If you’ve ever had the eerie sensation that your car is drifting to one side of the road constantly, you may have had a wheel alignment issue. Wheels can be knocked out of position for numerous reasons, including simple things like bumping a kerb.
Unfortunately, wheel alignment issues aren’t benign; they can shorten the life of some vehicle components by 30% or more. They can also increase fuel costs substantially due to increased friction and drag.
What Is Wheel Alignment?
Proper wheel alignment refers to a situation where all four wheels face forward when the steering wheel is in the neutral position, and the car doesn’t veer off to the side. The operation of the vehicle should feel smooth, and there shouldn’t be any rattling or juddering sounds in the background.
If you are concerned about wheel alignment issues on your vehicle, this guide will help. It explains the importance of wheel alignment, the signs you might have misaligned wheels, and how our wheel alignment process works. By the end, you should know what to do if you think your vehicle has this problem.
The Importance Of Wheel Alignment: Why Does It Matter So Much?
Wheel alignment is critical for several reasons, as we will discuss below. Ideally, you should correct issues as soon as you notice them instead of waiting for them to get worse.
Vehicle Safety
For starters, wheel alignment is essential for vehicle safety. Out-of-line wheels can lead to variable performance under braking or steering, leading to increased accident risks.
For example, suppose you need to avoid a hazard in the road by swerving out of the way. With misaligned wheels, evasive manoeuvres become more difficult.
Tyre Wear
Another issue is tyre wear. When wheels are out of alignment, it puts disproportionate force on certain parts of the rolling body, leading to additional, uneven wear in specific locations.
Tyre wear is harmful because it increases tyre replacement costs. Many vehicle owners find that it increases their annual expenses because they have to constantly buy replacements. The average tyre in the UK costs between £50 and £250, so they aren’t always cheap.
Fuel Efficiency
On a related point, misaligned wheels can also reduce fuel efficiency. Wheels in the wrong position increase drag and friction in the system, forcing you to burn more fuel to go the same distance.
The effect of this misalignment can be more severe than many drivers realise. Estimates suggest it can raise fuel costs by 10 to 30%, translating to thousands of extra pounds over the lifetime of the vehicle.
Suspension Health
Finally, wheel alignment is critical for suspension health. Vehicles that are out of line are more likely to put stress on sensitive components, leading to expensive repairs.
For example, if a wheel is misaligned, it will transmit more force through suspension struts, control arms and ball joints. Less precise steering and uneven tyre wear channel excessive force through these areas that weren’t designed to take it, leading to bearing damage and depreciation of other components prone to failure.
Signs Of Misaligned Wheels
So, how can you tell if you have misaligned wheels? What should you look out for as a keen vehicle owner?
Uneven Tyre Wear
The most common and obvious sign of misaligned wheels is uneven tyre wear. Tyres should wear evenly all over, so if they don’t, it usually indicates an alignment issue.
Camber misalignment occurs when wheels appear tilted inwards or outwards from the front of the vehicle. Negative camber (where wheels tilt inwards) causes more wear on the inner edge of the tyre while positive camber (wheels tilting outwards) wears the outer edge more.
Toe misalignment is another wheel alignment issue. This problem occurs when tyres point inwards or outwards relative to other tyres from above. You can tell you have this type of misalignment if the tread feels smooth when you rub your hand along it in one direction, but rough in the other (which can lead to MOT failure).
Caster misalignment is the final type, but it tends to be rarer and have less direct impact on tyres. However, too much forward or rearward tilt can cause instability on the road and make driving the vehicle dangerous, which is why wheel alignment specialists always try to fix it.
Pulling To One Side
Another sign of misalignment is when your vehicle pulls to one side all the time and you have to correct constantly. This effect is most noticeable on the motorway and long straight roads where tracking issues become more noticeable.
You can test this issue by holding the steering wheel straight in various settings and observing whether the vehicle drifts. On average, cars with proper alignment should continue traveling in a straight line indefinitely. Try to find flat stretches of road (without camber) to test tracking properly.
Crooked Steering Wheel
A crooked steering wheel that tugs and pulls is another sign that you may have a wheel alignment issue. Ideally, the steering column should be dead centre while driving, so if it is off, that can cause issues.
Noises And Vibrations
Lastly, severe wheel misalignment can cause vehicle noises and vibrations as you change speed. Shaking and squealing tyres are a clear indication that something isn’t right and that you need to take action.
Shaking is common because misalignment prevents the smooth operation of the wheels. Issues with imbalance rotating mass or suspension damage can cause these to worsen over time if not corrected. Noises also suggest excessive friction in the systems.
Unfortunately, you can’t usually conclude for certain that wheel misalignment is the issue by yourself. That requires specialist equipment. However, if you do notice any of the above problems, bring your vehicle to us for proper diagnosis and inspection. If wheel alignment is the issue, we can resolve it quickly and ensure your vehicle drives straight again on the road.
The Wheel Alignment Process
So, how does the wheel alignment process actually work?
Wheel alignment (also called tyre alignment sometimes) ensures that all the wheels are parallel to each other (when your car is at rest and in motion), and perpendicular to the ground, according to the manufacturer’s instructions. As we have seen, wheels can fall out of alignment in several ways, which is what makes the alignment process complicated.
Here’s a detailed look at all the stages we go through when we align your wheels:
Step 1: Vehicle Inspection
Before we make any adjustments, we inspect your vehicle and look for potential problems. Sometimes, the issue is straightforward misalignment, but other factors can also play a role.
Technicians begin by checking tyre pressure and the suspension components. Problems with rods, bushings and control arms, or loose ball joints can affect alignment accuracy. A flat or low-pressure tyre could also be an issue (and a simple fix).
Step 2: Mounting The Vehicle On The Rack
The next step is to mount the vehicle on a rack. Here, a mechanic places or drives the vehicle onto an alignment rack and then raises the platform to a level equipped with sensors. Technicians fit each wheel with sensors to act as targets for the alignment phase.
Because wheels can be out of alignment in three dimensions, the pattern these sensors create as the wheels turn is critical. The system uses these moving images to take measurements and calculates the degree of misalignment.
Previously, alignment racks used spirit levels and even pieces of string to check wheels were in the right position and orientation. However, modern tools now use laser systems and 3D imaging to generate more accurate wheel angle data.
Many of these systems also have settings for specific vehicles -- a further refinement. This feature enables them to calibrate wheel angles to factory settings intended by the manufacturer with greater accuracy, reducing the risk of human error.
Step 3: Measuring Wheel Angles
The third step is to measure the wheel angles while the vehicle is on the rack. Technicians look at the camber, toe, and caster to diagnose the problem using the onboard sensors, building a map of the wheels’ motion as they turn.
If a wheel has been knocked out of alignment, then all three of these metrics could be off. For example, hitting a curb hard can cause tires to tilt inwards when viewed from the front and from above. It can also knock them into a different position relative to the rest of the vehicle, which also requires attention for safety reasons, even if it doesn’t damage the tyres directly.
If the system detects any of these issues, it will display them on a computer screen, along with a measurement of the degree of misalignment. Technicians can then use this data to determine the size of the adjustments they need to make.
Step 4: Make The Adjustments
The next step is where our technicians adjust wheel angles to ensure they match factory specifications. This stage is the most complicated because of how many ways there are to make adjustments.
For camber issues, we modify eccentric cams or control arms. For toe corrections, we may turn tie rod ends so the wheels become parallel.
Caster issues are often the most challenging. We deal with these by adjusting the suspension (or replacing damaged parts if adjustments aren’t possible). Once we make these changes, we check the measurement output on the computer to see if we have been successful.
Step 5: Test Drive
Finally, we put the vehicle back together for a test drive to ensure the alignment process worked. Taking the car out on the road confirms whether re-alignment dealt with issues, like uneven tyre wear or rattling noises.
What Are The Benefits Of A Proper Wheel Alignment?
Wheel alignment services can improve how your vehicle feels on the road while protecting you at the same time. Here are some of the benefits you can look forward to after using our wheel alignment service:
A Smoother Ride
First, our wheel alignment services will give your vehicle a smoother ride. Once all four tyres point in the same direction, you won’t feel your car tugging you over to the side all the time (which can get annoying).
Better Fuel Efficiency
Our alignment services can also boost fuel efficiency. The more aligned your wheels are, the less the drag and the lower the fuel costs.
Sometimes, fuel efficiency can rise by 30% or more, depending on the severity of the misalignment. Therefore, fixing the problem could save you thousands of pounds over your vehicle’s lifetime.
Longer Tyre Life
Another perk is longer tyre life. Proper wheel alignment ensures tyres wear evenly all over instead of on the side.
Most tyres should last three to five years, or between 20,000 and 60,000 miles. However, tyres on misaligned wheels might only last a few thousand miles, and perhaps less in some severe cases.
Misalignment is insidious because it concentrates wear and tear in specific areas of your tyres. Even if the main bulk of the tyre is unharmed and okay, a small area of damage can render it unsafe and unfit for the road.
Improved Safety
Lastly, wheel alignment improves safety by giving you better steering control. Your car always tracks in a straight line instead of veering off to the side.
Overall, wheel alignment services can save you money and prevent you from having to conduct expensive replacements on your vehicle. While it might be an upfront cost, it can save you hassle long-term.
Now You Know Why Wheel Alignment Matters
Reading this guide, you should have a clearer picture of why wheel alignment is important. Not only does it save you money and protect your vehicle from further damage, it also keeps you safe.
If you have noticed any of the signs of improper wheel alignment mentioned above, speak to our team. We can help you fix these issues quickly and give you peace of mind.
