Being a car owner comes with a lot of responsibilities. You need to care for and maintain your car regularly to get the most out of it. If proper care is not taken, it could not only damage your vehicle but may also cause accidents. Getting your car wheels aligned regularly is one of the major things you need to take care of when owning a car.
The wheel alignment refers to checking and adjusting the angles of each of the wheels with respect to each other and the car. Improper wheel alignment of your car can result in a reduction of the life of the tyre. Correct wheel alignment is essential for good handling capability of the car and plays a very important role in extending tyre life. Signs of incorrect wheel alignment include:
- Vibration
- The tendency of the car to wander
- The car pulling to one side when driving at highway speeds
- The vehicle is unstable and wanders from one side to another
- The tyres wear out unevenly
- A dysfunctional steering system is a big sign of incorrect wheel alignment. If your wheels are properly aligned, the steering wheel should typically go back to the centre position after it has been turned.
As a car owner, it is important to know how often wheel alignment needs to be done.
Some instances when you need to get your wheel alignment done for your car:
- Typically, there is no such time frame within which the alignment needs to be done. However, when you take your car out for regular servicing, the mechanic will assess the wheels and decide accordingly if the wheels need to be aligned or not. However, it is recommended that you go for a wheel alignment every 2 to 3 years. In case you get new tyres installed, you can also get a wheel alignment done during that time.
- In case your car has mostly been through bumpy roads or got into an accident, this is the right time to opt for a wheel alignment to be done.
- Depending on the kind of terrain that you are driving your car in, you might need to go for a wheel alignment more than once a year. This can happen more often if you are driving on rough terrains.
- Your steering wheel should go back to its normal position (centre) after you have turned the wheel. However, if you notice that this is not happening, it could be due to incorrect alignment of your wheels. This is the time when you need to go for a wheel alignment of your car to be done.
- In case you notice your car is drifting off to one side while driving, it might be time to get a wheel alignment done. Taking your car to a reputed service centre for doing this is the best idea, as the skilled and experienced mechanics will be able to tell you if your wheels require aligning or not.
What can cause your wheels to get misaligned?
- If you do a lot of off-road trips
- In case your car hits a pothole
- If your car gets into an accident
- Normal wear and tear, where you need to go for a regular wheel alignment every 2 to 3 years
- Bumping into a concrete parking stall
Benefits of getting your car’s wheel aligned:
- Your vehicle will be stable on the road and handle better
- You increase the lifespan of your tyres
- The suspension and steering components will last longer
- You can maximize your cars fuel efficiency; cars which do not have their wheel aligned typically suffer a decrease in their fuel efficiency by 7%!
- Your car is much safer; if you are driving in wet conditions, it is important that your car is able to stop safely. The treads on your tyres have a direct impact on the stopping distance of your car. If you wish to prolong the tread life of your tyres, you need to get your wheels regularly aligned
https://www.ceat.com/blog/car-tyres/get-to-know-your-car-how-often-should-wheel-alignments-be-done.html