Many are the times car owners think less of their car wheels until there is a puncture or flat-tyre. We forget that uneven tyres can drive you off the road and cause serious accidents.

Safari Ndikumana, an engineer in Kicukiro, explained that car wheels need attention just like any other part of the car. According to experts, wheel alignment consists of adjusting the angles of the wheels so that they are perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other. The purpose of these adjustments is to maximise tyre life.

This type of servicing is required when there are symptoms such as uneven or rapid tyre wear and pulling or drifting away from a straight line. However, to find out if you need an alignment, first check each tire and look for uneven wear patterns.

This method of checking however may bring to notice a need for servicing when it is too late to save the tyre. Therefore, it is advisable to have your alignment checked periodically.  Take note that a wheel alignment cannot be done on a car with loose or worn front end parts.

The technician will first check for worn parts and inform you of any problems before beginning the alignment. The best type of wheel alignment is a four wheel alignment mostly found at fuel filling stations.

Modern cars have adjustable rear alignment settings, but even for cars without adjustments in the rear, a four wheel alignment will allow the technician to identify any rear tracking problems.

After the wheel alignment is finished, you should drive the car on a straight and level road and check that the car goes straight and that the steering wheel is in the proper position with the spokes level. If you notice a problem, report back to the technician for fine-tuning.

Contact: eddiemukaaya@yahoo.com