Your vehicle needs to be in perfect shape if you wish to enjoy a smoother right even on long routes. One key aspect of vehicle maintenance is to make sure both the wheel alignment and wheel balancing are exactly how they should be.
Without proper wheel alignment or balancing not only does your ride become extra uncomfortable, but it also shortens the life of your tires as well as vehicle suspension.
But what exactly are wheel balancing or wheel alignment and how do you know when you need one or the other? This blog tries to explain both these terms in detail to help you understand the difference so keep on reading till the end.
- What is Wheel Alignment?
- Signs That Show Your Vehicle Needs Wheel Alignment
- What is Wheel Balancing?
- Signs That Show Your Vehicle Needs Wheel Balancing
- Benefits of Wheel Alignment & Wheel Balancing
- Enhanced Fuel Efficiency
- Longer Tyre Life
- Smooth and Safe Ride
- Better Vehicle Handling
- Reduction in Mechanical Stress
- Long-Term Cost Saving
What is Wheel Alignment?
Wheel alignment or tyre alignment refers to the adjustment of your vehicle’s steering and suspension. Every vehicle manufacturer or tyre service specifies predefined angles of the wheels. Over time these angles can undergo variations which can cause several issues.
In wheel alignment, your car’s suspension is adjusted. Your vehicle’s suspension is what connects the wheels to its body. This way wheel alignment allows you to correct the angles of the wheels as well as the tires so that they make proper contact with the road.
Following are a few factors that a wheel alignment expert will look at when performing this procedure
- Camber
This type of misalignment is typically the result of worn-out ball joints, bearings, or other suspension parts. Camber refers to the inward or outward angle of the tire as you look at it from the front. Both negative and positive value of the camber indicates there is an inward or outward tilt in the wheels.
- Toe
This refers to the outward or inward turning of the wheels of your vehicle when you view these from above. It is fairly easy to determine this type of misalignment. If the tires angle inward, it indicates a toe-in alignment and vice versa.
- Caster
The caster describes the angle between the vertical and the steering pivot axis when you view it from the side of your vehicle. If the steering axis tilts towards the driver the caster is called positive.
If the tilt is more toward the front of your car it indicates a negative caster. Both of these cases warrant wheel alignment so that you get better control and stability in your car’s steering.
Signs That Show Your Vehicle Needs Wheel Alignment
Here are a few signs that indicate your vehicle needs the wheel alignment service
- There is squealing in your tyres.
- Your car is pulling to one side of the road.
- There is premature or uneven wearing in your tyre treads.
- The steering wheel frequently tilts off-center even at slow speeds and especially at high speeds.
- There are major vibrations in your steering wheel at higher or moderate speeds.
- The braking is uneven.
What is Wheel Balancing?
Wheel balancing is a process that involves adding weights to the wheels and tyres combo to make sure they are fully balanced. Tyre balancing removes the uneven distribution of the weight in the wheels which ensures a smoother drive as well as the longevity of your tyres.
The wheel weight imbalance may occur due to driving on rough roads or hitting potholes or curbs. Treadwear is another major cause that can result in wheel balancing issues.
In the tyre balancing procedure, the technician uses a calibrated spin balancer to test both the static and dynamic wheel balance. Modern wheel balancing machines are connected to a computer system that indicates how much weight you need to add and to which spots.
Signs That Show Your Vehicle Needs Wheel Balancing
Following are a few signs that you need to look out for to determine if your vehicle needs wheel balancing
- Your gas mileage is diminishing.
- The tread wear is inconsistent with random flat patches.
- The steering wheel, floor, or seat vibrates as you go a little faster.
- Strange noises in tyres.
Benefits of Wheel Alignment & Wheel Balancing
Both wheel alignment and wheel balancing are extremely important and the following are a few points that show it clearly
- Enhanced Fuel Efficiency
Without balancing or alignment your wheels experience more rolling friction. It also puts extra pressure on other parts like the suspension, steering, and engine as the vehicle has to work harder. All these factors lead to more fuel consumption which can be easily eliminated if you pay attention to this regular maintenance.
- Longer Tyre Life
Accurate wheel alignment or balancing ensures your tyres do not wear randomly. This prevents premature wear and tear of the tyres eliminating the need to replace these every few months.
- Smooth and Safe Ride
Regular maintenance will remove any strange noises or persistent vibrations from your vehicle. This ensures you have full control over the car even at moderate to higher speeds. This way alignment or balancing can ensure you are able to enjoy a very smooth ride every single time.
- Better Vehicle Handling
Vehicle handling gets affected negatively if the tires have uneven weights. As you move faster the effects get amplified increasing your risks of losing control of the car. With proper balancing, this issue is eliminated from its roots.
- Reduction in Mechanical Stress
The suspension, steering, and other main parts of your car undergo extra stress when your wheels are not aligned or balanced. This can cause these systems to malfunction or break down. But with wheel balancing and alignment, you don’t have to worry about putting this extra mechanical stress on your vehicle.
- Long-Term Cost Saving
In the long run, investing in wheel alignment or balancing can save you so much money. These inexpensive maintenance procedures can improve tyre life, increase fuel efficiency, and reduce mechanical wear and tear. All these factors combined save you so much money as well as trouble.
Conclusion
Both wheel alignment and balancing are extremely important for the health and longevity of your vehicle as well as its tyres. These crucial maintenance procedures give you better control over your vehicle’s movement and reduce strange vibrations in the steering wheel or the base of the vehicle.
So, make sure to notice the signs that indicate your wheels need alignment or balancing to make sure they run smoothly without damaging other key vehicle components.
Visit GlobalEX today to get the best tyre services in the UAE at very affordable prices.