Wheel Alignment vs Wheel Balancing
Wheel alignment and balancing are the words we read in the service book given with the car, but we rarely pay attention to it.
What do they mean, and why do we need wheel alignment or balancing? It is for a smoother ride, better life of your car, and the safety of you and your family members.
Having said it, you always get confused about the two terms. What is the fundamental difference between the two?
It is the time to dive deeper into it and understand the difference between the two in detail.
In simple words, wheel balancing is the process of correcting the uneven distribution of weight between the wheels of your car.
When imbalanced, the wheel leads to excessive wear, vibrations, and damage to the suspensions of your car.
It leads to safety issues as well.
While doing wheel balancing, the wheels are mounted on a balancing machine. It spins the wheels and wheel assembly to check the imbalance.
Technicians take the reading and precisely install the accurate wheel weight to achieve a perfect balance.
Though wheel balancing is followed by alignment, they are separate things and not the same.
When do you need wheel balancing?
Several situations trigger the need for wheel balancing.
Do you see uneven wear of wheels? Or is there any vibrations in the steering wheel? Or did you have a flat wheel repair recently?
Trembling of the vehicle also indicates that the back wheels need balancing. Vibrations in the steering wheel indicate that the front wheels need balancing.
If yes, then you must get the wheel balancing done.
Some people make it a part of the scheduled maintenance.
Wheel alignment is the adjustment of the suspension of your car, which is the connecting system between the car and the wheels.
When done, the alignment keeps your car from veering to the left or right. It stops unusual vibrations on the road and improves the handling of your car.
When your car needs an alignment?
You should take the car to an alignment specialist when one or more of these symptoms are visible:
- The car gets pulled to one side
- You see premature or uneven wear of the wheels
- Squealing of wheels
- The steering wheel goes off-center when you drive the car
- Vibrations in the steering wheel while accelerating
- Your car meets an accident or runs over into a curb, or you drive over a pothole
Whether it is wheel alignment or balancing, you should take the car to a specialist for excellent results.
Complete Alignments is the first name in wheel alignment, offering services in Adelaide and throughout South Australia across all vehicle types. We provide complete alignment services for trailer repairs Adelaide, wheel alignment, suspension, trucks, caravan repair in Adelaide. Call at 08 8445 7798 today to get on site wheel alignment services.