check should be performed annually, or more often if you drive on rough streets or off-road terrain.
An alignment check should also be performed when:
- After an accident or fender-bender
- After hitting a curb, potholes, or any impact with road hazards
- Suspension work has been done
- The vehicle has been lifted or lowered
- The car is pulling or drives unevenly
- Tires are wearing unevenly or too quickly
- New tires have been installed
Alignments at New Dimensions
Our certified technicians recognize signs of bad suspension or alignment issues by inspecting the wear of your vehicle’s tires. An alignment check is performed by lifting the vehicle, attaching devices to the wheels, and taking precise computer measurements with an alignment machine. These measurements are compared to the manufacturer’s specifications to determine whether the vehicle is out of alignment. A measurement report of the BEFORE alignment is printed; red measurements are out of spec, and green is within.
Technicians will also inspect suspension parts for damage or wear including tie rods, bushings, ball joints, wheel bearings, and more.
** It is very important to replace worn suspension parts before performing an alignment to ensure your vehicle will remain aligned. **
Once suspension parts pass inspection, the technician will perform a 4-wheel alignment by adjusting suspension angles (toe, thrust, camber, and caster) and straightening the steering wheel, assuring the vehicle meets the manufacturer’s standard angle specifications. New computer measurements will be taken and an AFTER alignment report is printed; verifying all angles are green and within spec.
Finally, a technician will test drive your vehicle to confirm it drives properly. Before and after reports will be provided to you, and a 3-month / 3K-miles guarantee is provided.
2013 Mercedes Alignment
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