Why it is important to check your wheel alignment – EXPERT

POLOKWANE – Wheel alignment is one of the more important factors when it comes to maintaining your vehicle.

Review spoke to Savannah’s Tiger Wheel and Tyre manager Simon Senwamadi about the importance of a car’s wheel alignment.

“Before the actual alignment procedure takes place proper inspections and investigations must be done on the vehicle to provide the customer with peace of mind and a safe means of transport. Doing wheel alignment could even evaluate the road worthiness of the vehicle up to a certain level.”

Senwamadi explained a thorough tyre inspection will be done on all tyres, even the spare wheel, the overall condition of the vehicle will be inspected, including the undercarriage and a complete inspection of all suspension and steering components must be done. All these inspections are crucial to do and will reveal any damaged components and incorrect fitments on the vehicle which might be the result of the vehicle being unsafe to drive.

“The tyres are the only contact between vehicle and road surface and must be properly inspected as it goes hand-in-hand with wheel alignment. If the tyres are not within the right boundaries it will have a detrimental effect on the safety, handling and comfort of the vehicle.”

To ensure your tyres are in order you can listen for strange noises, check for the correct tyre pressure, inspect the tyres for any strange tyre wear on the tread pattern.

“Proper inspections and measurements must be done to have the preferred manufacturer approved vehicle ground clearance. If measurements reveal any imperfections it must be corrected with means of adjustment or springs must be replaced to obtain the correct ride height before alignment can take place.”

Wheel alignment can only be performed on vehicles which are free from worn out or damaged steering and suspension components. If any of these components are not in sound condition, replacements of all worn-out suspension or steering components must precede any alignment adjustment made.

“Tyres will have a huge effect on the wheel alignment and the vehicles handling itself and must preferable be of the same make, same size, same tyre pressure, same amount of tread, and even tyre wear, especially on the same axle. Tyres which are incorrect can cause a vehicle to pull or wander in a certain direction while driving a straight line.”

He says tyre pressures must be perfectly inflated and there should be enough tread left for the tyres to be road worthy. The wheel alignment should be checked on a regular basis.

“When you hear strange noises on the suspension and steering components it is a clear indication that you need to check the alignment. If these sounds are ignored and left unchecked, it could cause further damage on the tyres and other suspension components. This could become a costly procedure to fix. This type of negligence can become a serious safety risk when driving.”

Senwamadi concluded by saying it is best to take professional advice from properly trained people when it comes to the concern of solving wheel alignment issues and the correct wheel and tyre fitments. This will ensure that you will get the best results without altering the vehicles overall performance.