If you own a car you need to provide the proper maintenance. There are many types of maintenance, such as oil changes, transmission fluid changes, etc. Another part of maintenance is taking care of your tires and wheels. Below are two types of tire and wheel maintenance you should have performed by a professional.

Balance the Tires

As you drive your car the tread on your tires will wear differently. If one tire has less tread than another your car will not drive properly. For example, your tires will become out of balance and you may feel your car vibrate or shake while you are driving.

Balancing tires can also save you money as your tires will last much longer. You will also get better performance from your car while you are driving, which can also result in your car losing less fuel.

To balance the tires, the mechanic will use a device called a calibrated spin balancer. This will test the tires while they are not moving, as well as test the tires while your car is moving. When the test is finished, the mechanic will know how they need to balance your tires.

Align the Wheels

Along with tire balancing you also need to have your wheels aligned. This is also referred to as front end alignment. This is adjusting your car's suspension. The suspension is what connects your car to the wheels. Wheel alignment also is adjusting the angles of your car's tires, so they make direct contact with the road correctly.

There are ways to know if your car needs a wheel alignment. One way is to look at the tire for uneven tread. Your car will also pull to the right or left as you are driving. Your steering wheel will be off center, and your steering wheel will vibrate as you are driving.

There are three components in the wheel: tow, camber, and caster. The mechanic uses these components to help them measure each wheel's angle and orientation.  Once the mechanic has all the information, they will adjust the angle of the wheels according to the recommendations set by the car's manufacturer.

Talk to a mechanic, such as at Foster's Auto Service Inc, about balancing the tires on your car, as well as wheel alignment, and they can give you much more information. The mechanic can also tell you about other maintenance you should have done on your car and when you should have this maintenance done.