How do you know if you need a wheel alignment?

The wheel alignment of the car is as important as its engine maintenance. Without the proper balance you cannot expect safety, smooth performance and driving with balance. But how do you know if you need a wheel alignment is one question that needs a direct answer.

As you know the wheels in the car are there to maintain the balance for its driving. So when you spot your car is slightly sloped or pulled to a specific side either from front or back while you drive, there is when you need a wheel alignment. 

Usually it’s quite normal for a car to pull slightly towards either of the sides (right or left). But you need to align the wheel when you have a hard time in steering to keep your vehicle in a straight line.

Now let’s find more about wheel alignment.

What is wheel alignment?

Before moving forward it’s important to know what wheel alignment is in cars. Car wheel alignment is the adjustment of the wheel so that they make the perfect balance. In wheel alignment, there are few mechanical adjustments for the vehicle suspension. 

It makes the angle of the wheel right and best for contacting the road surface. In simple way, the setting of the car wheels in perfect balance so that they touch the ground is wheel alignment.

Signs of wheel alignment

You can easily determine if your car needs wheel alignment or not. Usually there are four common indications that tell you it’s time to opt for wheel alignment. Here what they are. 

Odd and instant wheel wearing

One of the common signs of the wheel alignment is the tire wearing. If the wheel of the cars has worn out they are likely to lose balance.

Also Read: How Fast Can You Drive On A Spare Tire?

So you should better be watchful of wheel condition or you can also consult a car mechanic to tell you this. The tire wearing out can cause shakiness in the car for obvious reasons.

Steering wheel is not at center

Yes, this is one another common sign that is about wheel alignment. So if you see the steering wheel of your car slightly sloppy or crooked from the center point, it means the wheel now needs a smooth alignment. 

For better understanding, drive your car on a straight road, if you see the steering wheel slightly off center, it’s most definitely due to poor wheel alignment.

Car pull either left or right

When you notice the car pulling towards the left or right side while you drive, it means it  needs wheel alignment for sure. Certainly the pulling of either side means the opponent’s wheels are not touching the ground enough. You might need to keep on steering when the car is pulling to either of the sides.

Shaky steering wheel

If the wheels of the cars need alignment, the steering wheel may become shaky. This is because the car is out of balance and the steering wheel is one of the sensitive things to get its impact first. 

Whenever you accelerate the car it should not oscillate more than normal. But, if it does, there can be many issues such as imbalance in the wheels.

Types of wheel alignments

When it comes to wheel alignment, there are three major types. For instance,

• Two wheel alignment/ front-end” alignments: It is only for two front wheels of the car.
• Four wheel alignments: The four wheel alignment is done for all the wheels of the car even if your car is a front-wheel drive. For that its rear suspension is designed like that.
• Thrust alignments: The thrust angle alignment in the car is required in conjunction with a two-wheel alignment. It helps in determining if the rear axle is lined up with the center of the car in view of the front axle or not.