You have probably heard the expression, “the bigger they are, the harder they fall.” While not typically used to describe heavy-duty trucks, it is certainly applicable. After all, the biggest commercial trucks on the road often require the best inspections and maintenance programs to ensure that they can handle the loads that are asked of them. If something goes wrong with a heavy-duty commercial truck, it can mean ample time, money, and stress. One key component to maximizing the performance of these vehicles is routine heavy-duty commercial truck alignment. Just like any other vehicles on the road, heavy-duty commercial trucks can also become misaligned, which can lead to several problems both in the near term and well down the line. Regular alignments will come with three important benefits.
1. Improve Safety
The number one priority of any driver or vehicle owner should be safety—both for yourself and others on the road. If a heavy-duty commercial truck is misaligned, that can lead to several safety concerns, including tire damage, a bumpier ride, or even pulling to one side or the other.
2. Save Money on Tires and Fuel
As previously mentioned, one of the safety concerns of a misaligned heavy-duty commercial truck is tire damage. When a truck’s alignment is off, it creates uneven wear on tires. Aside from the safety issue at hand, this uneven wear leads to needing to replace tires more frequently than if the truck were properly aligned. And when you are putting thousands of miles on a truck, the cost of tires can start to add up.
In the same vein, misalignment can make the engine work harder than it needs to. Trucks are designed to operate at optimal fuel economy when functioning properly, but when misaligned it means more work for the engine and, ultimately, higher fuel consumption—something no driver wants these days, given the current gas prices.
3. Better Driving Experience
While every heavy-duty commercial truck driver wants to improve safety and save money, they also want to have an enjoyable driving experience. When trucks are misaligned, what should be a smooth ride turns into a bumpy, pulling, stressful experience—not exactly ideal conditions for someone who is operating a large commercial vehicle. By establishing and sticking to a regular maintenance schedule that includes proper alignments, these issues can be avoided and truck drivers can feel confident they will be getting the highest performance and smoothest ride out of their vehicles.
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