Keeping up with vehicle maintenance is crucial to staying safe on the road, getting the best performance from your vehicle, and ensuring it lasts as long as possible. Simple things like keeping your tires properly inflated and rotated can make a huge difference.
Two services that are often confused are wheel alignment and wheel balancing. While both contribute to a smoother ride and extended tire life, they address different issues. This article will clearly explain the difference between alignment vs. wheel balance.
Understanding the difference between the two can help you make informed decisions about your car’s care, leading to improved fuel efficiency, a smoother ride, and enhanced safety.
What is wheel balancing?
Wheel balancing is the process of making sure the weight is evenly distributed around your car’s wheel and tire assembly. It corrects what’s known as dynamic imbalance.
Wheels can become unbalanced over time due to uneven wear, manufacturing flaws, or even just the impact of driving over potholes.
How wheel balancing works
When a technician balances your wheels, they’ll use a balancing machine to find any heavy spots on your tire and wheel assembly. Once these spots are located, they’ll attach small weights to the opposite side of the wheel to counteract the imbalance and achieve equilibrium.
Why is wheel balancing important?
Balanced wheels are crucial for a smooth, safe ride. Wheel balancing:
- Prevents vibrations. It eliminates shaking or wobbling, especially at higher speeds.
- Reduces uneven tire wear. It extends tire life by ensuring even wear across the tread.
- Improves ride comfort. It gives you a smoother and more pleasant driving experience.
How do I know if my wheels are out of balance?
Here are some things to look out for:
- Steering wheel vibrations: Your steering wheel might shake or wobble, usually at certain speeds.
- Seat vibrations: You might feel vibrations through your seat, which often means the rear wheels are unbalanced.
- Uneven tire wear: Take a look at your tires. If the tread depth looks different across the tire, or if you see “feathering” or “cupping” patterns, that can indicate an imbalance.
It’s a good idea to get your wheels balanced after you get new tires, when you rotate your tires, or if you notice any of these vibrations.
What is Wheel Alignment?
Wheel alignment is all about making sure your wheels are angled just right. Think of it this way: You want each wheel perpendicular to the road and parallel to each other. When your wheels are properly aligned, your car handles the way it should, and your tires don’t wear out prematurely.
There are three main angles that technicians adjust during an alignment: toe, camber, and caster. Each of these angles plays a role in how your car drives and how your tires wear.
How Alignment Affects Your Vehicle
When your wheels are in alignment, you’ll notice a few key improvements:
- Improved handling: Your steering will be more precise, and your car will respond better to your commands.
- Reduced tire wear: The weight of your vehicle will be distributed evenly across the tire tread, preventing uneven wear patterns.
- Better fuel efficiency: With less rolling resistance, your car won’t have to work as hard, saving you gas.
- Prevents steering and suspension issues: Proper alignment reduces stress on these components, helping them last longer.
What are the signs of misalignment?
Here are some common signs that your car might be out of alignment:
- Your car pulls to one side. Does your car drift left or right when you’re trying to drive straight? That’s a classic sign.
- Your tires are wearing unevenly. Take a look at your tires. Are the treads wearing down differently on one side compared to the other? If the “toe” is off (meaning the tires are pointed inward or outward), you’ll often see wear on the inside or outside edges. If the “camber” is off (meaning the tires are tilted inward or outward when viewed from the front), you’ll also see uneven wear, usually on the inner or outer shoulder of the tire.
- Your steering wheel isn’t centered. Is the steering wheel crooked when you’re driving straight?
- Your tires squeal when you turn. Especially at low speeds, a squealing sound during turns can indicate misalignment.
Wheel balancing vs. wheel alignment: Key differences
While both wheel balancing and wheel alignment are important for a smooth, safe ride, they address different issues.
- Purpose: Wheel balancing corrects weight imbalances in the tire and wheel assembly, while wheel alignment adjusts the angles of your wheels to the manufacturer’s specifications.
- Symptoms: If your wheels are out of balance, you’ll likely feel vibrations, and your tires may wear unevenly. With alignment issues, you may notice your car pulling to one side, uneven tire wear due to incorrect wheel angles, and problems with steering.
- Impact: Wheel balancing affects your ride comfort, tire wear, and stability at higher speeds. Wheel alignment affects handling, tire wear, fuel efficiency, and the lifespan of steering and suspension components.
- Corrective action: To balance a wheel, weights are added to the wheel assembly. To align a wheel, suspension components are adjusted to correct wheel angles.
In short, balancing deals with weight distribution, while alignment deals with the angles of your wheels in relation to each other and the road.
How often should you get tire balancing and alignment?
The typical recommendation is to have your tires balanced every 5,000 to 7,000 miles. You should also have them balanced any time you get new tires or have your tires rotated for the season.
Wheel alignment should be checked every 6,000 miles, or about twice a year. You should also get your wheels aligned if you hit a pothole or a curb, or if you notice any of the symptoms of misalignment we mentioned earlier.
Keep in mind that these are just general guidelines. Your driving style, the type of roads you typically drive on, and the kind of vehicle you own can all affect how often you need these services. For example, if you’re an aggressive driver or you often drive on rough roads, you might need to get your tires balanced and aligned more often.
Wrapping Up
Wheel balancing and wheel alignment are both important for safe driving, optimal performance, and long-lasting tires. While balancing corrects weight imbalances in the wheel and tire assembly, alignment ensures the wheels are angled correctly in relation to the road. Proactive maintenance and regular checks are the keys to keeping your vehicle in top condition.