Is a Wheel Alignment Necessary When Changing Tires?
2 Answers
When changing tires, a wheel alignment is not necessary; only wheel balancing is required. Situations that do require a wheel alignment include: 1. The steering wheel feels heavy, shakes, pulls to one side, is misaligned, or does not return to center; 2. Uneven tire pressure or tread wear; 3. Wheel vibration or wobbling; 4. The vehicle pulls to one side. The benefits of a wheel alignment are: 1. Enhanced driving comfort; 2. Extended tire lifespan; 3. Improved straight-line stability; 4. Reduced wear on suspension components; 5. Increased driving safety. The principle of wheel alignment is to adjust the vehicle's four-wheel parameters to ensure optimal driving performance and reliability.
As a seasoned car enthusiast with years of experience, I've found that wheel alignment isn't always necessary when changing tires. Wheel alignment primarily adjusts the camber and caster angles to ensure balanced driving. If you're simply replacing old tires with new ones of the same specifications and the tire shop has done a thorough dynamic balance, the alignment usually remains unaffected. However, if you switch to mismatched tire sizes or if the suspension system is accidentally disturbed during the tire change, it can easily lead to steering wheel misalignment or uneven tire wear. I recommend driving for a few days after changing tires to test: if the car doesn't go straight on a flat road or if the steering feels heavier, it's time to get an alignment check immediately to avoid premature tire wear. Normally, it costs around 100-200 yuan, which is much cheaper than repairing problems later. Making it a habit to check alignment during regular maintenance is a good practice to protect your suspension system.
