Wheel alignment can seem a little puzzling if you don’t know much about cars, tyres and wheels, but when it comes to rubber hitting the road, ensuring your vehicle’s wheels are aligned makes really good sense before getting behind the wheel.
On a new vehicle, wheels are perfectly fitted by the manufacturer for the optimal performance, handling and safety of the vehicle. Day to day driving as well as a particular incident (such as hitting a pothole or running up the curb) can, however, affect the alignment and the handling of your vehicle, which in turn can affect its safety on the road.
The signs to look out for (that show you your wheel alignment may be “off”) include your vehicle pulling to one side, your vehicle may vibrate as it travels, or your tyres may begin to wear unevenly. While some of these signs may be more noticeable than others, being on the lookout for them can go a long way to ensuring you can get the issue sorted before it becomes a more major problem.
Making sense of wheel alignment terms
The way a wheel is angled on your vehicle is vital to its alignment and is affected by three main factors – Camber, Caster and Toe Out/In.
Camber
Camber is the inward or outward tilt of your tyres, with positive camber meaning your tyre is tilting out at the top. Negative camber, on the other hand, is an inward tilt. When your vehicle is stationary, a slight positive camber is normal, with the tyres becoming almost vertical once the vehicle is in motion.
Caster
Caster is the relationship between the steering axis and true vertical angle and will usually depend on the age of your vehicle. Unequal caster causes the steering to pull to the side.
Toe in / Toe out
Toe in and Toe out describe whether the fronts of the tyres (or wheels) are closer (Toe In) or further apart (Toe Out) than the rear of the tyres (or wheels) when viewed from the top. Generally, vehicle’s tyres will have a slight Toe In when stationary. The tyres will become parallel once the vehicle is in motion.
How often should wheel alignment be done?
The network of highly professional Tyrepower dealers are experts at checking the alignment of your tyres using diagnostic tooling. Wheels should be aligned every time tyres are changed or replaced. It is also recommended that an alignment check is done about every 10,000km to ensure their ongoing safety on the road.
