Wheel alignment refers to the precise positioning of your vehicle’s wheels in relation to one another and the vehicle itself. This critical maintenance procedure guarantees that all wheels are perfectly parallel to each other and perpendicular to the ground, ensuring the optimal performance and longevity of your car.
There are many benefits of wheel alignment, including increased safety and saving on expenses. In this article, we’ll discuss the top 8 advantages of wheel alignment checks, and why you should make sure you’re going for them.
8 Advantages of Wheel Alignment Checks
1. Longer Tyre Life
Misaligned wheels can lead to uneven and rapid tyre wear, meaning you’ll have to buy new tyres more often. Proper wheel alignment helps to ensure your tyres wear evenly, ultimately extending their lifespan and sparing you significant long-term expenses on purchasing replacements.
2. Fuel Efficiency
Improper wheel alignment can lead to substandard wheel performance, as it impedes their ability to function properly together. Consequently, the engine must exert additional effort, primarily because of heightened rolling resistance. This can have a detrimental impact on your vehicle’s fuel efficiency, potentially reducing gas mileage by up to 10%.
Wheel alignment can help you evenly spread the power and torque, which will help to conserve fuel and mean you’ll need to fill up much less often.
3. Improved Steering
When your car’s wheels are misaligned, it can be harder to steer. You might find yourself holding the wheel at an awkward angle, or veering from side to side. This lack of control can increase the risk of a road accident, and adjusting your steering can be tiring and distracting.
Therefore, it’s vital you align your wheels in order to maintain stable control and reduce the risk of an accident.
4. Smoother Ride
Misaligned wheels mean your vehicle tends to pull to the left or right, causing your ride to be jarring, bumpy and possibly even vibrating. The wheels can feel like they’re dragging, which results in an unpleasant driving experience. Having your wheels aligned will mean a much smoother and more enjoyable drive.
5. Fewer Overall Repairs
If your wheels aren’t aligned, it could lead to other problems as well. Components that could be affected include brakes, suspensions, differentials, transmissions and drivetrains. Investing in wheel alignment now can prevent the need for more substantial and costly repairs in the future.
6. Reduce Road Noise
When your wheels are properly aligned, they drive smoothly along the road surface, without any unwanted noise. However, if the tyres are misaligned, they can create a thumping noise that can be difficult to ignore and prove distracting.
If this is the case for your vehicle, you should go and get it checked by a professional. They can then inform you if misaligned wheels are causing the noise, and realign them to reduce it.
7. Improves Your Car’s Appearance
Wheel misalignment can result in your car veering to one side, creating a visually crooked appearance. It can also make it challenging to maintain a straight trajectory while driving. Given the investment in your vehicle, it’s disheartening for it not to showcase its full potential. Proper wheel alignment guarantees that your car maintains a symmetrical and level stance, significantly enhancing its overall appearance.
8. Keep Tyre Warranty Coverage
A vehicle’s warranty will cover you for as long as you perform the maintenance required. When a vehicle owner doesn’t get wheel alignments on a regular basis, this can constitute negligence, and if tyres wear out due to poor wheel alignment, they could lose their warranty. This therefore highlights how important it is to prioritise going for regular wheel alignment checks.
When Should You Get Your Wheels Aligned?
Regular wheel alignment checks are vital in catching misalignments early, which can prevent potential issues in the future. It’s generally recommended to have your wheels aligned every 10,000 miles, or once a year, whichever comes first. However, this can vary based on several factors including road conditions, your driving habits and your vehicle type.
Special circumstances may also affect when you need to get a check, for instance, if you hit a pothole, notice irregular tyre wear, or experience handling issues, you should have your alignment checked promptly.
Wheel Alignment with Pro-Align
We’ve discussed the advantages of wheel alignment, and why it’s so important. Having properly aligned wheels will improve the overall performance, safety and longevity of your vehicle. You should consult a professional mechanic or auto service centre to ensure wheel alignment adjustments are done accurately.
At Pro-Align, we have partnered with the market leading LINK from Hunter Engineering who we have been partnered with for over 30 years. We understand the importance of a precise wheel alignment system for a smoother and safer ride. Contact us today for more information.
