Is a wheel alignment necessary when replacing all four wheels?
2 Answers
Replacing all four wheels does not require a wheel alignment, as installing four new tires only involves changing the tires and rims and does not affect the alignment data, so a wheel alignment is not needed. However, if the four new tires are replacing old tires that had severe abnormal wear, this could affect the wheel alignment data, and a wheel alignment would be necessary. Situations that require a wheel alignment include: 1. The car pulls to one side while driving or the steering wheel does not return to center automatically; 2. Components of the axle or suspension have been removed; 3. Damage to the chassis or suspension caused by an accident; 4. Abnormal uneven tire wear, particularly severe wear on one side of the front or rear tires; 5. The car feels unstable or sways during normal driving.
Every time I get new tires, I recommend doing a wheel alignment. It's not a must, but my experience has shown that skipping it often leads to problems. Once, I changed all four tires on my own car and skipped the alignment to save time. A few months later, the tires were unevenly worn—thicker on one side and thinner on the other—and the car wobbled when driving. Later, when I had it adjusted, I found the wheel angles were slightly off, possibly due to tool impact during the tire change or suspension loosening. Alignment doesn’t cost much, usually just a couple hundred bucks, but it can prevent premature tire wear and safety hazards. In my opinion, your car is your baby—taking this extra step won’t hurt. If experienced drivers can check their alignment regularly, their tires will last longer, and handling will be more stable, especially for long highway drives. Don’t underestimate this detail.
