Why are wheel alignments important – and how can they reduce car costs?

Tyre fitting companies and mechanics often recommend wheel alignments. But what are they, exactly? And how can they save you money and improve your driving safety?

What is a wheel alignment?

A wheel alignment involves aligning your car’s wheels – to each other, and to the body of the vehicle. To align the wheels, the car’s suspension is adjusted until the wheels line up according to the car manufacturer’s specifications.

The technician uses computerised wheel alignment technology to measure different wheel angles. The three primary angles are toe, camber and caster.

The toe angle measures whether the front of the wheels point towards each other (toe-in) relative to the centre of the car, or away from each other (toe-out).

The camber angle measures the inward or outward tilt of the wheels, looking from the front of the vehicle. If the bottom of the wheel is further out than the top, it’s called negative camber. If the top is further out, it’s positive camber.

The caster angle measures the angle of the steering axis in relation to the wheel.

Your wheels’ best angles for optimal handling and braking will differ depending on your model of car.

A wheel alignment will get these angles exactly right, and will typically cost $50-$150, depending on the vehicle.

What’s so bad about misaligned wheels?

With cost-of-living pressures being what they are, no one wants to spend more money than they have to. But having your wheels aligned can be a sound investment, and save you money. It ensures that your tyres wear evenly, which makes them last longer.

If you see uneven wear on your tyres, this may be a sign of misaligned wheels. If the angles are wrong, tyres can wear prematurely on the inside or outside shoulders, or can experience feathering, which is when the tread ribs become worn and smooth on one side and high and sharp on the other.

Misaligned tyres also tend to drag rather than roll, which increases rolling resistance, which in turn increases fuel usage.

How do misaligned wheels affect car safety?

A wheel alignment can improve your safety and driving comfort. Misaligned wheels can affect your car’s handling on corners, cause your car to wander across the road, make steering responses sluggish, reduce grip in wet conditions, and make you veer to one side when braking.

They might also affect car safety systems

, such as stability control, traction control and park assist.

How do wheels get misaligned?

Hitting a pothole or gutter can be enough to misalign your wheels. They might also lose their alignment through the normal wear and tear of your suspension system.

When should I get a wheel alignment done?

Wheel alignments are generally recommended every time you change your tyres, or every 10,000km.

You should also consider a wheel alignment if you notice:

• Uneven tyre wear.
• Steering issues such as the car pulling to one side of the road when driving normally or braking.
• Slow or loose steering.
• The steering wheel is off-centre when you’re driving straight.

Car costs are high enough already without your tyres wearing out quicker than they should, or your car using more fuel than it needs to. And safety should, of course, always be a top priority. So stick to the straight and narrow: a wheel alignment is money well spent.

^Disclaimer

^{Viva Energy Australia Pty Ltd (“Viva Energy”) has compiled the above article for your general information and to use as a general reference. Whilst all reasonable care has been taken by Viva Energy in compiling this article, Viva Energy does not warrant or represent that the information in the article is free from errors or omissions or is suitable for your intended use.}