How can a person tell if they need a wheel alignment.?

Answer 1

If you are driving down the street and you take your hands off the wheel on smooth level pavement and the car veers left or right you might need an alignment. If you look at your front tires and they are properly inflated but the tires are worn unevenly you might need an alignment. Most reputable places that do electronic alignments now days give you a life time alignment guarantee and you can take it back in and get it re aligned. unfortunately most places that do alignments also sell tires and want to sell you new tires every time also. If the tread depth and tires are in good condition then just get the alignment. If the front tires are worn badly then have them switch out the front and back tires and then align it and save up until the tires will not pass inspection anymore and then replace. Rubber is getting more and more expensive so don't replace it anymore often then is absolutely necessary but keep your tires properly inflated to tire specifications which are printed on the tire.
Hope this helps ya!!

Answer 2

The best way to tell - Make sure all your tires have the proper inflation in them, and drive it, and see if it wants to pull to one side or the other. A low tire can make it pull to one side, so make sure they are properly inflated. Be sure you have a nice flat road, because most roads are sloped so water runs off, and that can give you the impression that the car is pulling to the outside, when it is just the road.

Tires can also wear unevenly - turn the steering wheel hard left or right, and look at the tread. If the tread is worn more on the inside than the outside (or visa versa), you could have an alignment problem, but under/over -inflated tires can also affect tire wear.

You also may notice vibrations at high speed with a bad alignment - however the majority of vibrations are caused by a need for tire balancing - using weights hammered to the rim to make the weight even on all sides of the rim as it goes around.

Answer 3

You have to be on a flat road. Aim the steering wheel to middle (straight ahead), and let go for a few seconds. See if the car drifts to one side. Return the steering wheel to the middle, and repeat. Return the wheel to the middle and repeat one more time.

This doesn't work if you are on a "crowned" road. A lot of highways are higher in the center (where the divider line is). Gravity will pull your car down the hill as you move forward if the road is crowned, this is not an alignment issue.

If all you have are crowned roads do what I said in the first paragraph. Then make a U-turn.

If the car drifts down the hill again, no problems.

If the car stays straight ahead and going the other way it sank down the hill, maybe you have a problem.

If your car climbs the hill, and sank the hill going the other way you have a problem.

If you hit a lot of curbs when you drive you will need alignment more frequently.

Answer 4

The steering wheel will pull to one side or the other if the car is not aligned right. In a safe area, like an empty parking lot, let go of the wheel for a moment to see if the car continues going forward in a straight line, or pulls to one side.

Answer 5

Generally, if you are driving at a safe and rather low speed on a straight-away, if you let your hands loosely grip the wheel and you feel and/or see the wheel pull to either the right or to the left, it will give you an accurate idea of being in need of a wheel alignment. If the wheel stays relatively straight, you're probably fine.

Answer 6

Go onto an open road (make sure its straight with no ditches) and let go of the steering wheel for 4-5 seconds if the car swerves left or right you may need the alignment. I believe there are shops out there also that do a free checkup. You may want to look into that as well.

Answer 7

When driving down the highway, take your hand off the steering wheel for a second (keep it very close to the steering wheel and off for only a second). If you need a wheel alignment, the car will pull to the left or the right.

Answer 8

Do I Need An Alignment

Answer 9

Wheel Alignment for your vehicle. The road is also uneven, for water run off reasons.
1. Check tire pressure on all tires make sure its all even.
2. Check for tire wear, and if they are all the same brand and models.
3. If the vehicle leans in one direction while driving, or the steering wheel is off.
4. Always purchase tires in pairs, or 4 at a time. The 15"inch then 18 in the back for race are not for city street or highway.
worn tires, and car brakes takes up gasoline.

Answer 10

What everyone says about seeing if the car turns on its own when you let go of the steering wheel is true, but make sure you're on a level road, because roads and banked to let rain run off, and if the road isn't level the car will turn when you don't need an alignment.