B & L Automotive

Newport News drivers ought to be concerned about wheel alignments for two primary reasons: safety and money. When your wheels are out of alignment, they can pull to one side, maybe pretty hard. A moment of inattention could put you into on-coming traffic or off the road. And a bad alignment will chew up your tires very quickly while driving on VA freeways and surface streets.

We had one guy at B & L Automotive who said his sedan wheels were a little out of alignment before a family vacation, but he didn’t think it was that bad so he didn’t take care of it before he left. A couple days and a thousand miles later his front tires were worn down to the cords. He had to take a half day out of his mountain vacation to find a town big enough to have a tire center for replacements.

All four wheels are supposed to be lined up and point in the same direction. Sometimes one or more goes out of alignment and is pulling against the rest of the team. In addition to excessive tire wear, this also hurts fuel economy.

Part of the alignment service at B & L Automotive is an inspection of the steering and suspension components. Whatever caused the wheels to be knocked out of alignment in the first place may have also damaged important parts. So we want to be sure to replace broken or bent parts as needed. The process corrects alignment of each wheel along three axes: toe, camber and caster, as well as front to rear alignment.

Your sedan owner’s manual may have a recommendation for how often alignment should be checked. If not, ask your friendly B & L Automotive service advisor. Here are some things to look for that should get you in for an alignment check right away: Your sedan is pulling to one side, your steering wheel isn’t centered, you feel a vibration at speed or you see unusual tire wear.

In addition to wheel alignments, we perform timing belt and factory maintenance.

Give us a call

B & L Automotive
13539 Jefferson Ave
Newport News, VA zip code 23608

At B & L Automotive in Newport News VA (23608) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 757.833.0736. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

When all of a vehicle’s wheels are lined up exactly with each other, your wheels are in alignment. Hitting a road hazard in Newport News or even just the normal bumps and bounces of everyday VA driving can cause your sedan wheels to be out of alignment. This can lead to expensive premature tire and suspension wear.

Here are some alignment basics from B & L Automotive:
The first angle is called toe: do the wheels point in towards each other or away from each other at the front of the tire.
The next angle is called camber: do the wheels tip in or out at the top.
And finally, there is castor. Castor measures the angle where the front axles attach to the vehicle.

The ideal alignment for your sedan was designed by its engineers. B & L Automotive alignment service starts with an inspection of the steering and suspension – so see if anything’s bent, broken or worn out. Then the B & L Automotive technician will look at tire condition. From there, the sedan is put on an alignment rack and an initial alignment reading is taken. The wheels are then aligned to manufacturer’s specifications.

Your owner’s manual probably has a recommendation for how often your sedan alignment should be checked – usually every couple of years. If you suspect an alignment problem with your sedan, get it checked at B & L Automotive before you suffer expensive tire or suspension damage.

Give us a call

B & L Automotive
757.833.0736
13539 Jefferson Ave
Newport News, VA 23608

At B & L Automotive in Newport News VA (23608) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 757.833.0736. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Wheel alignment is often overlooked by busy Hampton car owners until serious tire damage has been done. One wheel can be knocked out of alignment from the rest by hitting a curb or pothole on Hampton roads.

The tires will wear out very quickly and will need to be replaced prematurely. It could also lead to suspension damage. Conversely, worn suspension or steering components can lead to alignment problems for Hampton motorists.

But the big issue for Hampton motorists is safety. When your sedan wheels are out of alignment, the vehicle will pull to one side, which could lead to an accident. When you’re out of alignment, you should have it taken care of right away at B & L Automotive.

Signs of alignment problems are: Your car pulls to one side. Also, your steering wheel may not be centered when you’re going straight. If you see the edges of one or more tires rapidly wearing down, you should have your technician at B & L Automotive look it over.

If you’ve been in an accident in Hampton that involved a wheel, you should get your alignment checked. A big jolt can seriously knock things out of alignment, but Hampton drivers also need to understand that a series of smaller ones can add up. Worn steering or suspension components can also lead to alignment problems for Hampton drivers. That’s why your sedan manufacturer recommends periodic alignment checks.

If your sedan owner’s manual doesn’t specify, once a year might be appropriate. Or check with Brad Brown or your service advisor at B & L Automotive in Newport News. He’ll also be able to tell you if your vehicle requires a four wheel alignment or if just the front wheels can be aligned.

One thing’s for sure: the cost of the alignment at B & L Automotive is cheaper than having to buy a couple of new tires because of neglect.

Give us a call:

At B & L Automotive we install quality NAPA replacement parts. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

The following Alignment video is presented by B & L Automotive:

The following Alignment animation is presented by B & L Automotive:

It’s no surprise that your vehicle will drive better in the Gloucester Point area if all the wheels are pointed in the same direction. That’s called wheel alignment. If your wheels are out of alignment you may notice that your truck pulls to one side or the other.

Something that you won’t notice right away, but you will if you keep driving around Gloucester Point when you’re out of alignment, is that your tires are wearing unevenly and fairly quickly.. That’s because when the vehicle is pulling to one side, you have to steer it back straight. The outside of the tire just wears out fast because you’re constantly turning, which can be very exhausting on a long road trip from the Gloucester Point area – fighting to keep the vehicle going straight down the road.

Some of the things that commonly throw a wheel out of alignment are slamming into a pothole in Gloucester Point, smacking a curb in Hayes or something like a rock in Newport News. And it doesn’t have to be a big shock, it can just be the regular bumps and bangs of daily driving that add up and eventually take your vehicle out of alignment. That’s why your owner’s manual or Newport News service advisor at B & L Automotive may suggest having your alignment checked periodically.

With an alignment service at B & L Automotive, we measure each wheel’s alignment and to see where they are relative to factory specifications. While we have the vehicle on the alignment rack, we inspect the tires for wear as well as the suspension and steering components for damage or wear – things that can contribute to alignment problems. With some trucks you can adjust all four wheels so we bring all wheels into alignment. On those vehicles where you can only adjust the front wheels, we bring the front into alignment relative to the rear.

Cost varies by whether or not it’s two or four wheel adjustable. Four-wheel drive vehicles may have an additional charge because they’re more difficult to align. At any rate, it’s cheaper than having to replace tires every few months.

If it’s been a while since you’ve had your wheels aligned, bring your vehicle to B & L Automotive in Newport News VA for an alignment check.

B & L Automotive
13539 Jefferson Ave
Newport News, VA 23608
757.596.0512

At B & L Automotive in Newport News VA we install quality NAPA replacement parts. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.