Do you need a wheel alignment with new tyres?

Why wheel alignment matters after fitting new tyres:

When you think of a wheel alignment, your mind might go to those wobbly wheels from accidentally hitting a gutter or a particularly deep pothole. After all, those things can definitely put your wheels out of whack.

But getting a wheel alignment before you even hit the road, when you have new tyres fitted, is important too. Making sure your tyres are nice and aligned when you get a new set will help protect them from premature wear, save you in fuel costs, and reduce strain on your steering and suspension.

Take a look as we delve into you all you need to know about wheel alignments and new tyres.

Tyres and wheel alignment: Are they linked?

Although a wheel alignment is essential in maintaining the smooth operation of your steering and suspension system, it’ll also help you get the most out of your new tyres. This is because your tyres drag when they aren’t aligned, which causes them to wear more quickly in certain areas.

Not only is this bad news for the lifespan of your tyres, but it also reduces grip and braking ability. So for the safety of you and your passengers, a wheel alignment is a critical part of your car’s maintenance.

Is a wheel alignment necessary for new tyres?

So do you need wheel alignment with new tyres? In short, yes. With new tyres, a wheel alignment actually makes a lot of sense. You’ve invested in your tyres, so it makes sense to have them properly aligned and calibrated to ensure they go the distance, while putting less pressure on your steering and suspension.

What about a wheel alignment when changing tyres?

So when does a car need wheel alignment, and is it something you should think about when modifying your car? Well, yes.

If you get new tyres, a wheel alignment is definitely one of the things you should be doing afterwards. One of the measurements that needs to be spot-on for good wheel alignment is ‘ride height’, which refers to the clearance between the wheel axle and the road. New tyres changes the diameter of your wheel and tyre combination compared to worn tyres, so you’ll need to get your alignment recalibrated.

How to check if a wheel alignment is done

Although it’s impossible to measure if a wheel alignment is slightly out without the proper equipment, you can certainly ballpark it using a few tests. These include:

If you’re worried that a wheel alignment hasn’t been performed correctly, or something just doesn’t feel right, take it to your trusted mechanic and have it checked out.

How to do a wheel alignment on a car

Wheel alignments require precise calibration using specialist equipment, so if you’re looking to do a DIY car wheel alignment, it’s likely you won’t have the gear to get it done right. Each make and model of car has different alignment settings, so understanding what yours needs extends past the owner’s manual. That means that even if you were able to measure the angles to the 1000th of an inch required, you could still get it wrong, so this is one of those things that’s best left to the professionals.

Where can I get my wheel alignment done

At mycar, we’re always happy to lend a helping hand when it comes to those maintenance jobs that you just can’t do yourself. Our highly trained, friendly mechanics will use state-of-the-art equipment to get your car back on the straight and narrow.

Our wheel alignment service starts at $99, but we’ll give you a comprehensive quote so that you know what’s involved before we go ahead with the alignment. After we’ve got the green light we’ll hook your car up to our wheel alignment equipment to help us perfectly calibrate your wheels and suspension. The whole process takes about an hour, and when we’ve finished you’ll get a fully itemised invoice and service report. We have over 270 mycar stores all across Australia, so help is always close at hand!

Give us a call to book a wheel alignment at mycar today!