Camber plays a major role in your cornering and stability. Now, to give you a demonstration, you’re going to want to use your feet to best understand camber. Let’s get started.

Stand up. No, really, stand up. Now, place all your weight on the outside of both feet. This is what is called “positive camber.” Now do the reverse and place all your weight on the inside of your feet. That’s ’negative camber.’ Positive camber is for stability, while negative camber is common in high performance vehicles that require better cornering.

Quick fact: While some positive or negative camber is good, too much of either is bad.

All vehicles are different: An obvious fact that makes for an important point. While positive camber is used to improve ride quality and vehicle stability, high performance vehicles may require better cornering performance. Either way, your vehicle manufacturer will have the exact angles for this setting. We’ll use those angles to properly align the wheel camber.

Part of your suspension has these things called rubber bushings. Yes, this part has a funny name, but its importance is no laughing matter. Bushings can break down over time, allowing excessive movement to occur in the suspension. This additional flexibility leads to poor turning performance and accelerated and uneven tire wear.

Having alignment issues? Let’s get you back on the straight and narrow.

It’s all about straight lines with caster. Take a look at a bicycle. Trust us, this is going to be the best way to understand the caster setting. Caster is the reason your bicycle steers in a straight line even after you take your hands off the handlebar. That’s because the front spindle on your bicycle has a forward angle (caster) built in.

Your car’s caster works in the same way. When your car travels straight down the road with little handling on your part, that’s due to your caster setting. If you’re driving down a straight path but start pulling to one side, that’s a sign your caster is off. We’ll get you all fixed up and realigned.

• Directional stability: The ability to stay on a straight course with little or no effort.
• Returnability After completing a turn, your steering wheel spins back to the “straight ahead” position. You can thank the caster for that.

Having alignment issues? Let’s get you back on the straight and narrow.

Without a doubt. The caster angle is determined by your vehicle’s suspension design and the intended vehicle use. If you have a high speed, high performance ride, your sports car will need more caster to handle better on the straightaway and when coming out of turns. Can we get a vrooom over here?

Sometimes. The most obvious and easiest sign to detect is if you feel your vehicle pulling to one side. This may mean your alignment needs adjustment. To be sure though, bring it to us and let us take a look.

Quick Fact: Negative caster settings were more common when vehicles didn’t have power steering. That may be before your time, but inquiring minds want to know.

Ready for perfect alignment? So are we.

Take advantage of our Lifetime Alignment service.

Now to fully appreciate and understand this alignment angle, you’ll want to walk like a penguin. Now point your feet out. That is considered “toe out.” Ok, now point them inwards. That’s “toe in.” Pretty simple. Apply these position to your front and rear tires, and you’re now a toe alignment whiz. Go show off your new knowledge to your friends.

Total toe is meant to be at zero or close to zero while you’re cruising. If the total toe is off, severe tire wear can result. You see, proper toe settings make it possible for the least amount of resistance to occur when your tires spin. If the total toe is out of whack, you’ll experience uneven wear on the outside or inside part of your tires depending on whether your vehicle toe-in or toe-out setting is compromised.

Did you know? Toe problems are the leading cause of most tire problems and tire wear. It’s easy to miss the signs of a toe alignment problem. Having your alignment performed as recommended (approx. every 6,000 miles) will help protect your tire investment in the long run. Less tires replaced, more money in your pocket.

Ready for perfect alignment? So are we.

Take advantage of our Lifetime Alignment service.

Does the tail wag the dog? Thrust, and its respective thrust angle, all relate to the positioning angles for your back tires.

The thrust angle is the degree in which the back tires try to steer the front of the vehicle and is a major factor in your car’s ability to keep you cruising along a straight path. The more the thrust angle is off, the more the rear of the car will steer the front.

Whether your vehicle has a completely independent suspension or not doesn’t matter. It is critical to understand how the rear tires are pointed (thrust angle) to accurately adjust the front tires. It’s a complicated process, but we’ll get you pointed in the right direction.

When the thrust angle is off, it’s like walking a dog: you want to go one way, the dog wants to go the other. As it applies to your driving, if the back of the vehicle steers one way and the front another, then the vehicle is fighting itself and this causes excessive tire scrub and adds extra stress to steering and suspension components.

Quick fact: Accelerated, damaging tire and suspension wear can occur in the scenario described above, so have your vehicle’s alignment checked, especially if you’re beyond the recommended 6,000 mile alignment interval.

Get an Alignment Check and get back on the right path.

The geometric centerline is pretty much the center of the alignment universe. It’s the equator for your car. If you’re catching our drift, the geometric centerline is the line that every alignment angle is based off. It’s physically represented as the center line between the front two and back two tires. If you need a more tangible way to think about the centerline, mentally draw a line down the middle of your car from bumper to bumper.

The geometric centerline is used:

• as a reference line for rear individual toe angles
• as a reference line for thrust angle

The Steering Angle Sensor, sometimes referred to as SAS, is an electronic monitoring device. Its sole purpose is to measure the position, force and turning rate of your steering wheel. It then reports those results to the various vehicle systems depending on it.

Everything from your Electronic Stability Control to your Electric Power Steering is affected by the SAS and how you personally operate your vehicle. It is the job of the SAS to communicate and supply your unique driving habits so that your car steers in harmony with your driving habits.

In order for your alignment settings to function properly, the SAS must be reset. This is necessary for your computer to correctly process the changes that have occurred and for your computer system to relay the correct information about your steering wheel position to the systems that depend on its information to function properly.

The Steering Axis Inclination (SAI) basically operates like your caster, helping your steering wheel return to the straight-ahead position after making a turn or changing lanes. SAI is not adjustable. So, if your SAI happens to be off, this means part of your suspension is damaged or worn and will need to be replaced in order for the SAI to function as intended.

Symptoms that spell SAI trouble:

• Tires turning in or out as you’re attempting to drive straight ahead.
• Vehicle lifts slightly when you turn the wheel from the straight ahead position.

Steering Issues? We can solve them.

Pretty much everything. You could say it’s the puppet master of your suspension. Your ride’s height will determine the positioning of everything controlling your ride.

Your ride height will have a positive or negative effect on these components or alignment settings:

1. Size and position of suspension and steering parts
2. Component mounting points
3. Range of motion of your steering
4. Static alignment angles
5. Intended use of the vehicle. Off road. High performance. All have different uses, and various specifications.

Your ride height will need to be precise for your vehicle to be in perfect working order. All these factors are designed to ensure ultimate handling, performance and overall driving experience. All alignment angles will be based off your ride (chassis) height.

Quick Fact: Ride height can be affected by lugging too much around in your trunk, or simply by fair wear and tear as your vehicle ages.

Did you know? Every vehicle has a specific ride height. If it is below that height, that’s an indication that parts are worn and may need to be replaced in order for your car to align properly.

Bad roads can be your wheels’ worst enemy. If you drive down poorly maintained roads, drive through pot holes, or even hit a curb, your alignment can be greatly affected.

This can cause even the slightest, tiniest alignment issue, which can accelerate uneven tire wear. Make sure you have your alignment checked every 6,000 miles or so. Your tires and your wallet will thank you later.

Have alignment questions? Need to schedule an Alignment Check? Call us.

Repeat after us: A wheel alignment ensures optimal drivability. It will help your tires last longer, your vehicle drive smoother, ultimately keeping your wheels pointed in the right direction. And, when it drives more smoothly, it’s smooth sailing—or should we say cruising—ahead. Plus, your car will require less energy to keep going, potentially saving a ton of fuel depending on how much alignment was required.

When your car rolled off the manufacturer assembly line, it came preset with special angles that position your tires correctly. And for good reason. In order for your vehicle to travel the way it’s supposed to, it will need precise alignment. Mis-alignment can lead to uneven tire wear, poor handling and shorter tire life. Tires are expensive. Keeping them aligned isn’t.

Schedule an alignment today.

Learn about our Lifetime Alignment service.

Nope. Sorry. Regular checkups are a good defense though.

The name of the poor alignment game is uneven tire wear. Ideally, tires should wear evenly across the tread. If you’re noticing excessive wear on the rear inside tires, you may have too much junk in the trunk or need an alignment adjustment. Uneven tire wear can also result in less MPGs and more pain at the gas pump.

Quick Fact: Poor alignment can shorten a tire’s life by thousands of miles and compromise very crucial steering and suspension parts. That’s a big hit to the wallet. If you don’t want to replace tires as often and enjoy the benefits of better fuel economy, have your alignment checked, at the very least, with every other oil change or at the first sign of uneven or premature tire wear.

Get your tires pointing the right way. Schedule an Alignment Check today.

Learn about our Lifetime Alignment service.

There are some noticeable signs that could indicate a misalignment. Just use your eyes, ears and hands. Your senses (and even the good old personal hunch) are good human capital for spotting poor alignment. Here are some common signs that you are dealing with wheels with poor alignment:

• Vehicle pulling to the left or right
• Uneven or rapid tire wear
• Your steering wheel is crooked when driving straight
• Squealing tires

Noticing any of these alignment issues? Let’s get your ride pointing in the right direction again. Schedule an Alignment Check.

Quick Tip: If you are unsure about your current alignment, please give us a call. Tire misalignment can be so subtle, you may not even realize it. Luckily for your wheels, we have the precision equipment and expertise to check your alignment and fix it if needed.

Learn about our Lifetime Alignment service.

Looks like we’ve got an avid problem solver in the house. Well, let’s put your skills to work and do some solving. Even if everything feels right, and no symptoms are present, there are some more alignment issues that you can remedy yourself.

Try these out:

• Remove junk from your trunk Alignment is based on tire angles, which go hand-in-hand with vehicle chassis height. If you have too much weight loading down your back end, that lowers your vehicle height, throwing off your alignment. Remove what you don’t need, and make sure to have your alignment check since your alignment can’t adjust itself.
• Maintain correct air pressure in your tires
• Embrace conservative driving. It will place less strain on steering and suspension components which are key to maintaining proper alignment.

No set of eyeballs has ever produced an accurate alignment. A successful tire alignment hinges on using advanced computerized alignment equipment. We’re talking fractions of a degree here. Undetectable to the naked eye.

At Firestone Complete Auto Care, our advanced computerized alignment equipment configures to your vehicle’s camber, caster and toe specs.

Our Computerized Alignment Equipment:

• Measures and sets all four tires to the settings specified by your vehicle manufacturer. Accuracy and precision of this equipment minimizes accelerated tire wear and reduced fuel economy.
• Provides the most accurate reading available. Gone are the days of eyeballing wheel alignment and using tape measures and strings to set alignment angles. Our computerized alignment equipment gets the job done better and more accurately than ever before.
• Knows every vehicle. Each vehicle has different specifications provided by the vehicle manufacturer. It’s all preloaded in our equipment so you get a precise alignment.

Ready for the perfect alignment? So are we.

Take advantage of our Lifetime Alignment service.

You don’t need one, but an appointment always helps. Wheel alignments aren’t an in-and-out service. They take precision and focus and the time needed will vary based on the current condition of your ride. If your alignment is off by even a tiny fraction of a degree, it can mean trouble for your vehicle.

We’d be happy to set up a wheel alignment service time that fits your schedule and your vehicle’s needs. And, to top it all off, we’ll perform your alignment with accurate, state of the art computerized alignment equipment.

Time for an Alignment Check? Don’t know? Schedule an appointment.

Take advantage of our Lifetime Alignment service.

To quote the great Albert Einstein, “It’s all relative.” Every vehicle is different, with varying degrees of needs, making it difficult to offer a standard wait time.

Wait times all depend on your vehicle type and its present condition And, with all the angles that come into play in today’s rides, each wheel could have a minimum of three alignment angles that need adjustment – caster, camber and toe. That’s potentially 12 adjustments total. That right there means an alignment is no in-and-out-you-go service. At least, if you want it done right.

Quick fact: If you live in the snow belt and rust has set in, even the simplest adjustments can take awhile. And, remember, misalignment of any steering or suspension angle could mean a lot of accelerated wear to your tires.

Vehicles are more advanced and precise than ever before. It’s only logical that we expect more from these newer, more expensive and complex vehicles. Maintaining the ride and performance demands all your wheels, not just the front wheels, are always working together, not against one another.

For that to happen, modern vehicles must be properly aligned, and that now includes the back wheels (thrust). Where the rear wheels are pointed will determine where the front wheels are pointed. A two wheel alignment is so last century, and with that, gone are the days of the two wheel alignment.

In order to perform a proper alignment, it’s essential that we adjust the front wheels to compensate for any potential thrust angle from the back tires. It’s all about protecting your tires and preserving your ride from the damaging effects of poor alignment.

Ready for the perfect alignment? So are we.

Learn about our Lifetime Alignment service.

Believe it or not, some alignments are not adjustable. Some vehicles allow all 12 adjustments, but some are designed with fewer possible adjustments. In order to change non-adjustable angles, off-set bushings, bolts or shims may need to be installed. These modifications may vary by vehicle.

If your vehicle requires aftermarket parts to correct an out-of-spec alignment angle, we can do it. If there are worn parts that prevent accurately setting the alignment, we can replace them.

We offer three alignment services to cover all your alignment needs. These are an Alignment Check, Standard Alignment and Lifetime Alignment.

Here’s what’s included with each service:

1. Alignment Check
   • Inspect steering and suspension system, including tire condition and air pressure.
   • Put vehicle on alignment rack, mount and compensate sensors.
   • Print out alignment readings.

   Need a Alignment Check? Ask for one or schedule it today.

2. Standard Alignment
   • Inspect steering and suspension system, including tire condition and air pressure.
   • Put vehicle on alignment rack, mount and compensate sensors.
   • Print out initial alignment readings.
   • Adjust camber, caster, and toe angles, if adjustable, to manufacturer specifications (additional parts and labor may be necessary on some vehicles—see your customer service advisor for details.
   • Print out final alignment readings to verify alignment is within specification.
   • Road test vehicle—to make sure all settings are performing properly.

   Warranty: Standard Alignment service comes with a 12-month/12,000 mile limited warranty.

   Schedule your Standard Alignment service.

3. Lifetime Alignment

   All that’s offered with our Standard Alignment, but with a Lifetime Limited Warranty.* We suggest you have your alignment angles set on your vehicle every 6,000 miles or when requested, free of charge, for as long as you own the vehicle, at any of our 1,600+ locations. Talk about a valuable service for the duration of your vehicle ownership.

   Schedule a Lifetime Alignment and have your vehicle set for life.

A Standard or Lifetime Alignment can’t always solve everything. Wouldn’t that be nice, though? A part of your steering or suspension can be worn or even broken. There are a lot more parts than you think working to keep your car headed in the right direction. No matter what, we have the technicians and the parts to meet your car’s needs.

Key parts we repair or replace include:

• Ball joints
• Bushings
• Sway bar links
• Center links
• Idler arms/pitman arms
• Rack and pinion units
• Tie rod ends/sleeves
• CV joints/boots
• CV axle half shafts
• Shock absorbers
• Struts/cartridges
• Coil springs
• Universal joints and springs

Although these parts are built to endure, over time some may get damaged or worn from weather and driving conditions. If we feel you need any crucial parts replaced, we’ll be able to tell during the Alignment Check.

Having steering, suspension or alignment issues? We’ll get you straightened out.

There’s a lot going on during a wheel alignment. Although we’ll line your tires up to the exact manufacturer specified angles, along the way, parts that ensure proper alignment can wear out and become a major issue for the drivability and continued alignment of your ride.

Steering and suspension play a major role in keeping your alignment set, but if a part on your steering or suspension is worn out or broken, your alignment can’t be properly set without replacing the part.

Check out all the services we provide for your steering and suspension.

Time for an Alignment Check? Schedule yours today.

Your alignment is counting on the knowledge and know how of the professionals working on your ride. Here at Firestone Complete Auto Care, we put our technicians to the test before they have the go ahead to handle this important job.

To ensure proper alignment, we are staffed with thousands of ASE certified technicians, nationwide. Meeting your vehicle’s precise manufacturer alignment specifications is not only an expectation, it’s our expertise.

Time for an Alignment Check? Schedule yours today.

You know it. We not only offer a Lifetime Alignment service, we offer a Lifetime Alignment service that you can use at any Firestone Complete Auto Care location. That’s over 1,600 potential stores to have your car re-aligned!

So, if you’re out on the road or make a cross country move, your Lifetime Alignment travels with you and your vehicle—wherever the road takes you. Just give a call to the Firestone Complete Auto Care of your choice and they’ll perform your next wheel alignment. No problem.

Learn more about our Lifetime Alignment service.

We’ve got you covered for one alignment or for a lifetime of alignments.

Our Standard Alignment service offers a limited warranty up to 12 months or 12,000 miles (whichever comes first).

Our Lifetime Alignment service has your ride covered, well, for a lifetime of alignments (as long as you own your car!). Every 6,000 miles or when you request an adjustment, we’ll get you alignment checked and back to factory standards. For easier planning, consider having an Alignment Check with every other oil change.

Get your tires back pointing in the right direction. Schedule an Alignment Check.

Ah, the ever popular, no frills alignment. Well for one, most inexpensive alignment deals don’t cover all four wheels. In the olden days, it was common to have only two tires aligned. But now, with vehicles being more precise and advanced then ever before, only aligning the front wheels is doing less than half the job.

Front and back tire alignment is a pretty big deal. It requires a lot of calculations. Cars today are more precise and advanced. Some have suspension and stability controls that are affected by mis-alignment. Since the front and back tires work together, they need to be aligned with each other. That’s why we use state of the art computerized alignment equipment and the trusted hands of certified techs to get the job done right.

Don’t buy the ’half steak sandwich’… because that’s pretty much what a two wheel alignment will leave you with. Get the full alignment. Take your car to us, and we’ll align your vehicle with state of the art computerized alignment equipment and certified techs. You paid good money for your vehicle and tires, keep your ride running longer with a complete and precise alignment.

Get your tires back pointing in the right direction. Schedule an Alignment Check today.

Take advantage of our Lifetime Alignment service.

Sign your ride up for the Lifetime Alignment service. It’s in your car’s best interest. Look, if you plan on keeping your car for many miles to come, you’re going to need an alignment from time to time. With all those pot holes and bumps and bounces here and there, it’s actually pretty easy for your vehicle to lose alignment.

To save on the expensive cost of having to replace tires or parts sooner, schedule an Alignment Check with every other oil change or every 6,000 miles.

Our Lifetime Alignment service is a great investment compared to the Standard Alignment service. You’ll save in the long run knowing your car is properly aligned with regularly performed alignments for the entire time you own your car. We’ll align your car at any Firestone Complete Auto Care location in the country. That’s over 1,600 stores by the way.

Point your tires in the right direction. Schedule an Alignment Check today.

Learn about all the alignment services we offer.

Take advantage of our Lifetime Alignment service.