What’s a Wheel Alignment?

You’ll find content on nearly every tyre and mechanical website discussing the necessity of wheel alignments. What is a wheel alignment service? Why are they needed? Surely your vehicle is aligned from the factory?

We’ll break it down and explain not only ‘why’ you need an alignment, but ‘how’ we do an alignment, so you know that next time you bring your vehicle to see Joon and the team at Midas Narre Warren, your vehicle is in expert hands.

What is a wheel alignment service?

When you break a wheel alignment down to its most simplest form, a wheel alignment is a process of measuring the wheels on your vehicle to make sure they’re all pointing in the same direction.

All vehicles will have some kind of suspension adjustment, built right in from the factory. This adjustment is to account for manufacturing tolerances as well as parts wearing out over time. Suspension bushings in particular can account for most instances where a vehicle’s alignment changes over time and must be rechecked.

Suspension damage can also be easily found when having a wheel alignment performed. Bent or damaged components will cause obvious alignment issues.

Most of the time vehicles will see the best handling and tyre wear when they’re aligned to factory specifications, however for modified vehicles, your ideal alignment settings may be different.

The most common adjustments checked during a wheel alignment are:

• Camber: The inwards or outwards lean of the wheels when looking at the vehicle from behind.
• Toe: Toe is the angle of the wheels on each side of the car on the same axle. Imagine looking at your feet and pointing your toes in towards each other, or outwards. Your vehicle has a similar adjustment which can fine tune the handling. Incorrect toe settings as well as tyre pressures are the leading cause of premature tyre wear, so it’s absolutely essential to have your vehicle alignment checked.
• Caster: The angle through which the front wheels turn when you use the steering wheel is referred to as caster.

If any part of your alignment is significantly out of specification, we will look for signs of damage as well as worn out suspension parts, wheel bearings and more.

How is a wheel alignment performed?

Modern wheel alignment machines look a lot like a vehicle hoist, except your vehicle is raised on a drive on/drive off platform. Specially designed targets are placed on your wheels, like you’ll see in the image below. A laser visual system will measure these targets and provide a readout on what adjustments need to be performed.

Once your vehicle is aligned to factory specifications, your vehicle is all buttoned up and ready to be driven out of the workshop for handover back to you!

How often should you have a wheel alignment?

Midas Narre Warren recommend you have a wheel alignment performed every time you get new tyres fitted.

We recommend bringing your vehicle in for a tyre rotation every 10,000kms for an inspection, and while your vehicle is with us, having a wheel alignment performed at the same time.

Pairing routine wheel alignments and tyre rotations, as well as maintaining the correct air pressures in your tyres, will ensure you get the very most from your tyres.

What are the signs you need a wheel alignment?

While you can usually assume you’ll make it to your next service or 10,000km interval without requiring another alignment, there may be instances where you might consider an alignment as a precautionary or diagnostic measure.

• If you’ve ever hit a pothole or debris on the road and your car just doesn’t ‘feel’ right or your steering wheel is no longer straight while driving, it’s a sure sign that something is damaged under your vehicle.
• When driving in a straight line, if your vehicle ever has a tendency to want to veer left or right.
• You experience shaking and vibrations that change depending on your speed, rather than only being felt while braking.

Any of the above symptoms are signs that there is something seriously wrong with your suspension. You should book your vehicle in to see the expert team at Midas Narre Warren as soon as possible for a comprehensive suspension diagnostic checkup.

Where can you get an alignment?

Just about any tyre shop will have the equipment necessary to perform a computerised wheel alignment on your vehicle. But if you’re shopping at Westfield Fountain Gate or you’re in the Narre Warren area, there’s only one place you should call. Speak to Joon and the team at Midas Narre Warren today, or visit our workshop at Unit 2/1 Len Thomas Pl, Narre Warren.

Contact Midas Narre Warren today!

Come see the team at Midas Narre Warren. We have expert technicians on hand ready to provide excellent service, great product recommendations and the best prices. We carry a wide range of stock, including tyres from the biggest names such as BFGoodrich, Hankook, Michelin and Laufenn. Contact us today on (03) 8738 4741.