The Disadvantages of Driving with Improperly Aligned Wheels

Wheel alignment services somehow never seem to get the attention they deserve, despite the fact that regular vehicle inspections are so important in saving you money, keeping you safe on the road and protecting the life of your truck’s tyres.

Despite being one of the most vital - yet regularly overlooked - steps to standard car maintenance, we’re here to remind you of a few major disadvantages of ignoring essential services such as wheel alignment, computerised wheel alignment and off-vehicle and on-vehicle wheel balancing.

Causes Unnecessary Wear & Tear on Tyres

When your wheels are improperly aligned, whether it be due to over-inflation of one side, damage to the wheel itself or coming in contact with an object, your tyres will begin to wear out in certain areas, increasing your risk for a tyre blowout on the road.

Properly aligned wheels ensure your tyres are performing at their ultimate level of effectiveness, allowing you to rest easy while you’re driving and avoid any potential safety hazards stemming from improper wear and tear.

Fact: Tyres should ideally wear evenly across the tread. If you’re noticing excessive wear on the rear inside of your tyre, you likely either have too much weight in your trunk or need an alignment adjustment. For more on this, check out How to tell if your vehicle requires a wheel alignment?

Causes Substandard Handling & Stability

Above and beyond a possible tyre blowout, misaligned wheels also cause your vehicle to handle poorly, even negatively affecting your directional stability. By maintaining correct wheel alignment, you won’t have to worry about your truck pulling in a certain direction, braking unusually or causing you unwanted stress on the road while handling tight corners or driving at high speeds.

The last thing you need is an accident on the job (or on your own time), and difficulty in steering not only increases your chances of an accident but those around you as well.

Puts Stress on Your Vehicle’s Parts

While improper alignment of your wheels certainly adds unnecessary stress on your vehicle’s steering components, it can also cause major issues with suspension components and rotating parts. Beyond that, vibration in the steering wheel is one of the most common side effects of wheel misalignment, and one that can definitely be annoying - and dangerous - when spending countless hours on the road.

Negatively Impacts Fuel Economy

Improper alignment can reduce fuel efficiency by as much as 10%. This is because the misalignment produces a drag on the tyre, resulting in more fuel being burned. There’s no need to spend more dollars at the pump than you already do. Get a wheel alignment service instead.

Costs More Over Time

Because poor wheel alignment has a direct correlation with uneven wear on your tyres, chances are you’ll need to replace your tyres sooner - and more frequently - than would otherwise be necessary. Because tyres are typically an expensive purchase, you’ll want to ensure you’re doing everything possible to keep them in pristine condition by getting regular wheel alignment services.

Even more, we’re betting costly repairs of your steering and suspension components aren’t quite the financial goal you had in mind for the New Year.

Set your vehicle up for a safe and cost-effective New Year by booking it in for a Wheel Alignment service at one of our many convenient Australia-wide locations. Our team of trustworthy, experienced professionals can keep your vehicle safe and performing at its peak capabilities. Call us at 1300 655 050 for further details and check out our FAQ section for more information.