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How much does a wheel alignment cost?

In Alignment by Steves Auto Repair and Tire

Like state inspections, wheel alignments should be done annually. This service can help you get the most out of your tires by preventing them from wearing out too soon, saving you money in the long run.

The type of alignment needed is based on the vehicle. Two-wheel alignments, which are also called front-end alignments, are performed on most pickup trucks. Four-wheel alignments, on the other hand, are conducted on most cars.

While doing an alignment, we check a few adjustments, such as caster, camber and toe. Caster is the angle of the wheels toward the front or back. Meanwhile, camber describes how they slant inward and outward. Toe refers to where the wheels are in relation to the center of the vehicle.

The wheels are inspected and a test drive is performed, as well.

How much is a wheel alignment?

The cost of a wheel alignment can be affected by different circumstances, including how old a vehicle is, the make and model, and the type of alignment needed.

An alignment costs between $80 and $188. This is how it breaks down, according to the type of vehicle.

The wheel alignment cost of a 2 wheel alignment or a 4 wheel alignment costs about $100. That is before any discounts or coupons.

If you have a GM truck, you could be looking at $146, due to the upper control arm adjustments needed. It takes a bit longer to do this service.

If you have a lifted truck and/or aftermarket suspension parts, it could cost $188. 

These costs do not include additional services that are needed. This includes suspension components becoming worn or seized by rust, bushings that have gone bad, and needing special parts, such as ball joints and adjustable control arms that would need to be installed to bring an alignment back into the correct specifications.

For vehicles that only need front end adjustments – which you could normally do a two wheel alignment on – the back may be modified with shims on the backing plates to bring the toe and camber into the right specs, even if they aren’t on car adjustments.

Cars that have toe specifications on all four wheels may require other parts to change the caster and camber. 

Vehicle safety systems, such as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), could impact the cost, because after getting an alignment there may be a system that needs to be recalibrated.

Shopping for a cheap alignment only based on price isn’t a good idea. 

Many places will technically put the readings in the green, but it may not be a good overall alignment. The manufacturers provide a range of adjustments. Even if they may be in the green, if the tires are pointed slightly to the left, it could cause the vehicle to pull while going down the road.

Our technicians look at the overall alignment, not just trying to turn the screen green.

Sometimes, even though the specifications may be technically just outside the green zone on the screen, it isn’t always necessary to replace parts to compensate for it. The amount of wear would be so minuscule, repairs may not be needed. 

That’s the type of information our technicians and service writers bring to our customers to help them make the best decision about a wheel alignment.

Steve’s Auto Repair & Tire is an authorized Goodyear tire dealer located in Woodbridge, Virginia. Automotive repair services are performed on all makes and models, including BMW and Mercedes. Services include oil changes, brakes, alignments, inspections, and computer engine diagnostics.

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Why is my vehicle swaying from side to side?

In Alignment, Tires and Wheels by Steves Auto Repair and Tire

Is your vehicle swaying from side to side?

It could be a sign that a part needs to be replaced.

This was the case with a 2004 Ford F250 that was dropped off. Our customer, who bought the truck recently, felt like it was wandering. He compared it to the swaying of a boat.

There were no braking problems or steering wheel issues. The driver also didn’t feel any vibrations.

Brian checked out the truck and determined that it needed a new drag link. This part connects the steering gear box and tie rod ends and is usually found on larger vehicles, such as trucks and vans.

New drag link.

After the drag link was installed, we performed a wheel alignment.

We recommend having wheel alignments – also known as “tire alignments” – performed once a year, or when you get new tires or steering suspension components.

Others vehicle swaying causes

A bad drag link isn’t the only possible reason why a vehicle is swaying. 

Loose suspension parts, such as ball joints and tie rods, may also cause it to feel unstable.

Tire wear can also impact steering.

In order to pass the Virginia Safety Inspection, the minimum tread depth of a tire is 2/32 of an inch. Manufacturers may recommend replacing the tires between 3/32 of an inch to 5/32 of an inch.

Steve’s Auto Repair & Tire is an authorized Goodyear tire dealer located in Woodbridge, Virginia. Automotive repair services are performed on all makes and models, including BMW and Mercedes. Services include oil changes, brakes, alignments, inspections, and computer engine diagnostics. 

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When to get wheel alignments

In Alignment by Steves Auto Repair and Tire

There are many tasks that we need to do regularly: go to the grocery store, exercise, do laundry …

And while we may not enjoy all of these activities, we realize that they’re important.

The same goes for wheel alignments.

Also called “tire alignments”, wheel alignments prevent premature wear in your car’s tires.

How often to have wheel alignments performed

A car alignment should be performed once a year, or whenever you purchase new tires or steering suspension parts.

It can be thrown off by potholes, curbs and suspension wear.

You may notice some symptoms when you need one, such as a crooked steering wheel, uneven tire wear, or the car pulling to one side. Sometimes, a bad tire can cause a vehicle to pull and be mistaken for needing a wheel alignment.

Wheel Alignment Specifications.

Wheel Alignment Specifications

Conducting a tire alignment

There are two different types of alignments — a four-wheel alignment is required for most vehicles, and a two-wheel alignment is used on most pickup trucks.

When doing an alignment, our technicians check the tires and take the car for a test drive. Then, the vehicle is placed on a rack and clamps are secured to the tires.

We check different specifications, including caster, camber and toe. Caster refers to how wheels are angled forward or backward, and camber is how they go in or out. Toe is the term used to explain how far to the left or right the wheels are from the car’s center.

If the car uses driver assist, an Advanced Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS) system reset may be needed after the alignment is complete.

Steve’s Auto Repair & Tire is an authorized Goodyear tire dealer located in Woodbridge, Virginia. Automotive repair services are performed on all makes and models, including BMW and Mercedes. Services include oil changes, brakes, alignments, inspections, and computer engine diagnostics.

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Servicing vehicles with driver assist

In Alignment, Maintenance, Safety by Steves Auto Repair and Tire

Today, many vehicles use Advanced Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS).

For the automotive field, servicing vehicles with driver assist has started to become a challenge, even when it comes to regular maintenance.

Parts of the ADAS system can include: adaptive cruise control, emergency braking, pedestrian detection, collision avoidance, lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition, cross traffic alert, surround view, blind spot detection, park assist, rear collision warning, and rear park assist/back up park assist with surround view.

Some of the things that work with the sensors are: long range radars, LIDAR, cameras, short-medium range radars, and ultrasound.

Driver assist features graphic.

Driver assist

Driver assist resets

Depending on the vehicle, there are different levels of ADAS system resets — some of them are passive, some are hard resets where you have to use targets.

Some vehicles have different radar set ups and blind spot detection, which require different targets on certain vehicles, and they can be kind of tricky to reset.

Replacing a windshield with the incorrect kind of windshield may not allow the ADAS system to work correctly. Even body shops putting metallic paint on a car can impact the sensors located on the front bumper.

An ADAS system reset may also be needed after a wheel alignment or if technicians remove the bumper to replace the timing belt.

Why ADAS system resets are important

Another challenge is that a lot of people don’t know that a reset is needed. There’s no direct warning light for ADAS, unless you have a driver’s information center. So, you could be driving the car and not know the system isn’t set up correctly to help you in an emergency situation. 

In extreme conditions of the ADAS system not working correctly, the car may try to compensate for your regular driving.

So, if your vehicle has an ADAS system and you bring it to a repair shop, you may want to ask them if the work will affect your driving assist system. That way you can make sure that it does get reset.

What we see is a lot of people in the industry don’t even know that they’re supposed to do it.

Steve’s Auto Repair & Tire has invested in the complete ADAS system — everything from Fords, Chevys, Subarus, Mercedes, BMWs. We even can do the camera systems and the targeted systems.

It’s quite an investment, but we know that we need to make sure that we’re fixing these cars correctly, and we’re keeping your family safe on the road.

Steve’s Auto Repair & Tire is an authorized Goodyear tire dealer located in Woodbridge, Virginia. Automotive repair services are performed on all makes and models, including BMW and Mercedes. Services include oil changes, brakes, alignments, inspections, and computer engine diagnostics.

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Are my tires getting old?

In Alignment, Tires and Wheels by Steves Auto Repair and Tire

One of the tires on your vehicle is looking a little low, and you decide to have it checked out.

When you grab your phone — or computer — and Google “Tire shop near me,” many businesses will mostly likely appear. In addition to finding a shop that’s conveniently located near you, it’s a good idea to check out their reviews and services.

Tire repair is one of the services Steve’s Auto Repair & Tire provides.

How often tire replacement should be done

Over time, tires wear out and are in need of replacing.

The latest you should wait to replace your them is eight to 10 years. We recommend that you begin planning for new tires at six years, depending on the climate.

If you live in Northern Virginia, tires tend to last a long time. Those residing near the beach — where it’s saltier — may need to replace them every four to six years.

How to tell if your tires are getting old

You can tell the age of a tire by looking at its date code. A date code tells you the week and the year it was manufactured. This can help you determine if the tire is getting too old.

An example is if the last four digits of the DOT code are 0304. That would mean the tire was produced during the third week of the year 2004.

Steve’s Auto Repair & Tire, which is a Virginia Safety Inspection station, looks at tires during the annual Virginia Safety Inspection.

The minimum tread depth Virginia Safety Inspection specification is 2/32 of an inch, but the manufacturer may recommend that the tires need to be replaced by 3/32 of an inch to 5/32 of an inch, depending on the tire. 

The spare tire may be as old as your vehicle. When getting new tires, you should also consider replacing the spare, even if it hasn’t been used. Spare tires that are stored in a vehicle can deflate over time. Those located underneath vehicles, such as trucks, are out in the open, where they face weather conditions and debris.

Having a wheel alignment performed when you replace your tires and every 15,000 miles is also important.

If you don’t do a regular wheel alignment, your tires can experience premature wear. A tire with a 60,000 mile tread life can decrease to 30,000 miles.

Steve’s Auto Repair & Tire is an authorized Goodyear tire dealer located in Woodbridge, Virginia. Automotive repair services are performed on all makes and models, including BMW and Mercedes. Services include oil changes, brakes, alignments, inspections, and computer engine diagnostics.