Why Wheel Alignment is So Important

It sounds an obvious point, but to drive smoothly your car’s wheels all need to be pointing in the same direction. But over time, the different levels of strain each wheel comes under when cornering, accelerating, and braking can push them increasingly out of alignment. And if you drive over a bump in the road, or climb over a curb, then the wheels can be pushed out of line even more quickly.

Why is this a problem? When your car’s wheels aren’t correctly aligned, there can be four costly and potentially dangerous results.

1) Shorter Tire Life

Badly aligned tires experience much more friction than ones that are pointing neatly ahead, and this makes them wear out more quickly. Worse, the tires will tend to wear out unevenly, creating balding spots on an individual tire, or different levels of wear on each wheel. As the wear progresses, your car’s handling will get less predictable and it’ll be more difficult to safely control.

2) Fuel Economy

The uneven tire wear will also reduce your car’s fuel economy. As the wear gets worse, your car can start to drift sideways as you drive, and correcting this movement is a slow but steady drain on your car’s speed, increasing the amount of fuel it needs to cover the same distance.

3) Vibrations and Bumping

Wheels that are out of alignment are constantly fighting to go in a different direction rather than straight ahead, and this translates into vibrations and bumping being felt in the cabin. Not only is this unpleasant and fatiguing for the driver, but it can also impact handling and make your journey a little less safe.

4) Suspension and Shocks Damage

Lastly, all the extra vibration puts your car’s suspension and shock absorbers under greater stress, wearing them out more quickly.

For all of these reasons, checking and correcting the wheel alignment should be a part of any comprehensive service schedule.

What Does a Wheel Alignment Check Involve?

Each wheel on your car has three directions in which it can be aligned, and during an inspection, the mechanic will use precise measuring tools to check them all:

• The camber, or the upright alignment, should be exactly vertical to the ground.
• The toe, or the forward direction of the wheel. This should be parallel to the car’s frame with no angle to the left or right.
• The caster, which is a measure of how correctly the tires stay aligned during steering, and whether they lean inward or outward when cornering.

If any of these three measurements are out of line, the suspension can be adjusted to correct the misalignment, in a procedure that takes only minutes.

How Often Should You Check the Wheel Alignment?

You might be offered a wheel alignment check as part of a regular service package, and if the cost is low then it’s worth having it done as a matter of course. But in any case, it’s recommended to check the alignment every two to three years, or sooner if you spot any of the warning signs such as poor handling, high tire wear, or increased vibrations.

After all, your car’s wheels are fundamental to how smoothly and safely it drives, and it’s not worth taking any risks with their maintenance.

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