Tire Alignment And Semi Trucks: What You Should Know

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Understanding Auto Service Tasks

Hello, my name is Davey Jerome. Welcome to my site about auto service. When I was a young boy, the first task I learned to perform on my dad’s truck was an oil change. I delighted in letting the old oil flow out into the drain pan and removing the old filter. Adding the new filter and oil seemed to rejuvenate that old truck and ready it for another day of work on the farm. I will use this site to explore the process of performing automotive services on your own. I hope you can use the information on my site to learn about this important task.

Tire Alignment And Semi Trucks: What You Should Know

11 November 2017
 Categories: , Blog

If you own a semi truck, the alignment of the tires is extremely important. However, a lot of the tires on semi trucks are not properly aligned, which can lead to needing repairs or new tires more frequently. If you are hearing this, you may have many questions about the tire alignment and your semi truck. Here are a few of these questions and the answers. 

Why is Wheel Alignment Important for a Semi Truck?

Wheel alignment helps you to control your vehicle. When the wheels are not properly aligned, your semi truck can pull in one direction. This makes it harder to control your truck when going at high rates of speeds and when making sharp turns. Additionally, aligning the tires properly helps to extend the life of your tires. Tires that are not properly aligned will wear faster and incorrectly. This can cause flat tires, bald tires or blowouts. 

Does Trailer Wheel Alignment Impact Alignment for the Truck?

In addition to aligning the tires on your semi-truck, you also want to ensure the tires on any trailer you are hauling are also aligned. If the tires on your semi truck are aligned, but the tires on the trailer are not, the wheels on the trailer can pull your truck in one direction or the other. This can lead you you jack knife or veer out of your lane. Additionally, it can also cause the tires on the trailer to wear faster or incorrectly. 

How Does a Semi Truck Repair Shop Align the Tires? 

A repair shop typically uses an electronic sensor to measure the axle and the thrust line. They can then use this information to align the axle down the center of the frame. From there, the tires can be properly aligned on the axle. The wheels are then tested to ensure they all roll in the same direction and close to the same speed. It is important to have your tires aligned routinely, as the axles and wheels can become unaligned if you hit a pot hole, drive over rough road or simply drive for a prolonged period of time. 

Properly aligning the tires on both your semi truck and the trailer helps to extend the life of the tires, prevent blow outs, and ensures the axles do not become damaged. If it has been some time since the wheels on your semi truck have been aligned, bring your truck in to a semi truck repair shop today, like Jason's Auto Repair.