Do You Need Wheel Alignment After Tyre Rotation? Complete Guide

A common question among the UK drivers is whether or not they should have a wheel alignment following tyre rotation. It is a usual query that appears when cars are undergoing regular checkups. The straightforward explanation is that wheel alignment is usually not needed when tyres are simply rotated.

But, in case you have uneven tyre wear that is the reason why you have decided to rotate your tyres anyway, then, Wheel Alignment Wolverhampton is probably what your car has been needing to avoid future inconveniences and to assure some safe driving.

When Wheel Alignment Becomes Necessary

Wheel alignment is not a procedure that you should carry out frequently like the oil changing. It is only under certain conditions that most cars require alignment.

Following Steering Component Replacement

Probably the most frequent occasion when you will require wheel alignment is following the replacement of steering parts such as ball joints, tie rods, or steering racks. When these components are renewed, it is extremely hard to achieve accurate measurements and make sure that the wheels are positioned in the right way in relation to one another and contact the road surface appropriately.

Severe Suspension Wear

Suspension parts such as shock absorbers, struts, or bushings may influence the wheel alignment when worn severely. When these components are worn out they will enable wheels to move as they are not supposed to and this will cause alignment issues.

Uneven Tyre Wear Patterns

Have you spotted that your tyres are wearing unevenly? Then this is usually an obvious indication that your tracking requires adjusting. Some of the common untidy wear patterns encompass wear on either the inside or outside corners of tyres, or one side wearing more quickly than the other.

Tyre Rotation: Helpful But Not a Complete Solution

Although tyre rotation can be used to hold off uneven wear, it seems good to know the limits of it.

Evening Out Wear

Tyre rotation may be used to attempt to programme the tyres to equalise any current uneven wear patterns by swapping tyres to new positions where they will wear differently. This can prolong the lifespan of your set of tyres and increase the grip and handling.

Masking Underlying Problems

Nevertheless, rotation of tyres will just treat the symptoms, but not the problem. In the case that your tyres are wearing unevenly because of a bad alignment, rotation may help conceal the issue temporarily, but the alignment problem persists.

Probability of Greater Harm

In other instances, a situation of driving with misalignment and just changing direction of tyres may aggravate the wear of the components. When the wheels are not aligned, additional steering and suspension issues can be introduced, which may lead to higher repair costs in the future.

Symptoms of Wheel Alignment

Being able to realise when your car requires alignment will help you to save money that could be spent on purchasing tyres as well as ensuring that your safety is not compromised.

Vehicle Pulling

When you are driving on straight and level roads and your car pulls to one side repeatedly, then this is a likely sign that there is something wrong with the alignment. You should not always be doubtful of your steering to make the car run straight.

Position of the Steering Wheel

When you are driving along a straight road, you steering wheel must be in the center position. When you have to hold the wheel at an angle to drive in a straight line, then most probably your alignment is not correct.

Lumpy Tyre Wear

Ask your tyres frequently to see whether there is an uneven wear pattern. Wear on just inside or outside shoulders, or high wear on one side compared to another, indicates alignment potential issues.

Steering Vibration

Although there could be multiple reasons for vibration, one of the reasons could be due to alignment, and this could particularly be the cause for steering wheel vibration at certain speeds.

Cost-Benefit Analysis

This understanding of when alignment is cost-effective helps you make more informed maintenance decisions. 

Delaying the Replacement of Tyres

The result of poor alignment may be accelerated wear of tyres. It may wear out a set of tyres which is expected to cover 30,000 miles in just 15,000 miles in case of extreme alignment difficulties. Alignment is far cheaper than replacing tyres prematurely.

Better Fuel Consumption

Wheels that are well aligned cut down on rolling resistance that could enhance fuel efficiency. Although the increase may be negligible, it is above thousands of miles.

Improved Handling and Safety

Correct alignment ensures that your car is handling consistently, and that is particularly important for safety, especially during emergencies or in bad weather. 

Conclusion

There are different aspects of vehicle maintenance involved with tyre rotation and wheel alignment. While rotation can help correct problems associated with uneven wear in the short term, it does nothing to correct the issues associated with misalignment. If your tyres are suffering from uneven wear, chances are that the alignment issues are a serious concern if you want your tires to last, for the safety of the vehicle and cost-effective maintenance of the vehicle.

Having your tyres regularly assessed with Car Servicing Wolverhampton and paid attention to in terms of how the car is handling, will enable you to decide when it is time to take it into a professional for alignment service. Remember, it is always cheaper to prevent problems than it is to repair the issues they cause.