What Your Mechanic Doesn't Want You to Know
Reader Question: My car shakes and vibrates on the freeway, does this mean I need a front end alignment? Dear concerned car owner,How do you know if your car needs a front end alignment? Vibrations, shimmy, and shaking felt in the steering wheel are usually not a sign of needing a front end alignment. A front end alignment, or four wheel alignment as it is commonly referred to these days due to the fact that the rear end of the vehicle can also be adjusted, does just what the name implies align, or line up the direction of the wheels so the vehicle is pointed in a straight line. Caster, camber, and toe are terms used to describe the direction of the wheel in relation to the body of the vehicle. The front of the tire can be pointed in toward the center of the vehicle thus "toed in." When the front of the tire is pointed outward, it is referred to as "toed out." Both of these problems can quickly wear down the tread of a tire and can cause a "pull" in one direction of the front end. The top of the wheel can also lean in toward the center of the vehicle or lean out away from the vehicle, causing a camber problem.
This situation can also cause tire wear and a pull to one direction in the front end. Caster measures the relationship of the left and right wheels to each other. If one wheel is farther forward or back from the other wheel, then there is a caster problem. Caster will usually not cause a pull or tire wear, and this problem is commonly found on wrecked vehicles. So what causes shimmy and shakes in the front end? The biggest culprit is an out-of-balance or out-of-round tire.
As the tread on the tire wears, it will need to be re-balanced to evenly distribute the weight of the tire and the wheel. To do this, small lead weight is attached to the outside of the wheel and a machine is used to spin the tire and wheel to check balance. Tires should be balanced and rotated every 12,000 miles (approximately every four oil changes) to ensure even tire wear and extend tread life. Out-of-round means the tire has worn unevenly and cannot be balanced. An out-of-round tire will have to be replaced.
I have even seen new tires that were out-of-round due to a manufacturing defect. Hitting a curb or large pot hole can cause the wheel weights to come off, and sometimes the weights sling off the wheel at high speed if they were not installed properly. Out-of-round or out-of-balance will not cause a pull in the front end, but will definitely cause shakes and shimmies. If you can drive out of a shake or shimmy by varying the speed of the car, it is a good clue that you have an out-of-balance problem. A simple way to check tire balance: if the shimmy is present at one speed, but better or not present at a different speed, then a balance problem is likely.
An out-of-round tire or a bent wheel will usually produce a wobble or shimmy at all speeds, and replacement of the tire or wheel is usually the cure. Regular tire rotation is the best way to extend the life of a tire. Ask your mechanic which way to rotate the tires depending on how the tread is wearing. Crossing tires in an "X" pattern is usually the standard way to rotate most tires, but moving the front tires to the back in some cases is recommended to place the best tires on the front. The majority of the stopping power of the vehicle comes from the front brakes, so the best tires should stay on the front for safety.
Caution: Some tires are "directional" and must stay on one side of the vehicle, due to the fact that the tire was made for the tread to only travel in one direction.A vibration or shaking that is felt in the steering wheel only when the brakes are applied is not a front end alignment problem, but a brake problem. Have the brakes inspected and make sure to tell your mechanic about the shaking that you feel in the steering wheel when you apply the brakes. This vibration may not be felt by the mechanic on a quick test drive around the block, so be specific. During this brake inspection, it would also be a great time to rotate the tires since you are already paying the labor to remove the wheels.I have developed a quick and easy to use maintenance schedule that can help keep you up-to-date on the items mentioned above. These schedules are free for you to view and print outhttp://www.trustmymechanic.com.
Keep Your Dodge Tires for a Long Time
The tires are very much known as the part of the vehicle that keeps the vehicle on the road and also helps in making the ride much more comfortable. Did you know that tires have rating systems? Well, this is quite true and these ratings are actually to provide information on the tire's traction, tread wear, speed rating, load rating, and temperature resistance. You see, a car's performance is greatly affected by the type of tire that it has.
Vibration and shaking are two of the major problems that passengers could feel when a tire rotates. The best thing to do if you encounter a problem such as this would be to have your tires properly balanced.
So how do you achieve this kind of balance for your tires? Try to position the weights of the wheel. By doing such, you actually counterbalance the heavy parts and spots of the whole wheel and tire assembly. You see, if your wheels are properly aligned, the angles of your wheels are adjusted so as to suit the correct...
Keep Your Dodge Tires for a Long Time
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Flat Tire Fix It
Flat tires are one of the most common troubles that car owners and vehicle drivers encounter. This happens mostly when the owner or the driver do not give much attention to the car's tires. Keeping your cool when your car's tire runs flat would help you out a lot. After all, the situation could be remedied in no time at all.
First off, you should turn your car's flashers on as you slowly pull of the road.
Make sure that you park your car in an area which is away from any traffic. But it is also important that you are visible from the road and not secluded. If possible, try to find an area that is flat and level. Parking on inclines could make changing your flat tire quite a challenge. When you have already found your spot and have safely parked your car, make sure that you do inform other motorists that you are in some kind of car trouble.
Put up your flares.
Your car could actually roll while you are trying to fix the flat tire so...
Toyo tires > Flat Tire Fix It
Digitaria Announces Appointment of New Senior Art Director
San Diego, CA, (ContentDesk) August 24, 2005 - Digitaria, specializing in interactive communications, is pleased to announce the hiring of Paul Drohan as a Senior Art Director. Drohan brings seven years of experience in all areas of design and branding, with particular expertise in creating online brand experiences. Prior to coming to Digitaria, Drohan worked for 2Advanced Studios, where he served most recently as Senior Art Director, responsible for accounts such as Toyo Tires, O'Neill Surf, Taylormade, and Broadcom Life. Digitaria has succeeded in strengthening the existing team and bringing in many key members, like Drohan, who provide a depth of experience to propel the company into its next growth phase. Drohan reports to Daiga Atvara, chief creative director who supervises several accounts including Sony Electronics, QUALCOMM, ASICS Shoes, LG Mobile Phones, etc.Paul Drohan, senior art director of Digitaria said, "The most exciting aspect of Digitaria right now is their willingness...
Digitaria Announces Appointment of New Senior Art Director
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How To Visually Inspect A Used Car For Sale
There are always plenty of used cars for sale, and if you are looking to buy a used car, one of the most important parts of the buying process is to visually inspect it yourself to determine it's condition. Unless you are an auto mechanic, you probably won't be able to get a thorough picture of the mechanical shape of the car, but you can still learn a lot by doing a proper visual examination.
Before you begin, it's a good practice to have a checklist with you that allows you to make notes about what you see as you go. This can be important, especially if you are looking at more than car at a time. It's easy to get confused and not be able to recall specific details about each car after you have seen several in a row, so being organized about the process can help out a lot.
The outside is a good place to start, so look over the car body very carefully. Look for any evidence that the car has been in an accident in the past.
Does the paint match on...
How To Visually Inspect A Used Car For Sale
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See And Be Seen
Tips for parents on how to keep kids safe on the street(NC)?Hopping on the bus, walking home with friends, or even riding a bike to school for the first time ? there are so many milestones that children experience throughout their first few years of school, and many of these experiences involve learning how to use neighbourhood streets.This fall, Alliance Tire Professionals and the Canada Safety Council are encouraging kids to "see and be seen" through an innovative program running in conjunction with National School Safety WeekTM in October. K.O.P. ? Kids On Patrol ? promotes the importance of road safety to young children through resources provided to schools across the country."October is a key month for school safety," says Emile Therien, president, Canada Safety Council. "Increased hours of darkness combine with the excitement around Halloween to make pedestrian safety a major issue for kids at this time of year. "As part of the "see and be seen" theme, children across Canada...
See And Be Seen
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