How often do you really need a wheel alignment?
The simple rule, the signs that mean "now", and how to avoid paying for an alignment that will not hold.
Have your wheel alignment checked once a year, and any time you get new tires, hit a pothole or curb hard, or have steering or suspension parts replaced. Get it done sooner if the car pulls to one side, the steering wheel is off-centre, or a tire is wearing on one edge. A 4-wheel balance and alignment at our Abbotsford shop runs $150 to $250 depending on the vehicle.
In this article
An alignment adjusts the angles of your wheels so they point straight and sit flat on the road. When those angles drift, the car pulls, the steering feels off, and your tires wear out early. The good news: the rule for how often you need one is simple.
How often: the simple rule
There is no fixed kilometre interval for alignments the way there is for oil. Alignment goes out because something knocks it out, or because parts wear. So the rule is a yearly check plus a check after anything that could have moved it:
| When | Why | Alignment? |
|---|---|---|
| Once a year | Small knocks add up, and uneven wear is easy to miss | Check it |
| New tires | A bad alignment can wear a new set unevenly within months | Yes, recommended |
| A hard pothole or curb hit | One of the most common causes of a sudden pull | Check it |
| Steering or suspension parts replaced | Tie rods, ball joints and struts change the angles | Yes |
| Car pulls, wheel off-centre, one-sided wear | The alignment is already out | Yes |
Signs your alignment is out
- Pulling or drifting to one side on a straight, flat road.
- The steering wheel is not centred when you are driving straight.
- Uneven tire wear, especially one edge wearing faster than the rest of the tread.
- Squealing tires on gentle turns.
- Steering that feels loose or wanders at highway speed.
A pull can also come from low tire pressure or one worn tire. Check your pressures against the sticker in the driver's door jamb. If we find the pull is a tire problem rather than alignment, we will tell you.
Alignment or balance? They fix different problems
These two get mixed up all the time:
- Alignment sets the angles of the wheels relative to each other and the road (camber, caster and toe). It fixes pulling, an off-centre wheel and edge wear.
- Balancing evens out the weight of each tire and wheel so it spins smoothly. It fixes vibration, usually felt in the steering wheel or seat at highway speed.
If your problem is vibration at 90 to 100 km/h, an alignment alone will usually not fix it. That is why we balance and align together, so you are not paying twice to find out.
What a wheel alignment costs in Abbotsford
A worked example: a $150 alignment plus 5% GST and 7% PST is $168.00. Where your vehicle lands in the $150 to $250 range depends on how many adjustments it has and whether any hardware is seized. We confirm the price for your vehicle when you call.
What happens during an alignment at Kingdom
- Suspension check first. Worn ball joints, bushings and struts throw an alignment right back out. If something is worn enough to matter, we quote it before doing the alignment, so you do not pay for one that will not hold.
- Tire wear check. Bad alignment shows up in the tread first. We measure what is left and tell you honestly.
- Measure and adjust. Computerized equipment measures camber, caster and toe, and we adjust them to the manufacturer's spec.
- Show you the numbers. You see the before and after readings, not just a line on the receipt.
Why alignments go out around Abbotsford
- Potholes after the freeze-thaw. Late winter and spring are pothole season, and a hard hit is one of the most common causes of a sudden pull.
- Curbs and parking blocks. A slow-speed bump against a curb can be enough to knock the toe out.
- Winter tire season. From October 1, signed BC highways require winter tires (see the BC government's winter driving rules). If you are buying a new set, align at the same time so the new tires wear evenly from day one.
Correct alignment and tire pressure also help your fuel economy, a point Natural Resources Canada makes about tire care in general.
Same-day alignments
Call (778) 666-6011 and we can usually fit an alignment in the same day. If you need tires too, you can shop tires online and have them installed and aligned in one visit. Full details are on our balance and alignment page. And while the wheels are off, it costs you nothing to ask where your brakes stand. Our guide on when to replace brake pads explains what we look for.
- Check alignment once a year, and after new tires, a hard pothole or curb hit, or suspension work.
- Pulling, an off-centre steering wheel and one-sided tire wear are the classic signs.
- Vibration at highway speed is usually balance, not alignment. We do both together.
- An alignment on worn suspension will not hold. We check before we align.
- At Kingdom: 4-wheel balance and alignment $150 to $250 + tax, readings shown before and after.
