To have a stable and good drive, you need to have a proper wheel balancing and wheel alignment. Wheel alignment is done for the adjustment of the suspension angles and the steering of the vehicle so that the wheels are equidistantly perpendicular to the surface of the road and running side by side. For various reasons, proper wheel alignment is necessary.
- Firstly, it is important because it ensures the safety of the vehicle. Because if the wheels are out of alignment, then it tends to pull the car to one side of the road, which would not only put the vehicle in danger but also the driver, passengers and even the other by-passers on the road which may even lead to a serious life-threatening accident.
- Secondly, it increases the lifespan of the tires. If the tires are not properly aligned, they decrease the lifespan of the tires by increased wear and tear.
- Thirdly, wheel alignment also helps in getting rid of vibrations and the noise coming from the suspension system and steering, which ensures not only a comfortable but smooth ride as well.
Even though generally, an average car owner does not need to have all the detailed understanding of wheel alignment and its process, but still a basic knowledge regarding the process should be needed so that the owner at least knows when to visit the service station or when to get their car checked. So, for this purpose, we have prepared a basic guide for you, which would give you an overview of the process of wheel alignment.
Ensuring the right wheel alignment
To determine the correct and proper wheel alignment, the mechanic carefully analyses, measures, and adjust the several suspension angles of your vehicle, which includes toe, thrust, caster, and camber, which can affect the movement and position of the tire. Firstly, when traveling at high speed, the caster adjustment help in ensuring the proper stability and control over the steering. Reducing the irregular wear and tear and particularly improving the cornering performance camber adjustment is made, which increases the contact of tires with the surface of the road. Then, in order that the front wheels and axle are parallel with the rear wheel and axle, thrust angle alignment is done. Lastly, the toe is adjusted, which helps the tires to spin in a parallel way when the vehicle is moving.
Inspecting other steering and suspension parts
Now, after you have done the adjustments of the caster, camber, thrust, and toe, the mechanic or the car service station will check the steering and suspension system of your car. These parts would include struts and shock absorbers. These parts are checked to make sure that everything is working properly. And in case of any problem in these parts is found, it is replaced with the proper one so that after service, the wheels of your car do not get misaligned.
Inspecting the condition of tyres
Last, but not least, no matter how much you work on the wheel alignment, the tire will have to touch the ground when the vehicle is on the road and hence wear and tear. Therefore, before you take your vehicle for road, the mechanic will properly inspect the tires and check the tire pressure as well. This step is crucial because if the tires are incorrectly inflated or worn out, then not only will you have a wobbly bumpy ride, but it will also affect the alignment of wheels, and you have to go for wheel alignment all over again.
I hope this article will help you with the basic knowledge regarding wheel alignment. That’s all from our side. Happy reading.
