What Are The Symptoms Of Bad Wheel Alignment In A Car?

All of us know the term wheel alignment, but many of us don’t know why it is important and what are the symptoms of bad wheel alignment in a car. So, in this blog I will try to clear all your doubts about car wheel alignment. So without wasting your time, let’s get started.

All of us know the term wheel alignment, but many of us don’t know why it is important and what are the symptoms of bad wheel alignment in a car. So, in this blog I will try to clear all your doubts about car wheel alignment. So without wasting your time, let’s get started.

Driving an automobile is one of the most lovable activity around the world. Most of the car owners love driving their vehicle and taking proper care of it. It includes monitoring the overall performance of the car. With passage of time, there exists a misalignment in your car’s wheels due to normal wear and tear. Hence, It is mandatory to check on your wheels’ performance regularly and notice the symptoms of bad wheel alignment in a car.

Wheel alignment is a suspension-tuning tool that improves the operation of the vehicle’s type. The car alignment usually deals with pre-setting an angle (range of minus 1 to plus 1 degree) of the wheels by the manufacturer depending on the vehicle setup and usage. This process is a must that prevents unwanted accidents, aligns your vehicle and ensures a safer journey.

What Are The Symptoms Of Bad Wheel Alignment?

This misalignment of car wheels is very common in passenger cars and automobiles that undergo rough driving. This is just a simple error that can be easily rectified when one keeps an eye on the basic symptoms of the same. The symptoms of the poor alignment can be found using the following symptoms:

• Irregular tyre wear

Regular driving of the vehicle leads to the irregular wearing of the tyres. The tyres’ wearing differs from one another. This wearing results in the change of set angle that induces the cornering performance of the car. This symptom has to be recognized as soon as possible to avoid high maintenance costs in the form of the replacement of parts in the wheel. It can also cause tyre squeals.

• Handling problems or Break issues

The handling problem is one of the common symptoms found in the car’s functioning which pulls the vehicle to one or the other side without the control of the driver. This can also be recognized when the brakes works slowly or sometimes doesn’t work. This process works on a “caster” angle setup where the wheel turns the steering axis. This is an aid for steering returnability.

• Crooked steering wheel

The vibration caused in the steering wheel or the shift in the position of the steering wheel is another indication of misalignment in the wheel. This can be sensed only by the driver during a continuous journey. This relates to the “toe-angle” setup of the wheel and steering. This symptom controls the movements of the wheels and the steering.

These major symptoms or indicators of car misalignment act as a boon to car owners or users. It is a must for every vehicle owner to closely watch for these indications and avail of wheel alignment services as soon as possible for better performance of the car in the future.

Why Wheel Alignment Is Necessary?

Wheel alignment is a significant part of an automobile service procedure that prevents the vehicle from unexpected mishappenings such as break failure and severe car accidents. The importance of maintaining a fair wheel alignment are:

• To reduce the tyre wear

The alignment of wheels on a regular basis ensures the correct position of the wheels in the specified angles. This results in an even range of wearing of the tyres. This also reduces the maintenance cost spent on the tyre replacement.

• To ensure steering returnability

The steering returnability is the main indication of the caster angle’s setup and the proper functioning of the vehicle. This helps the driver to ensure safe driving even on improper roads. This also promotes better control over the steering.

• Straight line stability

The proper alignment of the wheels manages the overall handling performance of the car. It helps the driver to drive and maintain a straight line path i.e., driving stability.

• Cornering performance

Automobiles today are not just manufactured for traveling purposes. It is categorized on various factors such as sports-utility, multi-utility, and extra-utility. So the cornering performance i.,e the direction of the wheel movement is stabilized once the alignment is done and corrected.

How Long Does A Wheel Alignment Take?

As a part of putting your vehicle into service, ensure the alignment process is scheduled and included in the same. The alignment process helps in maintaining your car in tip-top condition. The wheel alignment and balancing in Perth is a quick process and quite inexpensive as they have highly advanced tools and technologies there. Apart from that, it can save your wheel alignment cost when done on a right and at regular times after recognizing the symptoms.

The alignment process usually takes about 30 to 60 minutes in the case of the common procedure. Whereas if there is a requirement for special repairs, it will require some extra time depending upon the following factors:

• Condition of the car
• Type of car
• Experience and skill of the technician

It is categorized into two basic types of alignments namely,

Four-wheel alignment

This is a bit long process where all four tyres are stabilized and checked for better functioning on the road. This process would extend up to 30 mins to one hour.

Two-wheel alignment

This is one of the simplified processes and the kind preferred by most vehicle owners as the rear wheels require more attention compared to the other two. They play a major role in cornering performances. This process as by name is a quick and easy process that would consume only about 15 to 30 minutes at a maximum.

Conclusion

It is clear that the cars or the automobiles are pre-designed on a certain set angle alignment of wheels by each and every manufacturer according to a technology. The reduced contact of the tyre and the road due to frictional force is the major reason for misalignment.

The alignment process is one of the vital operations that have to be performed regularly to make sure the vehicle condition is good. Thus, this repair or error-checking process has to be scheduled on a regular basis. It acts as an aid to manage the wheel balancing cost. If done so, the maintenance cost gets reduced and the time gets saved.

Get your alignment done; Ensure a safe and happy journey in your car!