To keep your car both safe and roadworthy, it sometimes has to undergo a wheel alignment. How often a wheel alignment is done depends on your vehicle and its condition, and whether or not you’ve been in any accidents. The procedure is pretty routine to the professionals, but it’s not something that is recommended that you attempt to do at home. When your car’s fundamental safety features are at stake, it’s one of those things that’s best left to a properly equipped auto shop and experienced technician.
In today’s blog, we’ve created a comprehensive guide to the wheel alignment process, answering some of the most common questions:
What is a Wheel Alignment Procedure and Why Is It Needed?
A vehicle wheel alignment is a procedure by which a mechanic makes sure that your tires and wheels meet the surface of the road at the correct angle — camber angle, toe angle and caster angle — and that they are pointing in a straight line with the tires firmly centered on the wheel wells. There are a number of circumstances under which your vehicle would need to undergo an alignment, which we will detail in other sections further below.
There are three main kinds of alignments that are carried out depending on the vehicle. There is a front-end alignment, which just makes adjustments to the front axle. This is an older practice that is done less and less nowadays.
Second is a thrust alignment in which a front-end alignment and a thrust alignment on the rear axle are done to ensure all 4 wheels are in the right position. This type of alignment is usually recommended by mechanics to all drivers whose car has a solid rear axle. Finally, there’s a full four-wheel alignment, in which the above two alignments are done, plus the rear axle angles. This alignment is used for both AWD, 4WD and FWD vehicles and is also suitable for any car with an adjustable or independent rear suspension.
It’s both a necessary and important procedure first and foremost for safety. Driving a car with incorrect wheel alignment means operating a car that’s more difficult to safely control on the road. Improper alignment can result in weakened wheels, causing the car to naturally bend to either the left or right. As a driver you would always have to compensate for that pull, and that’s highly dangerous, especially when driving at speed.
Besides the safety issue, improper alignment also adversely affects your car’s performance and ride comfort. These are just two more reasons to ensure that your wheel alignment is done in a timely manner.
How Do You Know If You Need a Wheel Alignment?
There are a number of signs that you can detect that tell you when your alignment might be off. Before we get to these, however, we should first address the circumstances under which an alignment check is always essential, regardless of the presence of any of the typical signs. You will need an alignment service:
- …whenever you get new tires
- …after you lower or lift your vehicle
- …you get replacement suspension parts that impact tire angles
- …if your last alignment service was more than a year ago
- …you’ve recently been in a collision either with another vehicle or with a curb
In these situations, your vehicle’s wheel alignment should be checked to ensure that there are no problems. As we mentioned earlier, however, there are other signs you can look out for that will tell you it’s time for a wheel alignment.
You Have Uneven Tire Wear
A properly aligned and balanced car will have tires that are wearing evenly. Take a look at your tires and check for differences in the signs of wear and tear. Imbalance in your wheels will cause one tire to take on more wear than another, so take uneven wear as a serious warning sign that you need an alignment service.
There is a Sharp Pulling to Left or Right
If you feel the vehicle pulling to the left or right when you’re driving along, it could be due to misaligned wheels/tires. It could also, on the other hand, be caused by improperly inflated tires. If you check the tire pressure and it’s correct, then consider the possibility that your alignment is off.
Vibrations in the Steering Wheel
Like the problem of the car pulling to the left or right, steering wheel vibrations can be the result of other problems, too. Improperly aligned tires won’t be pulling in the exact same direction, and that’s what causes the somewhat unsettling vibrations to happen in your steering wheel.
Off-Center Steering Wheel
Another steering-wheel-related problem is when you’re driving along and the wheel appears to be off center. If your wheel is not centered when you are driving in a straight line, then your alignment could be off.
What Happens During a Typical Wheel Alignment?
As we mentioned above, to a trained mechanic with the right tools and know-how, the procedure of a wheel alignment is a pretty straight-forward one. There are 6 main steps involved:
Step 1: Vehicle is Lifted and Preliminary Checks are Done
Before hooking up the wheel alignment machines, the mechanic will likely lift up your car and inspect the wheels and axles visually. They may even have a short test drive. They will take a look at tire wear and current air pressure, as well as any signs of misshaping, cracks in the suspension parts and other damage. These inspections give the all-important first impression that a mechanic needs to gauge the current condition of the wheels and their alignment.
Step 2: Connect Wheel Alignment Machine
Most modern mechanics will have a computerized wheel alignment machine, often worth tens of thousands of dollars when new. The steering wheel is locked in the center and the brake is applied and held in place with a special tool. They will also use special clamps on your wheels that are connected to the alignment machine.
Step 3: Check Toe, Camber and Caster Angles
The mechanic will use the wheel alignment machine to make adjustments according to their initial readings on three angles: toe, camber and caster. The toe angle is that at which the tires turn inward or outward when looking from a bird’s eye view. The camber angle is the vertical angle, either in or out as you look at them straight on. The caster is the forward/backward angle of the steering axis when viewed from the side of the car.
Step 4: Check Thrust
After confirming and adjusting the angles to the correct position, the mechanic will also look at “thrust,” which is when you compare the rear axle direction and the car’s centerline. When checking thrust, the mechanic will also look to see if the two axles are parallel to one another.
Step 5: See if Steering Wheel is Centered
When all 4 angles have been checked and adjusted, the next step is to ensure that the steering wheel is centered. If steps 3 and 4 were done correctly, then the steering wheel should now be centered.
Step 6: Final Test Drive
In order to check that the work has been successful, the mechanic should test-drive the car and ensure that there are no signs of improper alignment. When all is confirmed as well, the car is returned to its owner.
How Long Does a Wheel Alignment Take?
A wheel alignment should take about 60 minutes for a trained mechanic, assuming everything goes smoothly and nothing out of the ordinary is wrong with the car. That process can be made longer by the need to replace broken or damaged suspension or steering parts. This damage will be flagged up during the initial visual inspection of the vehicle.
How Much Does a Wheel Alignment Cost?
If you do a single-axle alignment, then it will likely cost you between $50 and $100. If you do a full alignment, which is better for many especially if it’s as a result of an accident, then it would cost more, likely $200. These are only average estimates. The precise cost will also be impacted by your car’s make, model and year, as well as by your geographical location.
Can You Do a Wheel Alignment Yourself?
If you have the tools and know-how, there’s no reason you shouldn’t try the task yourself. Given that the average driver won’t have access to a $60,000 computerized wheel alignment machine, it should be noted that results may not be as precise. A DIY job essentially includes 4 main steps:
- Raise your car up on jack stands.
- Go to the front and look at the wheels head-on, can you see signs of bending? If the wheels are bending towards the car’s center, then the outer tire rod needs tightening. If it’s the opposite bend direction, then the tire rod needs loosening.
- Turn the tire rod counterclockwise to turn the tire inward. Turn it clockwise to turn the tire outward.
- Repeat the process for the other wheels.
Conclusion: Never Skip a Wheel Alignment
Hopefully now you understand more completely what goes on during a wheel alignment. Being aware of the procedures, time taken and typical cost can help you avoid being fleeced by cowboy operators. More importantly, it helps you to understand that a wheel alignment is more than just routine maintenance, but a key part of keeping your car safe and roadworthy. Ensure you book your car in for an alignment when it’s due.
