How to tell if your wheel alignment is off

Your wheels may have become unaligned if you’ve been driving down bad roads, over potholes, or hit a curb. The alignment of your wheels can be negatively impacted by this. If your wheels are not properly aligned you risk wearing down your tyres significantly. It can also damage suspension and steering parts. This can create potentially dangerous driving conditions. Plus it means that your wallet may take a big hit if you need to replace tyres and car parts.

This blog will help you identify the early warning signs. So that you can get it sorted by professionals asap to minimise the negative impacts that could be caused.

How can I tell my wheel alignment is off? 

There are a few signs that may indicate your car’s wheel alignment is off. However, the signs can be subtle and not always noticeable without professional equipment.  Here are some of the common signs:

The car is veering to one side – This can easily be noticed by driving on a straight road. The car should drive straight on the road with very little effort on the steering wheel. If the car is pulling to either side that’s a sure sign the wheels need re-aligning. 

Rapid or uneven tyre wear– tyre wear can speak volumes about the condition of a car. Wear on just the inside or outside of the tyre indicates a problem with camber adjustment. Feathering on tyre indicates toe adjustment. Any of these tyre wear or abnormalities in the tyre wear you should get your car checked out immediately. 

Crooked steering wheel– If the steering wheel is off centre when driving on a flat straight road this is a clear sign. The steering wheel should be close to perfectly straight. Even if the wheel is out by a few degrees it’s important the wheels are realigned.  

Screeching Tyres– Tyres shouldn’t make a noise during normal driving conditions. The screeching that you may hear is because the tyre comes into contact with the road in a way it wasn’t designed to. This could be due to wheel alignment. 

Notice any of these alignment issues? Talk to our professionals here or call us at 01709 828220.