Your truck’s alignment is an essential aspect of its reliability and ride quality. From Harold's Used Auto Parts Inc in Philadelphia, PA, here’s what you should know about the alignment on your Chevrolet, Dodge, or Ford diesel pickup, from symptoms to keep an eye on, to how it affects your vehicle.

In theory, alignment is simple; it’s just the orientation of your wheels, and how they contact the road. For a variety of reasons, such as parts wear, road conditions, and components shifting and settling over time, it is necessary to have your front end re-aligned occasionally, to ensure that the wheels are properly connecting to the road. On large, heavy vehicles like your truck, alignment is especially important - the effects of a bad alignment will be more dramatic, both in how the truck drives and how quickly parts wear out.

There are two main symptoms of bad wheel alignment; shaking or vibration and pulling/drifting as you drive down the road. When your alignment is off, the front wheels are fighting each other, other components, and the momentum of your truck. If you can feel pulsating, shaking, wobbling, or vibration, or have noticed difficulty maintaining control of the vehicle in straight lines or through corners, an alignment issue may be to blame.

Drivability isn’t the only concern with a poorly aligned front end. Tires wear out much faster, typically on the inside of the tread, costing money in premature tire failure and causing potentially dangerous situations. Wheel bearings, suspension components, and steering parts are also subjected to excess heat and stress, wearing them out more quickly and causing other issues. Fuel efficiency and handling ability are also negatively affected.

While wheel alignment is a simple concept, it’s an extremely important one that requires precision equipment and expertise to get just right. A quality alignment is necessary to ensure your steering and suspension components are working as efficiently as possible, and to achieve the best possible ride in your vehicle. With the right tools and know-how, an alignment is a quick and inexpensive solution to issues related to ride quality and parts wear, providing you with peace of mind, and keeping your truck reliably on the road.

For quality alignments and solutions to your other maintenance and repair needs, we’ve got you covered. Our technicians are experts in diesel service, repair, custom applications, diagnostics, and more. For the best diesel shop in Philadelphia, PA, call or stop by Harold's Used Auto Parts Inc today.