The essence of wheel alignment for your car can’t be overstated. Alignments help keep your wheels pointed in the right direction.

When your wheels are misaligned, you may experience a few uncomfortable and potentially dangerous symptoms, such as reduced fuel economy, premature tyre wear, and difficulty steering.

Wheel alignment is as essential to your vehicle’s overall safety and performance as any other maintenance routine you put your car through. 

Practically speaking, Wheel alignment entails a mechanical adjustment of vehicle suspension to impact the direction and angle of the tyre’s contact with the road surface. The manufacturer sets the optimum alignment for each vehicle’s make and model to affect its performance and handling. 

Importance Of Wheel Alignment To Your Car

Wheel alignment is critical to maintaining your vehicle’s safety, performance, and longevity. It involves adjusting the angles of your wheels to ensure they contact the road surface properly. Here’s why it matters:

• Safety: Misaligned wheels can cause your car to veer to one side, increasing the risk of accidents. Proper alignment ensures optimal control and predictable handling during manoeuvres and emergencies.
• Maximising Tyre Life: Uneven tire wear is a clear sign of misalignment. This reduces tyre lifespan significantly, leading to premature replacements and increased costs. Conversely, proper alignment distributes weight evenly across the tread, maximising tyre life and value and saving you money in the long run.
• Improving fuel Efficiency: Misaligned wheels create unnecessary drag, forcing the engine to work harder and increasing fuel consumption. Proper alignment allows your car to roll freely, improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions, contributing to a cleaner environment.
• Handling: A well-aligned car tracks straighter and responds more precisely to steering input. This enhances driving comfort and reduces fatigue, especially on long journeys.
• Suspension and Steering Components: Misalignment puts undue stress on suspension and steering components, inevitably leading to premature wear and tear. We recommend you get regular alignments to help avert these costly repairs.

Signs Of Incorrect Wheel Alignment

While driving, you might notice some unevenness in your car’s motion, the car veering slightly to the left while driving straight or trying to keep to the right. This is one of the signs that tell you that your vehicle needs a proper wheel alignment. This and other signs listed below are signs of incorrect wheel alignment:

•  The car pulls to one side: Your vehicle should be able to drive straight when you take your hands off the steering wheel. But if your vehicle veers or drifts to one particular side when driving on a straight road, there might be a problem with your alignment. How often it swerves to one side determines the gravity of misalignment. It will be harder for you to control your car and stay in a straight line if you don’t address the issue immediately. Have a mechanic realign your vehicle as soon as you experience this problem.
•  Uneven steering wheel: Another easy way to check for a bad wheel alignment is to notice the position of your steering wheel as you drive on a straight and even road. Your steering wheel ought to remain straight or in the centre while driving. You can check the steering wheel’s logo for reference. If it leans slightly off-centre in any direction, you have an uneven steering wheel that has to be realigned. Addressing this problem can help you regain control of your steering wheel as you drive.
•  Slacky or loose steering wheel: Loose steering, also known as  “free play,” is when you discern that, as you turn, your steering goes a little too far than intended. A loose steering wheel can be dangerous and a sign that your vehicle needs realignment immediately. 
• The steering wheel is vibrating: Your steering wheel shouldn’t vibrate as you drive. You drive a car with bad alignment or unbalanced tyres if it does. However, car vibrations can also be caused by problems other than tyre alignment. To be sure, have a mechanic examine your car to avoid further damage. 
•  Tire squealing: If you notice a squealing sound from your tyres as you turn or accelerate, your wheels may be misaligned, causing your tyres to wear out unevenly. While a squealing sound may also come from worn brake pads, the point is that squealing is not normal, and it indicates that your car has some issues. Bring your vehicle for inspection to determine the problem and avoid possible accidents. 
• Uneven tyre wear: Checking the tread wear of your tyres can help you determine if you have proper wheel alignment. If you notice that one of your tyres is more worn out than others, it could indicate an evil alignment. You can use a tread depth meter to measure your tyres’ tread depth accurately. 
• Steering hesitation as you turn the wheel: Most cars have power steering, making turning easier. However, a bad wheel alignment can result in steering hesitations that require you to exert more force as you turn. So, if you’re having difficulty turning your wheels, it could indicate that your vehicle has an issue with the steering system and needs an alignment fix. You should see our car technicians to assess the problem and have it fixed for a more comfortable drive.

In essence, getting a wheel alignment for your vehicle is of the utmost importance if you want the best handling and steering experience with your car. After all, a well-maintained and efficient vehicle is the end goal. 

At FiveStar Autocentre, we offer one of the best wheel alignment services in the Huddersfield area. We offer a state-of-the-art service with our Hoffman Mega line Ssenc machine, which represents the very latest 3D camera system wheel alignment technology.

It measures at least 12 primary alignment angles, comprehensively reviewing your vehicle’s alignment. We can also obtain a far higher degree of accuracy than the older conventional laser-guided tracking methods. 

When the alignment adjustments have been completed, you will be presented with your report, reflecting our transparency value. It will show ‘’before’’ and ‘’after’’ measurements, demonstrating the work done to rectify your vehicle’s wheel alignment issues. Our wheel alignment service is top-class, but it also comes at a customer-friendly price tag of just 44.95 euros. You don’t want to miss that; see the garage.