Pulling to one side, a steering wheel that isn't centered going straight, or tires wearing unevenly on one edge are signs an alignment is off — usually from a pothole, a curb strike, or new tires installed without checking it. San Antonio Tire Shop checks all four wheels against factory specs on a walk-in basis, seven days a week.
A car doesn't need to be freshly hit by a pothole to need an alignment. Tires wearing faster on one edge than the other, a steering wheel that sits crooked going straight, or a pull to one side at highway speed are usually alignment symptoms, not tire defects. San Antonio Tire Shop checks camber, caster, and toe against the manufacturer's factory numbers on all four wheels, not just the front two.
New tires are also a normal trigger for an alignment check — a worn suspension component or an alignment that's already off will wear a fresh set exactly like it wore the old one. Current hours: Mon–Sat 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM, Sun 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM.
What does out of alignment actually mean?
Three angles matter: camber, which is how much the tire tilts in or out when you look at the car from the front; caster, the angle of the steering axis that keeps the car tracking straight instead of wandering; and toe, whether the front edges of the tires point slightly toward or away from each other. An alignment machine reads all three against the factory specification for that exact make and model, then a technician adjusts the suspension to bring the car back into range — the same four-wheel check behind the shop's 4.8 average across 22 Google reviews.
How do you know it's alignment and not something else?
A pull to one side can also be a low tire, an unevenly worn tire, or a dragging brake. An alignment reading shows whether the wheels themselves are actually out of spec, which rules those other causes in or out before any parts get replaced chasing a symptom that turns out to be a suspension adjustment instead.
- Tire wears faster on one edge than the other
- Steering wheel isn't centered driving straight
- Car pulls left or right on a flat road
- Ride feels loose or wanders at highway speed
How do I know if I need an alignment?
The clearest signs are uneven tread wear, a steering wheel that's off-center going straight, or the car pulling to one side. Any one of those is worth a check, especially right after hitting a pothole or curb hard enough to feel it in the cabin.
Do I need an alignment every time I get new tires?
Not automatically, but it's worth checking — new tires wear exactly like the old ones did, so if the alignment was already off, the new set inherits the same uneven wear pattern. Checking it once while the tires are already off the car is easier than catching the problem months later.
Can I walk in for an alignment, or do I need an appointment?
Current hours: Mon–Sat 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM, Sun 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM.