car banner check my wheel alignment tips and advice

When should I check my wheel alignment?

If you notice that your vehicle pulls significantly to the left or right when you are travelling on a straight, flat road with little cross-wind, or your tyres are wearing abnormally, then your wheel alignment may require adjustment. You should take your vehicle to a reputable tyre dealer or garage to have its wheel alignment checked. This is a simple process which may require slight adjustment of front and/or rear suspension components. If your vehicle’s wheels are not properly aligned, this can cause abnormal tyre wear.

Note that wheel alignment may also be referred to as suspension alignment.
Always have your vehicle’s alignment checked when:

  • Your vehicle has hit something (e.g. a kerb or major road hazard).
  • You notice that your tyres are wearing abnormally or unevenly.
  • You experience steering or handling problems, such as:
    • Your vehicle pulls or drifts to one side.
    • Your steering wheel does not return easily after a turn.
    • Your steering wheel remains at an angle when driving in a straight line.
  • When you buy a new set of tyres and want them to last as long as possible.
  • When you replace suspension or steering components.

 

Why is wheel alignment important?

Wheel alignment can affect the amount of wear and tear that tyres endure. The normal alignment on most vehicles is designed to minimise wear and tear and maximise driver and passenger comfort. Correct four wheel alignment will reduce tyre wear, help increase their life and performance, and improve fuel economy. It will also improve handling and driving safety by reducing steering and stability problems.


Why does wheel misalignment happen?

Misalignment can occur when hitting a kerb or driving over a pothole, as well as in more severe circumstances like accidents, which can knock your vehicle’s suspension out of alignment. Misalignment can also happen as suspension components wear or when they are replaced. Incorrect wheel alignment can cause rapid wear, especially on the edge of the tyres, and vehicle handling can also be adversely affected. It almost certainly means that you will have to replace your tyres earlier than expected.

Wheel alignment versus wheel balancing?

People often get confused between wheel alignment and wheel balancing. They are completely different. Wheel alignment, or tracking as it’s sometimes called, means adjusting the angles of the wheels to vehicle manufacturer specification. On the other hand, wheel balancing allows the wheels to spin without causing unnecessary vibration.

 

It takes only a small misalignment to create problems

The purpose of correct wheel alignment is to provide optimum vehicle handling and to maximise the life of the tyres.

The main reasons for having correct wheel alignment are:

  • It can save you money, as tyre replacements are required less frequently.
  • Your tyres will last longer.
  • Your vehicle handling will be optimised.
  • Your vehicle will drive smoother with less tyre rolling resistance.

 

car edito wheel aligntment small tips and advice

How long does it take to realign my wheels and what does it cost?

Most front and rear alignment problems can be solved in about 30 minutes. Use the Michelin Dealer Locator to find your nearest dealer to check for wheel alignment costs. Wheel alignment is all about checking the direction and angle at which the wheels are set against your vehicle manufacturer’s specifications. Even though you may hear expressions like toe in, toe out, positive camber or negative camber, wheel alignment itself is not complex. In fact, adjusting wheel alignment is actually a very straightforward operation.

How are wheels aligned?

Correcting wheel alignment involves adjusting the angles of the wheels so that they have the specified amount of toe in/toe out and camber. The three main alignment adjustments are camber, caster, and toe.

car edito schema wheelalignment chamber tips and advice

Camber

Camber is the angle of lean of the wheel away from the vertical when viewed from the front of the vehicle. If the wheel leans too far, uneven wear will occur.

  • Positive camber is when the top of the wheel is leaning away from the car. Too much positive camber causes tyres to wear on the outside edge.

  • Negative camber is when the top of the wheel is leaning in towards the car. Too much negative camber causes tyres to wear on the inside edge.

The camber angle is designed and adjusted for each vehicle to optimise the tyre’s behaviour on the straight and during a turn. If there is too much difference between the camber angles of the front wheels, the vehicle will tend to pull to one side.

car edito schema wheelalignment toe tips and advice

Toe

Toe identifies the direction in which the tyres are pointing relative to the centre line of the vehicle. Toe is usually expressed as the difference in distance between the front of the wheels and the rear of the wheels on the same axle.

 

Toe settings affect the handling characteristics of the vehicle and its straight line stability.

  • Toe-in is when the front of the wheels on an axle are closer together than the rear of the wheels. If there is too much toe-in, the tyre tread will tend to wear more on the outside edges. The tread will also wear in a feathered manner which can be felt by running your hands across the tread of the tyre.
  • Toe-out is when the rear of the wheels on an axle are closer together than the front of the wheels. If there is too much toe-out, the tyre tread will tend to wear more on the inner edges. The tread will also wear in a feathered manner which can be felt by running your hands across the tread of the tyre.

Tyre balancing: what should I know?
What is it?

  • When tyres are mounted, the weight distribution of the tyre and wheel assembly is sometimes uneven around the tyre.
  • A wheel is out of balance when one area is heavier or lighter than the rest. The result is bouncing or wobbling, which can decrease tread life, increase vibration and cause stress on your vehicle.
  • Tyre balancing compensates for the weight differences to make sure that the tyre weight is balanced. Tyre professionals will add weights where necessary to counterbalance the tyres.
  •  

When should I balance my tyres?

  • When a tyre is replaced
  • When a balance weight is moved or removed
  • When you purchase new tyres
  •  

How are wheels balanced?

  • To balance a wheel, your mechanic uses a balancing machine to determine where the heavy spots are.
  • Weights are then attached to the exterior or interior of the wheel to counteract the centrifugal forces acting on the heavy areas when the wheel is turning.
  •  

Any advice?

If you ever feel bouncing, wobbling or vibrations, consult a tyre professional as soon as possible.

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