When someone brings up the topic of ‘wheel alignment’, we tend to shoot them down and wonder why they worry about such a thing. In truth, this is either because we don’t know exactly what it is or we don’t realise the benefits that it can have and why it plays a huge role for your vehicle. Luckily, we have all the information you need here today!

What Is It? - Ultimately, wheel alignment is just as the name suggests in that it ensures that the angles of the wheels are set to how the manufacturer recommends. When new vehicles leave the factory, they meet certain specifications and the hardware will be painted slightly so that future owners can tell if it has moved. However, you still might be wondering why this is important because as long as they are pointing in the right direction, you still reach your destination, right?

Why Is It Important? - Firstly, ensuring that wheels a parallel will allow you to save money on fuel. When a misalignment occurs, pressure on the tyres will be uneven and they can end up pushing against each other. As soon as this resistance comes, friction will arise from the road and your car is working harder just to move forward. When the wheels are aligned, the resistance is removed and the car will drive a lot smoother.

Secondly, you could lower your carbon footprint because you will be reducing your consumption of fuel. With so much focus on caring for the planet currently, a simple wheel alignment check will allow you to save money and our great planet. Furthermore, the cost of getting it checked is significantly less than the cost of new tyres. As mentioned previously, resistance is a huge problem when the tyres are misaligned and this will wear them at a faster rate. When they start to go bald on one side, it presents a danger and you will need to change them over to a new set. 

Above all else, it is simply unsafe to drive a vehicle that pulls to one side for obvious reasons. When driving at fast speeds on the motorway, for example, these tiny movements become more pronounced and it presents a danger for you and everyone around.

Summary - With all of this in mind, it is much more efficient to keep your wheels aligned and this can be checked and fixed at any garage such as M H Autos Service Centre in Basingstoke. In general, the rule is to have it checked every 6 months or 6,000 miles (the sooner of the two). Of course, this should change if you feel your vehicle pulling!