Having your wheels aligned helps ensure they stay in the proper position on both city and off-roads in Dubai. If you notice your tyres wear down unevenly, turn off-centre when driving, see the steering wheel vibrate or notice poor vehicle handling, you may have misaligned wheels.
This article outlines the role of wheel alignments in your car’s maintenance and helps explain how to find and book the service.
Understanding Wheel Alignment & Its Importance
What is Wheel Alignment?
Wheel alignment is when you change the tyre’s angles to match what the car maker created. By configuring the wheels properly, they will stand straight up and side by side. There are three essential angles in this process:
Camber: The angle the tyre makes, from the front, from the vertical line through the wheel.
Toe: Turning the tyres toward each other for Front Toe or outward for Rear Toe, when observed from above.
Caster: The angle between the steering pivot and the wheels, which shapes the car’s handling and its ability to corner.
They help set up your tyres for contact with the pavement, make sure your wheels are correctly pointed, and align your steering midway.
Why is Wheel Alignment Important?
1. Improved Tyre Longevity
When wheels are out of alignment, tyres suffer and frequently need to be replaced on an earlier schedule. Your tyres will wear more evenly and last a little longer if you align your car on a regular basis.
2. Better Fuel Efficiency
If your wheels aren’t aligned correctly, your car will use more effort to roll and consequently, use more fuel.
3. Enhanced Safety
An unbalanced car may attempt to move toward a side, causing you to have trouble controlling it when it’s needed most. Correct vehicle alignment gives you a smoother ride and less work to keep it well-maintained.
4. Smoother Driving Experience
Proper alignment helps your car move in a straight line and without trembling, so daily drives and long trips become more pleasant.
7 Symbols Your Vehicle Needs a Wheel Alignment
Well-aligned wheels are necessary for comfortable, secure, and efficient driving. Many vehicle owners overlook this crucial aspect of car maintenance until they experience several issues that are explained below.
1. Your Car Pulls to One Side
When your car drifts left or right as you drive straight on the road, it’s most likely time for an alignment. Drifting is normal at times, but correcting your course all the time isn’t.
2. Your Tyres Are Wearing Out Unevenly
Do all your tyres look the same or have you seen one tyre wear out or have a different wear pattern? Uneven tyre wear is frequently caused by poor alignment, which reduces tyre life and compromises the control and safety of your car.
3. Steering Wheel Looks Crooked When Driving Straight
A straight and even steering wheel shows that your car is travelling smoothly down the road. If your steering wheel seems to move to keep your car straight constantly, an alignment check is required.
4. Steering Feels Loose or Unresponsive
If you notice it’s hard to respond quickly to turns, your steering’s bareness or slowness may be because of wheel misalignment. Sharp misalignment places pressure on your suspension and steering, so your car drives more loosely.
5. Vibration In the Steering Wheel
Feeling vibrations through your steering wheel, especially at higher speeds? While this can stem from several issues, misalignment can cause uneven tyre pressure on the road, leading to those noticeable shakes.
6. Tyres Squealing During Normal Driving
Do you observe that your steering wheel vibrates more quickly? No matter what causes shaking, if your alignment is off, you may notice uneven tyre pressure and find your car shaking noticeably.
7. Trouble After Hitting a Kerb or Pothole
When you go over a pothole or kerb, your car’s handling can be changed which is why getting an alignment checkup is smart. These impacts can easily cause your wheels to become misaligned which can reduce the way your car handles.
How Should You Visit an Alignment Specialist?
Most of the time, experts advise you to check the alignment at every oil change or after 6,000 to 10,000 km. If you’ve had an impact from a pothole, kerb or logged a collision, having the car looked at immediately is best.
Top 6 Benefits of Regular Wheel Alignment
You should examine your wheel alignment often to ensure it matches the required set of guidelines. It helps ensure that your vehicle runs its best, steering feels appropriate, and the ride is comfortable. You should inspect your wheel alignment regularly to ensure it meets the required guidelines.
- Increased Tyre Lifespan: Proper tyre alignment ensures that all parts wear at the same rate, meaning your tyres last longer and you must replace them less frequently.
- Reduced Fuel Costs: Aligning your car’s wheels on time can prevent several issues and improve fuel economy.
- Better Vehicle Handling: Smoother and more responsive steering, along with additional stability, are achieved when alignment is set correctly.
- Driving errors: Uneven wheels might make your driving less safe and unpredictable. When a car is aligned, you are less likely to lose control in emergencies.
- Helps Suspension & Steering: Many realignments stop your vehicle from wearing out faster and requiring expensive repairs.
- Less Driver Fatigue: Staying in the right lane and driving smoothly means the car won’t cause the driver to grow tyred, even on long drives.
What Should You Do If You Notice Poor Alignment of Your Wheels?
Make sure to quickly handle wheel alignment problems so that the issue doesn’t get worse and to guarantee your safety. Do these six crucial things:
- Inspect Your Tyres: Check for uneven or rapid tyre wear. In some cases, if the tyres are too worn, you can’t guarantee their safety and proper performance after alignment, so you should consider replacing them.
- Avoid Driving Aggressively: Until the alignment is fixed, skip sharp turns, wait to brake suddenly and don’t speed, to save your tyres and suspension.
- Check Suspension & Steering Components: Poor alignment can even be made worse by worn suspension or steering components. Have a technician inspect these and replace any faulty components.
- Schedule a Qualified Alignment Check: Visit a trusted auto repair or wheel alignment specialist near you as soon as possible. An expert will measure your wheel angles and set them according to the manufacturer’s specification.
- Maintain Regular Alignment Checks: When the alignment is fixed, it should be carried out in the recommended schedule for the check of a wheel alignment as prescribed by the manufacturer of the vehicle.
Schedule a Qualified Car Alignment Check in Dubai
Experience precise and reliable alignment services with ARMotors in Dubai and nearby areas such as Business Bay, Al Quoz, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), and across the UAE.
With over 15 years of expertise and advanced equipment, we ensure your vehicle’s wheels are perfectly aligned for optimal safety, tyre longevity, and smooth driving. Make an appointment right now to take advantage of our reliable service and drive with assurance!
Ending of the Wheel Alignment Guide
Adjusting the wheel alignment is more than just a routine maintenance chore; it is crucial for the vehicle’s safety and affects its performance and comfort. To ignore alignment issues is to invite costly repairs and unsafe driving conditions and will reduce fuel efficiency. Be proactive and save money for rewarding drives.
Whether you observe subtle signs of misalignment or have had a definite change after hitting a pothole, it’s essential not to delay. Consistent alignment checks and immediate corrective action when symptoms arise can extend tyre life, promote proper functioning of suspension components, and enhance the overall safety of your ride. Work it into your car care schedule.
