WHEEL ALIGNMENT
Often the term wheel alignment or wheel tracking can be thrown around – but what is wheel tracking? And what causes bad wheel alignment? Find out everything you need to know about wheel alignment today.
What is wheel alignment?
Wheel alignment is the process of setting a vehicle’s wheels to point in the optimal direction to provide enhanced handling, comfortable driving and longer lasting tyres. The correct position for your wheels is specified by the vehicle manufacturer and your wheels are adjusted to their correct specification during manufacture.
What causes bad wheel alignment?
Your wheel alignment can be affected by impact caused by minor driving occurrences such as hitting kerbs or driving over potholes, as well as by any wear to the suspension system. In addition, any work you may have carried out to the wheels, tyres or suspension of your vehicle may also impact your wheel alignment.
How is Wheel Alignment Measured?
Checking and correcting wheel alignment is a relatively simple and affordable task. The process consists of checking and adjusting the angles of your wheels to ensure that they face the geometrically precise direction. The angles by which wheel alignment is measured include:
Caster
The caster is the angle created by the steering pivots from the front to the back of the vehicle. This affects the stability of the vehicle, so misalignment can result in difficulty controlling the car.
Alignment (toe in and out)
The toe measurement identifies which direction the wheels are pointing relative to the centre of the vehicle and is defined as the difference in distance between the front of the tyres and the back of the tyres.
Camber
Camber is the vertical tilting of the wheels. As the camber angle controls how much of the wheel is in contact with the road, too great a difference between camber angles can cause the vehicle to pull to one side and may make tyres wear unevenly.
Complimentary Wheel Alignment Check
Now you know what causes wheel alignment to change, if you have noticed any of the signs listed below, we would recommend visiting your local Merityre Specialists branch for a free wheel alignment check. We will check the alignment of your wheels and offer advice if it needs any correction work carrying out.
Book Wheel Alignment
Book Free Check
The charge is to inspect and measure the vehicle's main geometry, with adjustments to standard toe included in the price. Should any additional adjustments be required further charges will apply. Not all vehicles are adjustable – please call your local branch for more information if required.
How to Identify Problems with Wheel Alignment
Fortunately, problems with wheel alignment are easy to identify and if you notice any of the following signs you should get your wheel alignment checked by a tyre specialist.
Your vehicle pulls to the side when travelling in a straight line
Your tyres are wearing unevenly or more rapidly than usual
Your steering wheel remains at an angle when you are driving straight
You should also have your wheel alignment checked every 12,000 – 15,000 miles and following any work carried out to your steering, suspension, wheels or tyres.