Tyres & Alignments

It is important to keep your wheels pointing in the same direction.

One of the most important part of your vehicle are the wheels. Without them no matter how sound your car might be it wouldn’t move anywhere. The wheels of your vehicle should be at optimum condition. That is why at Millharbour Autos we check your wheel alignment and balance.

Wheel Alignment

It’s important to keep your wheels pointing in the same direction. Wheel alignment, sometimes referred to as breaking or tracking, is part of standard vehicle maintenance that consists of adjusting the angles of wheels to the car manufacturer specifications. The purpose of these modifications is to reduce tyre wear and increase tyre life, lessen higher fuel consumption because misalignment can increase fuel consumption by 3 – 3.5%, improve vehicle handling and decreased driver fatigue and to ensure that vehicle travel is straight and true (without "pulling" to one side).

Types of Alignment Issues

At Millharbour Autos the process of wheel alignment encompasses three elements that require monitoring and adjusting to ensure correct alignment on your vehicle.

  • Toe Alignment - Toe is a measurement of how much a pair of wheels are turned in or out from a straight-ahead position. You will feel your vehicle ‘pulling’ to one side if the toe alignment is out.
  • Camber Alignment - Camber is the vertical tilt of the wheel If the camber is out of alignment it will cause the tyre tread to wear excessively on one edge or cause your vehicle to pull to one side.
  • Caster Alignment - Caster alignment is the angle of the steering pivot when viewed from the side of the vehicle. Caster has little effect on tyre wear, but it affects steering stability. If the caster is out of adjustment, it can cause problems in straight line tracking.

    • An accurate alignment also provides safe and predictable vehicle control and road holding alongside a smoother and more comfortable ride. You can count on us at Millharbour Autos to make sure that your tyres always run on the correct path.

    Wheel Balance

    Not having the wheels balanced correctly usually causes vibrations in the steering wheel and dashboard which will eventually cause untimely tyre wear and can cause damage to vehicle suspension parts. When you find that your steering vibrates above a certain mileage, this may be a sign that your wheels are not properly balanced and if left, this can not only be bothersome when you drive, but may affect the performance of your vehicle.

    At Millharbour Autos we use the latest digital balancing equipment which have the latest technology balancing wheels to the nearest gram. When you purchase new tyres for your vehicle, we would always balance your wheels due to the small inconsistencies in the rubber compound that new tyres have.

    You should also have your wheels checked or re-balanced after an impact with a kerb or pothole.