June 10, 2025
Before going on a road trip, it is always important to check whether your car’s wheel alignment is in the correct position. It is also important to check the wheel balancing to have a smooth driving experience, as travelling in Australia in a car often involves driving long distances. This action exposes your car’s tyres to a variety of terrains.
However, there is a slight difference between wheel balancing and wheel alignment. This blog presents the significance of maintaining wheel alignment and wheel balancing along with discussing the differences between them.
What is Wheel Alignment?
The mechanical adjustment of your car’s suspension system to make sure the wheels are in the proper position is called a wheel alignment. Wheel alignment is crucial since mismatched wheels can result in uneven and quicker tyre wear.
What is Wheel Balancing?
By inserting a tiny metal weight, wheel balancing services rectify the wheels’ unequal weight distribution. Tyres are naturally imperfect and they may not be exactly in shape. Damage from potholes, curbs or a tough road can further exemplify uneven weight distribution and sizes of tyres.
If your car remains parked for a long time without being driven, the tyres can develop flat spots, leading to imbalances while driving. Imbalanced tyres can affect your driving experience and negatively impact the suspension system. Because of this, you should check that your car’s tyres are balanced.
First Step? Inspect Tyres for Damage
You can check yourself whether there are any cuts, cracks, splits, bruises, punctures or any other signs of damage in the car’s tyres. You should be aware that minor damage or a superficial cut in the tyre can cause major problems, specifically during long trips.
If you identify any strains of physical damage in your car’s tyre, you should consult with a car tyre repair shop.
You might observe that the automobile is continuously pushing to one side or the other on the straightaways due to wheel misalignment. Your steering wheel may also appear to be off-centred when you are driving straight, or it may vibrate.
When the car is not moving, you can visually inspect the wear of your tyres to identify alignment problems. Uneven wear on specific areas of the tyre or a noticeable difference in tread depth between the inner and outer edges often indicates wheel alignment issues.
You may also hear a screech noise while turning or driving your car because misaligned vehicles can cause tyres to screech. This issue also needs to be fixed in regular auto care services because there are multiple mechanical factors that cause wheel misalignment.
Before performing the Wheel Balancing and Wheel Alignment solution on your car, please refer to the car manufacturer’s manual and specified measures.
A Brief Overview of the Difference Between Wheel Alignment and Wheel Balance
| Service | Purpose | When to opt for this service? | Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheel Balance | It fixes the tyre weight imbalance on your vehicle. | • Based on the recommended maintenance schedule provided by the manufacturer of your vehicle.
• If your car floor, seat or steering wheel vibrates. • After changes to your tyres, for example, new tyre installation, rotation or flat repair. |
It offers a smooth ride. |
| Wheel Alignment | It adjusts tyre angles for contact with the road. | • Based on the recommended maintenance schedule provided by the manufacturer of your vehicle.
• If your car is pulling to one side. • If you experience a crooked steering wheel. • If you notice uneven tyre wear. • After installing new tyres. |
It offers a smooth ride and maximises the lifespan of tyres. |
Process of Wheel Balancing
Your tyre and wheel assemblies are installed in a wheel balance machine during a wheel balancing procedure. The equipment rotates the wheel and tyre to assess the imbalance after a technician removes old wheel weights. The technician carefully places tiny metal weights on the wheel if an imbalance is discovered.
Process of Wheel Alignment
Wheel alignment is performed by auto care services professionals. To restore the vehicle to OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) requirements, this alignment must be performed using authorized equipment by qualified people. There are three main factors are considered in this process, which are mentioned as follows:
• Camber
Camber is the degree to which a wheel tilts outward away from the car or leans inward toward it. To keep yourself safe when driving, it’s critical to have the chamber angle right. The tyre’s inward or outward movement indicates that the wheel alignment is incorrect and needs to be corrected. Worn ball joints, bearings, and other suspension parts are the main causes of camber misalignment.
• Caster
The amount of forward or backwards movement of an automobile’s steering axis is known as the caster angle. Between the wheel’s upper and lower ball joints is the steering axis. The pivot points to which all wheels are attached are these ball joints. Most cars tilt their steering axis in the direction of the driver, a condition known as positive caster. This alignment improves straight-line stability by increasing steering effort.
If the caster’s position deviates from the manufacturer’s guidelines, it might need to be adjusted.
• Toe
The inward or outward turning of your car’s wheels as viewed from above is known as toe alignment. For example, when you look at your feet and see that your toes angles are inwards or outward. However, the wheels of your car shouldn’t be too “toe-in” or “toe-out.” You must return to the OEM specifications if they do.
You should also note that Toe alignment problems can quickly reduce your tyre’s life span and result in a poor driving experience. As soon as you become aware of this problem, you should get professional assistance.
Is wheel alignment necessary?
To answer this question, you need to figure out the three Cs of why you need to align your tyres. These are:
• Caution
Inadequate wheel alignment can impair a tyre’s grip on the road and cause uneven tyre wear. Wheel alignment is required as a safety measure since it can cause a blowout in extreme circumstances.
• Cash
Increasing damage to the wheels also means that you have to spend more to replace your tyres frequently. When a misaligned vehicle is dragged, it will scrape the road, which creates resistance and reduces fuel efficiency.
• Comfort
Your car may move shakily or vibrate if your tyres are misaligned. In this regard, wheel alignment can help you drive more safely and smoothly while also enhancing your car’s performance.
How long does wheel alignment take?
Wheel alignment is a quick process that takes no more than an hour. For example, a four-wheel alignment may take some more time to fix broken or worn-out parts in the suspension system.
How long does this alignment last?
The lifespan of wheel alignment cannot be predicted with certainty. Wheel misalignment is more common in cars that have been driven forcefully over speed bumps or on uneven roadways. Conversely, more cautiously driven vehicles ought to be less common.
Auto Repair Shop, Specific to Wheel Balancing and Wheel Alignment
In Perth, Auto Repair Shop offers you several car repairing services along with Wheel Balancing and Wheel Alignment. Their service offerings list includes car engine repair, battery service, logbook service and many more.
So, if you search for “wheel balancing near me”, or “wheel balancing and alignment near me”, prefer to opt for the Auto Repair Shop. We offer fast and reliable services.
Bottom Line
Wheel Balancing and Wheel Alignment may sound similar, but both are different things. Wheel balancing is calibrating the shape and weight of a car’s tyres. On the other hand, wheel alignment refers to the mechanical modification of your vehicle’s suspension system. Both of them are necessary for a safe and joyful ride during the daily commute or when taking a trip on vacation.