If your vehicle is pulling to one side or the other, it’s important to have your alignment checked as soon as possible. A misaligned vehicle can cause uneven tire wear, and if left unchecked, can lead to more serious problems like premature tire failure or damage to your suspension components.
There are a few different types of alignment that you may need at some point: caster adjustment, camber adjustment, and toe adjustment. Caster refers to the angle of the steering axis in relation to the ground, and camber is the angle of the wheel in relation to the vertical plane. Toe is how far forward or backward the wheel is pointing in relation to where it should be pointing.
Most vehicles will have some sort of caster and camber adjustment built into them from the factory, but over time these settings can change due to normal wear and tear on suspension components. If you notice that your vehicle is starting to pull to one side or the other while driving, it’s a good idea to have an alignment technician take a look at it so they can make any necessary adjustments.
Depending on what type of adjustment is needed, there are a few different ways that it can be done. For minor adjustments, shims (thin pieces of metal or plastic) can be used between different suspension components to change the angles slightly. For more major adjustments, special brackets may need to be installed or existing ones modified so that they hold everything in place better. In extreme cases, replacing worn out suspension components may be necessary in order for proper alignment angles to be achieved again.