The wheel alignment refers to checking and adjusting the angles of each of the wheels with respect to each other and the car. Special to The Globe and Mail . In case your car has mostly been through bumpy roads or got into an accident, this is the right time to opt for a wheel alignment to be done. Failure to check wheel alignment can lead to uneven tyre wear (one side of the tyre wearing off faster than the other). Wheel balancing is recommended after every 5,000 to 10,000 km of running; What if you ignore it? That well-paid driver of a business man, who wears a fancy all-white creased uniform, may be reporting to his boss on time, but not necessarily to the tyres of the sedan he might be driving. If a wheel is out of balance, it will cause a vibration at highway speeds that can be felt in the steering wheel and/or the seat. With time and usage of a car, these settings usually need adjustment to keep them properly aligned. I gave my hyundai Elite i20 for second servicing(5000 Kms) and according to user manual the service center was supposed to do tyre rotation, but the service manager told me that without doing wheel alignment and balancing they would not do tyre rotation. Receiving this question many times, I tell customers there are several ways they can determine this themselves in their own driveway! Get To Know Your Car: How Often Should Wheel Alignments Be Done? Many vehicles have a tolerance of less than 10 minutes before a wheel is considered out of alignment. Depending on the specifics of the vehicle, tyre rotation may be recommended every 8,000 km. Now I don't know how many kms your truck does each year, but you can work out the rest. The purpose of these adjustments is maximum tire life and a vehicle that tracks straight and … Alignment of wheel means that all the wheels of the car are properly aligned in the way they should be. ... You’d be surprised how many cars have incorrectly aligned wheels. From $120. Schedule an appointment today with an automotive technician near you to have your wheels properly aligned. The key to proper alignment is adjusting the angles of the tires which affects how they make contact with the road. They have been in business selling Honda since 1973 - so they have experience and knowledge! You should book wheel alignment every six months or 10,000 kms, whichever comes first. So dun vent your anger at the alignment … If we missed the same the impact of this should reflect on the tyres straight a way. since you started this thread for me :p im gunna ask an additional question... at how many KMs should the first wheel alignment be done?? here are many inspections that need to be carried out on a car before a wheel alignment can be completed. I just had four winter tires installed by my dealership. If you are a frequent or regular traveler, you has to … When a wheel rotates, the weight along its rotating axis must be properly balanced else there will be unpleasant vibrations and wobbling of the wheel. wheels checked, both at rest and motion), Attaching a lead weight on the opposite side of the tire to compensate for weight differences. And when you multiply by 4 wheels, the wobble really adds up. It’s important to note that a wheel adjustment doesn’t just adjust the tyres or the wheels themselves, it actually adjusts the specific angle of the wheels – which impacts just how they make contact with, and perform on the road. Your wheel alignment will affect how long your tyres should last, and the way your car handles. WHEEL BALANCE (AUTO TIRES ONLY) Standard Limited Warranty on parts: 24 months or 24,000 miles, whichever comes first. I have only had 2 alignments in 50+ years of driving multiple vehicles. 7 grams) difference in weight around the wheel. However, to ensure the optimal safety of your car, yourself and others around you, it is best to opt for a wheel alignment every time you go to change your oil of the vehicle. ? rear wheel/forward wheel/ 4-wheel, and are depicted below pictorially: Your vehicle took a hit (kerb or god-forbid any other vehicle), You notice an uneven or abnormal tyre wear, You experience handling issues like the vehicle pulling off towards left or right and the steering not returning easily after you take a turn, When you replace your steering  and suspension components, make sure you don’t return home without a wheel alignment check at that service center, Any of the above cases or after driving for, You will need a new set of tyres pretty soon, due to the abnormal wear caused by the faulty wheel alignment, The drive may not be as comfortable as was claimed by your car dealer, Proper tyre wear which is achieved by a perfectly aligned wheel will result in better contact surface between the tyre and road and improve the fuel economy, You put the co-passengers and yourself at risk due to instability and hazards which faulty alignment may pose, Your steering wheel vibrates at high speeds which is usually when the imbalance is in the front wheels, Your seats and the floorboard vibrates at high speeds which is usually when the imbalance is in the rear wheels. 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