6 Signs You Need a Wheel Alignment

If you’re not already including it in your maintenance checks, it’s time you slot in wheel alignment. When your car’s wheels are aligned, it improves the overall handling of the car and you’ll also save a stack of money as it prolongs the life of the tires. Here are six signs you may need a wheel alignment. Click the button below to be connected with one of our certified technicians at our service center in Fairfield, OH.

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You’re Visiting the Tire Shop Too Often

A good, all-weather tire should last around 50,000 miles. There are several factors that can affect the durability of tires such as road conditions, speed, and driving behavior. If you’re using well-maintained roads, regularly keep to 60 mph and under, and you’re not too heavy-handed on cornering and braking, but your tires are wearing down too fast, misaligned wheels are often the culprit.

The tire wear will be patchy and you’ll notice bald patches instead of even wear on the tires. Pay attention to the inner walls of the tires, as this isn’t easily noticeable yet it’s a common spot for wear to happen. Often, these are only noticed when your car goes in for an inspection or service and the tires are rotated.

You Notice the Car Veering

When you’re on a straight road, you should be able to stay in the lane without veering. However, when the wheel alignment is out, it means that the angles of the wheels are no longer in the same direction and this can cause the car to pull from side to side. It’s important to note that while veering is one of the most common signs that your vehicle needs wheel alignment, it’s not just wheel alignment that causes it. Other causes include:

• Tire conicity: Conicity is a manufacturer’s error and if it’s detected in a tire, it means that it came out of the factory that way. Tire conicity is usually detected immediately after installation as it will start pulling right away. The best way to describe conicity is when a tire is fully inflated but doesn’t level out all the way through. This means one side of the tire will touch more road surface than the other side.
• Air pressure: Tires have air pressure standards, but this can be lost over time. It’s important to make sure that all tires are at the same pressure to ensure a smoother ride.
• Steering wear: When your steering column is worn, you might experience veering as the car doesn’t respond as readily as you’d like it to.
• Worn brakes: Worn brakes shouldn’t affect steering while you’re on the open road, but you’ll notice handling issues when you apply the brakes. If the car veers to one side when this happens, it means that the brakes are worn down unevenly.

Reduced Fuel Efficiency

The role of tires is to provide the necessary traction, which is what keeps the car moving forward. If tires don’t have enough traction, the wheels may spin and slip. This means that it takes more effort for the car to move and that affects fuel economy.

The Steering Wheel Is Off-Center

When you’re parked and the wheels are straight, the steering wheel should also be straight. This should also be true on the open road. When you have to overcompensate by pulling the steering wheel slightly to straighten it out, it means the wheels aren’t aligned. The bigger this adjustment is, the bigger the adjustment that needs to be made to straighten the wheels.

After turning, you’d expect your steering wheel to turn back to the center. However, when the alignment is off, this won’t happen fully as the wheels are a little off-center. You would have to adjust the steering wheel manually, but it won’t be perfectly central until the wheel alignment has been taken care of.

Be sure to adjust for the road curvature, as this could also affect veering. It’s also possible that your steering column has been damaged in a road incident, which could explain its off-center position.

Your Ride Is Bumpy

When your wheels aren’t aligned, it starts affecting other parts of the car, such as the suspension. Suspension is what makes your ride easier, especially when you hit those bumpy roads. When the suspension is out, it can affect the drivability of the car.

You Regularly Haul Large Loads

When you’re traveling with big loads, there’s a chance that it could cause pressure spots on your wheels. This can cause wheel alignment issues. With large loads, it’s important to spread out the load as much as possible to reduce the pressure. It’s also advisable to know the haul limits to ensure other components such as the suspension don’t experience too much wear.

The Difference Between Wheel Alignment and Tire Balancing

Tire balancing happens when the weight of the wheel is unbalanced. Balancing is a precise process where weights are added to the wheel to ensure that the weight is even all around the wheel. One way to know whether balancing might be required and not alignment is if the wheel bounces.

Wheel alignment is when the wheels are not facing straight ahead. They might be out by a few degrees, but even one degree can make a difference to the overall driving experience. When the misalignment reaches 2% or 3%, it can cause serious handling issues which may affect responsiveness.

How To Do Wheel Alignment

There is a process to follow where you measure the toe and camber of the wheels to determine whether the alignment is out. The process involves some measurements and it’s necessary to hoist the car for accuracy. If this process seems a bit much, your tire center should also be able to measure wheel alignment.

You can also take the car to your nearest dealership or car service center to have the wheel alignment done. Our service center will happily assist you with the wheel alignment tests and adjustments. Give us a call at (513) 874-5535 to schedule a wheel alignment appointment.

Image Credits: Custom Jeep Tire by Obi – @pixel6propix is licensed with Unsplash License