1997 Saturn SL1 Wheel Alignment Cost

To ensure the longest possible service life from tires, vehicles need their wheels aligned as part of regular maintenance. This keeps all four wheels perfectly aligned to each other, also ensuring the safest and best performing driving experience.

As tires are used they encounter four different paths, and typical driving patterns will being to wear the tires in different places. We rotate the tires so the wear of each wheel position is blended with the next. That helps tire wear patterns remain even, but does not prevent wear patterns that will prematurely ruin a set of tires. For this, the wheel alignment is necessary, and corrects the direction the wheels lean in and out, the direction they point, and the amount of stability they will have at high speed. The wheels are all corrected to the manufacturer's specifications, so the vehicle will feel like it did when it came from the factory if the wheel alignment is performed correctly, and the tires are not excessively worn.

When the wheels on a vehicle do not point the proper direction and at the right angle, the steering wheel is normally the first indication of an issue. The steering wheel will be slightly off center, but a light bump can dramatically affect the amount the steering wheel is turned while driving in a straight line. Also, the vehicle may feel as though it pulls to one side of the road, which can increase or decrease with braking. The vehicle may also feel unstable while driving at normal speeds, increasingly so with greater speed. Lastly, after these symptoms have existed for a few hundred miles, the tires will being to show patterns in the tread, also called uneven tread wear.

Poorly aligned wheels do not pose much of a problem while driving. The alignment does not usually affect any other component of the vehicle, but premature tire wear is almost always the result of continued use. If the alignment issue is severe, there is more than likely a bad or broken steering or suspension component, which will require repair before the alignment is performed. In these cases the vehicle should not be driven, as collision or loss of control may be likely.

The time between wheel alignments is typically the time it takes to wear out a set of tires, or to hit a pothole that leaves the steering wheel crooked. Often, a wheel alignment is recommended the same time new tires are installed. This occurs every 25,000-60,000 miles, so correcting any minor deviation from normal use is necessary. Lastly, if rotating the tires results in a drivability issue, you may be advised to perform an alignment.

Wheel alignments normally do not require a diagnosis. They are most often completed as scheduled maintenance, or as part of a repair necessitating removal and installation of steering and suspension components. If the alignment is being corrected because of an accident, there is a chance that the alignment cannot be fixed through adjustment, indicating frame damage has occurred.

Laser alignment machines are used to perform wheel alignments on most passenger vehicles. The machine has four alignment heads, one attached to each wheel. The heads send laser signals to a base machine, allowing the machine to calibrate the adjustments needed. The technician will follow instructional prompts from the machine and make needed adjustments.

Many facilities will have their junior mechanics handle wheel alignments. If an ASE certified technician is available, consider requesting that they do the alignment.

When vehicles have been damaged by collisions, large potholes, curbs, or anything that changes the alignment significantly, there is a chance that damage to the suspension may require replacement of various components before an alignment is performed. If the alignment is performed and the adjustments aren't able to meet manufacturer specifications, a chassis repair facility may be needed.

Accurate wheel alignments can be achieved by the DIYer, but home-made devices and creative methods are not as accurate as a laser alignment machine. Trusting professionals to handle the alignment is the best method to ensure you maintain the vehicle's road manners and your tires last as long as they should.