How to Tell if a Car Pulls to One Side?
2 Answers
To determine if a car pulls to one side, the method is: while driving, if the steering wheel is kept steady, the car should generally move straight under normal circumstances. If it deviates to the left or right, this is what's known as pulling to one side. To check for this, first ensure that all four tires have equal and balanced air pressure. Then, drive on a straight, flat road with your hands lightly holding the steering wheel in a relaxed grip, and conduct the test under conditions without crosswinds. If the car's trajectory shifts to the left after driving a certain distance, it is considered to be pulling to the left; if it shifts to the right, it is pulling to the right. If the car starts pulling to one side after suspension modifications, this is due to changes in the suspension components' parameters, and a four-wheel alignment is required to readjust these parameters.
I've been driving for over a decade, and the most straightforward way to check for alignment issues is to release the steering wheel for a few seconds on a flat road to see which way the car drifts. However, you should choose a straight road and avoid those intentionally sloped drainage surfaces. If you constantly have to adjust the steering wheel to keep the car straight, it's definitely misaligned. Also, pay attention to the tires—if one side is significantly more worn than the other, with the inner tread nearly gone while the outer tread is still deep, it's a clear sign of alignment problems causing uneven tire wear. I've encountered this a few times—after replacing the tires, the misalignment returned quickly, and it turned out to be worn-out lower control arm bushings. It's also important to regularly check if the steering wheel is off-center; if it's not straight during straight-line driving, there's likely an issue.
