Tyre alignment is an essentially important element of your vehicle condition. Cars are finely tuned machines and even the slightest of problems in one area can have a significant knock on effect on other moving parts in your car. This article considers some of the dangers of bad tyre alignment and also some of the benefits that you can get from fixing your alignment.
Problems With Bad Alignment
- Excessive Wear
When a tyre is badly aligned this means that it is actively fighting against the engine and other elements in the car when you are driving on it. Having bad alignment in effect means that your wheel is pointing in the wrong direction and is thus causing excessive friction and excessive wear. On a badly aligned wheel, one side of the tyre will wear out far faster than the other side because of this added friction. Further affects of wear include damage caused to your CVs, suspension, axel and steering column. Such problems would not be covered by car insurance either because they are purely mechanical issues caused by bad alignment.
- Shaking at Speeds
Bad alignment will cause the steering wheel and the car to shake at high speeds. This is because the tyre is gaining and then losing traction on the road as you drive. After a certain speed the tyre can no longer grip the road properly because of the alignment and this will cause the jarring sensation. When your car is in this situation there is no doubt that it is harder to grip the steering wheel and harder to drive safely.
- Directional Pulling
Bad alignment can also cause your vehicle to be pulled passively or actively to one side or the other. If you are driving and your car is consistently pulling to one side then this can cause serious problems. A momentary distraction could find you in the other lane and it will certainly cause your arm to ache when fighting the wheel for long periods.
Benefits of Proper Alignment
- Improved Handling
Getting a car service to fix the alignment of your tyres is a very sensible move because it can greatly improve the control that you have over your car. Proper tyre alignment will increase the friction between your tyres and the road, making it easier to stop, accelerate and turn the vehicle.
- Increased Fuel Efficiency
As your tyre will actively be fighting against your engine when it is misaligned, this will use a greater amount of energy and a greater amount of fuel. Getting your tyres properly aligned will ensure that your fuel efficiency is improved significantly.
- Meets Warranty Needs
Many tyres come with warranty agreements that will guarantee a number of kilometres from the tyre before it needs replacing. In order to fulfil your end of the warranty agreement, however, it is essential that you have proper wheel alignment. Failure to meet this requirement will usually nullify the warranty agreement and leave you with a large bill for replacing your tyres too soon.
