When is a Wheel Alignment Necessary?
2 Answers
Here are the relevant details about when a wheel alignment is needed: 1. If four new tires are installed due to severe abnormal wear on the old tires, this can affect the wheel alignment data, so a wheel alignment is necessary. 2. The main parameters adjusted during a wheel alignment include caster, camber, toe, and kingpin inclination. Adjusting the caster helps maintain straight-line stability and steering return; adjusting the kingpin inclination also ensures stability and steering return; adjusting the camber increases the tire contact area to offset adverse effects; and adjusting the toe compensates for the negative impacts caused by camber or toe-in. 3. During a wheel alignment, the data must be precise. If the wheel alignment is incorrect, the vehicle may experience pulling to one side, affecting balance during turns, acceleration, braking, and suspension load, which can compromise safe driving.
If you feel the car pulling to one side when driving, especially with the steering wheel not staying straight, or notice uneven tire wear with one side more severe than the other, it's time for a wheel alignment. I've experienced this several times—during long drives, the car kept pulling to the right, and it turned out to be misalignment. Not only does this wear out the tires faster, but it also increases fuel consumption. Hitting a big pothole or bumping into a curb while parking can knock the wheels out of alignment. Over time, this can degrade handling and even become dangerous, so it's best to get it checked by a reliable shop promptly.
