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What is wheel alignment?

Alignment refers to an adjustment of a vehicle’s suspension – the system that connects a vehicle to its wheels. It is not an adjustment of the tires or wheels themselves. The key to proper alignment is adjusting the angles of the tires which affects how they make contact with the road. Potholes or bumping a curb are some of the many reasons a car’s wheel alignment may need to be corrected.

How often should you book a wheel alignment?

On average, you should have your balancing and alignment checked every 10 000 kilometres and automatically every time you change to new tyres. However, we suggest checking the wheel alignment before you head on any major road trips.

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at one of our fitment centres

Wheel balancing enables tyres to spin without causing any vibrations and is required every time tyres are fitted or dismounted for repair or as part of your scheduled maintenance. During wheel balancing, your wheels will be diagnosed by a specialised machine and then balanced by affixing weights to the rim. Uneven tire wear and vibration in your steering wheel, floorboard, or seat can signal that it’s time for wheel balancing.We ensure that your wheels are in top condition for the road.

Why do I need wheel balancing?
Wheel balancing helps tyres wear more evenly, ensuring a longer lifespan. Balancing also contributes to ride comfort: Imbalanced tires will wobble or hop up and down, which causes vibration.

The signs of a wheel that is out of balance are:

• Vibration in the steering wheel at certain highway speeds.
• Vibration in the seat or floorboard at certain highway speeds.
• Scalloped or cupped wear pattern on the tyres

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Window tint is a thin layer of film that adheres to the interior or exterior of a glass surface. You can apply tints to your windshield, front side windows and wings, rear side windows and wings and even your back window. Depending on the style you want, you can opt for all possibilities or only your side windows.

There are 5 main types of window tint:

• Dyed Tint
• Metalized Tint
• Hybrid Tint
• Carbon Tint
• Ceramic Tint

Our Oshakati and Otjiwarongo branches offer a high quality window tint that also acts as a safety barrier, a.k.a smash and grab.

Why should you consider our window tinting service and products?

• A window tint will protect your vehicle and you from up to 99% of the harmful cancer causing UV rays.
• Window tints reduce glare ensuring a safer and more comfortable driving
• It will also protect you in the event of something smashing your window, such as debris on the road or in the event of someone trying to gain entry into your vehicle.
• Window tints also offer some privacy.
• Our window tints are guaranteed not to fade for years to come.
• Direct Auto Namibia window tints come with a Lifetime Warranty or the option to transfer your warranty.

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The consequences of botched-up wheel fitments are huge. Wheels that bump up against shocks or brake calipers, torque steer, and overall cruddy handling can add to maintenance fees and other more serious parts needing to be fixed or replaced. The path to doing it right starts with contacting your trusted fitment centre and speaking to the professionals about the required tyre size and other important elements needed for your particular vehicle.

How do you know it’s time to replace your tyres?

Your tyres form the essential bond between your vehicle and the ground. The tyre and its tread grip the road as you drive. But if it’s not deep enough, your car loses traction and suffers extended braking times. Tread is the rubber on the tyre that touches the road. New tyres have an average tread depth of 8 to 9 mm. As you drive, the tread will wear down. A tyre with a tread depth below 1.6 mm lacks grip. Braking distance and vehicle control are impaired. These tyres are not safe for driving and must be replaced.

We recommend a minimum tread depth of 3 mm for tyres used in dry conditions. Wet weather tyres should have a tread depth of at least 4 mm. They need to be thicker to handle wet, icy, and possibly snowy conditions. Ensure your vehicle is equipped with the correct winter, summer, or all-season tyres and if you’re going off-road, speak to one of our tyre professionals to get the right tyres for the job.

Here’s how you can check tread depth

• Tread wear indicators are spaced evenly through the main grooves in the tyre tread. If they are flush with the level of the tread, then the tyre must be replaced.
• If you have a tyre tread depth gauge, insert the probe bar into the groove and push the shoulders flush with the tread. Check the top of the gauge to see the measurement.
• Place a new R5 coin in the groove of the tyre. If the gold border shows above the tread, then the tread is less than 3 mm deep. It’s time to replace them.

TYRE ROTATION

Tyre rotation entails routinely repositioning your vehicle’s tires in specific patterns from front to back or side to side and is an important element of tire upkeep and safety. Regularly rotating your tyres gives you the opportunity to visually inspect them for damage, check their air pressure, have them rebalanced if you’re noticing any vibration, and check their tread depth.

Why is tyre rotation important?

• By routinely rotating your tyres, wear is spread evenly across all four tyres, and their tread life is maximized.
• Even tread wear keeps the tread depth on your tyres uniform, which can help keep traction and handling consistent across all four tyres. This will improve cornering and braking performance and keep your vehicle safer for driving overall.
• if your vehicle has all-wheel-drive, evenly worn tires lower the stresses on the drivetrain, reducing wear on expensive drive components.

*Rotating your tyres may also be required to keep your tires covered under warranty.

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Lights a little dim? Don’t get left in the dark! Contact us for all your auto electrical fittings and services. We can supply and fit cables, terminals, connectors, crimp tools, switches, fuse boxes, brake pipe and fittings and so much more.

You’ve probably tinkered with your car more than once. You may have attempted to replace faulty or worn components or fitted accessories to improve your vehicle setup. But some things may be best left to the experts, and this is often the case with the electrical accessories in your vehicle.

Car electronics are becoming more complicated as technology advances, so it can become quite complicated. A simple mistake can take a lot of work and cost to fix. Replacing on-board computers and wiring harnesses due to incorrect installation is not uncommon and can end up costing thousands.

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Tyre Repairs and Tyre Fitment Services

Tyre fitment and tyre repair forms a crucial part of the service offerings at all our Direct Auto Namibia fitment centres and cannot be taken lightly. We tackle every repair and fitment project with the utmost care to ensure safety and effectiveness. We use quality materials and the recommended repair procedures so that damaged tyres can be successfully returned to the road and deliver far greater driving distance. In cases where tyres are beyond repair or have hit the emc of the life on the road, we can fit new tyres to your vehicle.

Common causes of tyre damage

• Overloading causes heat build-up and will eventually result in tyre failure. To prevent this from happening we urge you to check your tyres load index and stay within the manufacturers loading recommendations.
• Road hazards such as potholes, rocks, nails and glass can cause punctures or sidewall damage especially if you hit these objects at a high speed.
• Over-inflated tyres is another common cause of damage as it causes excessive tyre pressure which may result in distorted and uneven tread wear, can reduce contact with the road and increase wear in the center of the tread.
• Under-inflated tyres are more common and causes serious problems as it increases a tyre’s rolling resistance, therefore, making you use more fuel. Under-inflated tyres also make a tyre run hot therefore the increased flexing of the sidewalls increases the temperature of the tyre, which increases the risk of a tyre blowout.

At Direct Auto Namibia you will find high quality and affordable tyre repairs and fitment services for general road and all-terrain vehicles at any of our various locations.

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Going on an adventure? Are you in need of specialised equipment or accessories? Direct Auto Namibia specialises in all fitments for

• Front and Rear Replacement Bumpers
• Spotlights
• Suspensions
• Roof Racks
• Snorkels
• Stainless Steel Accessories
• Side-Steps
• Bakkie Rails
• Rubberising
• Window Tinting
• Windshields
• Headlight Guards & Bonnet Guards
• and much more

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With the constant bumping, scraping, scratching and general abuse that load bins endure, rubberising is an important feature that can help protect against wear and tear associated with bakkies, off-roaders and workhorses alike.

Our quality spray-on product is professionally applied with very little effort and provides a permanent tough and water resistant layer for your loading bin. The lining protects your vehicle from abrasion, rust and impact damage and will preserve its resale value.

It can also protect loose goods from shifting around in the back of your bakkie as well as allow your beloved pets to have a better grip when being transported around.

Here at Direct Auto we offer rubberising on all 4x4s and bakkies including long-wheel base (LWB) vehicles, double cab bakkies and half-ton bakkies. Ensuring the back of your bakkie is protected and made to last.

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Our BestDrive Ongwediva / Oshakati fitment centre is waiting to assist with all your automotive paint needs. We can mix the paint to match the original colour and we have the necessary abrasives and substances used for grinding, polishing, or cleaning a hard surface in preparation for painting.