Car owners should considerate any wheel alignment cost as a way to save money on new tires and car maintenance for the long term. Most of us do a good job of keeping up with necessary oil changes but often neglect taking care of alignment problems, which is harmful to any vehicle’s driving performance. Getting your wheels aligned is usually a very easy process and is much cheaper than replacing your tires.
Symptoms of Misalignment
When tires are out of alignment, they wear on their rims faster than expected. This reduces the mileage life you can expect from a set of tires. Uneven alignment also reduces your car’s fuel efficiency. Misalignment is not apparent to the naked eye, but your vehicle gives indications of a problem that you feel when driving. Prices for alignments are small compared to the savings you get from tire longevity and improved fuel economy.
Excessive wear on the rims of tires is the key warning sign. The car may also pull to the right or left when you are driving and the steering wheel will not center. Finally, a problem with car alignment causes a shimmy or vibration that may be pronounced. Excessive tire wear and tracking problems with the steering are the primary symptoms of which to take note.
The need for wheel aligned is often confused with wheel balancing. Both appear as a problem with handling of the vehicle and smoothness of the ride, but are really not related. When the tires are out of balance you experience vibrations that are felt through your seat and the steering wheel. If you are not sure if car alignment is needed, let go of the steering wheel for a second when driving to find out if the car pulls to the right or left. Tracking is off when the wheels are misaligned. Tire balance does not affect your ride this way.
The Mechanics of Wheel Alignment
Aligning an auto’s wheels consists of adjusting the wheels’ angles so that they remain parallel to each other and perpendicular to the road. Car dealerships often recommend having an alignment done every 10,000 miles or so. The goal of this procedure is to maintain the maximum effective life of your tires and assure your car tracks true on a level and straight road. Prices paid for alignment are offset by saving wear and tear on your vehicle.
Your wheel technician will check the camber, which is the angle of the wheels. If the top of your tire is leaning out from the middle of the car, its camber is positive. If it leans in, the camber is negative. This wheel angle, when out of adjustment, will cause excessive wear on one side of the tire or the other. If it is too negative, the inside of the tire wears most. If it is too positive, the wear shows up on the outside of the tread.
If this camber angle is different from one side of the auto to the other, the vehicle will have a pulling problem, drawing to the more positive side. On automobiles with front-wheel-drive, the camber cannot be adjusted. Problems occur when something is bent or worn, possibly from some kind of accident. It must be repaired or replaced.
When a driver turns the steering wheel, the front wheels respond by turning on a small pivot which is attached to the vehicle’s suspension system. The angle of this turning pivot is known as the caster. If the pivot’s top leans toward the rear of the auto, it is positive. If the pivot’s top leans towards the front, it is negative. When the adjustment of the caster is off, you have trouble with straight line tracking when driving.
If the caster differs from one side to the other, the car pulls toward the less positive caster side. If the caster is equal on both sides but too negative, the car will wander and the steering will feel light, making it difficult to drive in a straight line. If it is too positive, the steering is heavier and the steering wheel may jerk when you hit a bump. The caster also cannot be adjusted but must be repaired or replaced.
The tow measurement of the wheels is the difference in the distance between the front of the tires and their backs. When the wheels are parallel to each other as they should be, the set is close to zero. When the fronts of the tires are closer together than the backs, the wheels toe-in. Toe-out is the exact opposite. Either of these causes tire wear. Unlike the camber and the caster, toe on the front tires is always adjustable. Sometimes it is also adjustable for the back wheels.
Steps Taken to Align the Wheels
There are two types of wheel alignment, a front wheel alignment and a full four wheel alignment. The later always costs more because more work is involved. In addition to the caster, toe, and camber of your car, the technician will also check the following:
- Included Angle
- Steering Axis Inclination (SAI)
- Scrub Radius
- Riding Height
- Set Back
- Thrust Angle
- Toe out on Turns
- Steering Center
Always test drive the car afterwards to make sure the car alignment has been properly corrected.
Costs of Wheel Alignment
Some tire retailers offer rotations and alignments with a purchase of a new set of tires. Many shops run periodic specials or offer coupons to reduce the prices of alignment procedures. You may generally expect to pay $35 to $85 for a two-wheel (or front) alignment. The prices for four wheel alignments range from $45 to $105, sometimes more if warranties are provided.
Warranty offers may range from six month or 6,000 miles, to from one to three year warranties. A three year service warranty usually costs between $110 and $140. This is actually cost-effective, as wheels usually need alignment once or twice a year.
Your costs also depend on the particular shop doing the work and the equipment they use. Alignments are labor only jobs, since you are not purchasing parts. Your local market conditions determine the cost of local labor. Ultimately it is important to remember that any wheel alignment cost you incur is actually an investment in the longevity of your tires and in improved gas mileage.