Is a wheel alignment necessary after removing the tires?
2 Answers
Removing tires does not require a wheel alignment, but wheel balancing is necessary after tire replacement, which is unrelated to wheel alignment. The details are as follows: 1. Wheel balancing is required: If the vehicle does not pull to one side during driving and the steering wheel is not tilted, then a wheel alignment is not necessary. However, wheel balancing must be performed; otherwise, the vehicle may experience shaking during driving. 2. Details of wheel alignment: Wheel alignment is actually a value-added service provided by tire shops to better serve customers. When drivers notice issues such as heavy steering, shaking, pulling to one side, misalignment, failure to return to center, or abnormal tire wear (e.g., uneven wear, scalloped wear, block wear, or edge wear), as well as sensations like floating, bumpiness, or swaying while driving, they should check the wheel alignment values to see if they deviate too much and make timely repairs for safety.
I've been driving for almost twenty years and often change seasonal tires myself, so I've had plenty of experience with this. Generally, removing the tires doesn’t require a wheel alignment because alignment adjusts suspension angles, such as toe and camber, while the tires themselves are just mounted components. As long as the suspension isn’t disturbed during tire removal, the parameters won’t change. However, last time I installed new tires without checking, and the car started pulling to the right—turns out the suspension bolts weren’t tightened properly, affecting the alignment. I recommend test-driving for a few minutes after removing or reinstalling wheels to check if the steering wheel centers properly and if the car tracks straight. If it drifts, visit a repair shop for a quick alignment check, which costs around 100–200 RMB. This can prevent uneven tire wear and handling issues. In short, don’t cut corners—safe driving is the priority, and replacing a set of unevenly worn tires is far more expensive.
