What to Expect With an Alignment
1. Schedule Your Appointment
Whether scheduling online or over the phone be sure and let us know what you're experiencing so we can provide fast and accurate service advice.
2. Diagnostics and Inspections
Drop off your vehicle and the shop will get to work with inspections and diagnostics using the same equipment as the manufacturers to determine issues and next steps.
3. Digital Vehicle Inspection Report and Estimate
Following the diagnosis we will text you a digital vehicle inspection report, containing pictures and videos of our findings and recommendations.
4. Review and Approval
A service advisor will reach out to walk you through the findings and recommendations to determine how you would like to proceed, or you can approve work directly in your DVI.
5. Work Performed or Scheduled
Most work can be completed immediately, or scheduled based on parts and customer availability.
If you're concerned about the tread on your tires, we recommend the “penny test” to check your tread depth. Simply insert a penny into your tire's tread groove with Lincoln's head upside down and facing you. If you can see all of Lincoln's head, your tread depth is less than 2/32 inch and it's time to replace your tires.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I proactively schedule a wheel alignment check?
We recommend scheduling a dedicated geometric assessment every 6,000 miles or during every alternating oil change. Frequent transit across local pothole-ridden corridors accelerates tracking deviations, making regular checking vital for preventing expensive tires from wearing out prematurely down the highway.
What is the difference between a front-end and a 4-wheel alignment?
A front-end service adjusts tracking metrics strictly across the forward axle, while a comprehensive four-wheel calibration measures and corrects all angles across both axles. Most contemporary models, particularly all-wheel-drive configurations, require four-wheel tracking to ensure perfect thrust-angle alignment.
Can operating a vehicle with severe alignment issues cause a high-speed tire blowout?
Yes, absolutely. When your wheels track out of parallel alignment, the tire treads drag sideways down the highway, generating immense structural friction and heat waves. This continuous thermal strain rapidly strips away inner treading plies, causing sudden casing separation.
Why does a crooked steering wheel occur if my vehicle is tracking straight?
A crooked steering wheel indicates your front tie rods are adjusted unevenly relative to the steering rack's physical center point. While the vehicle tracks straight based on rear thrust lines, the front wheels are fighting a minor turning force, requiring mechanical adjustment.
Are your professional suspension tracking calibrations covered by active shop savings?
Overall pricing varies depending on your vehicle model and required chassis part configurations. We regularly feature front-end alignment specials and competitive structural promotions to maximize your household savings, delivering clear, upfront written estimates detailing all labor metrics before work begins.
Your Local Christian Brothers Amenities
FAQs
-
Q. "What is the difference between a wheel alignment and a wheel balance?"Wheel alignment is the term for how your wheels sit when mounted to your car and wheel balancing is what’s done to perfectly balance the weight of a tire and wheel assembly so that it travels evenly.
-
Q. "How often should I get a wheel alignment?"We recommend every 6,000 miles or when you experience signs of misalignment.
-
Q. "What causes bad alignment?"Normal wear and tear can eventually cause your car to come out of alignment, but perhaps a more sudden occurrence would be things like hitting potholes, bumping curbs, or even minor accidents. Click here to read more on the causes and consequences of bad alignment.
-
Q. "Do you offer a shuttle service?"Yes! we understand you have a full schedule. Whether you need to get to work, school, or need to attend to other responsibilities, we can take you where you need to go. Click here to learn more.
-
Q. "Do you offer a warranty?"As part of our Nice difference.® commitment to providing our customers the best auto service experience possible, we also offer a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty on all the work that we do. We offer this warranty at every Christian Brothers Automotive nationwide, and it will be honored at any location, regardless of which branch did the initial work.
-
Q. "Can you provide service under my extended warranty?"Yes. At Christian Brothers Automotive, we work with all major extended warranty providers to make needed repairs for our customers. If you have an extended warranty, you can discuss your carrier with our team when scheduling an appointment and confirm that the work will be covered. You can find a partial list of the extended warranty companies we work with here.
Have more Questions?
Our friendly auto service experts have the answers.
Call your local Christian Brothers Automotive car shop today
Hear What Our Customers Had to Say About Us
-
"I liked the customer service and going above and beyond to make sure I was comfortable while waiting in the store for my vehicle work to be done, specifically being offered a nice hot coffee with creamer."
- J.L.