A wheel alignment consists of adjusting the angles of the wheels so that they are perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other. The purpose of these adjustments is maximum tire life and a vehicle that tracks straight and true when driving along a straight and level road. Adjustments are made to the camber, caster and toe.
Camber is the inward or outward angle of the tire when viewed from the front of the vehicle. Too much inward or outward tilt, also known as negative and positive camber, respectively, indicates improper alignment and will need to be adjusted. Worn bearings, ball joints, and other wheel-suspension parts may contribute to camber misalignment.
The caster angle helps balance steering, stability, and cornering. Specifically, it’s the angle of your steering axis when viewed from the side of your vehicle. If you have positive caster, the steering axis will tilt toward the driver. Negative caster, on the other hand, means the steering axis tilts toward the front of your vehicle.
Toe is the extent to which your tires turn inward or outward when viewed from above. If that’s confusing, just stand up and look down at your feet. Angle them inward toward the center of your body. When the tires on your car are angled the same way (remember, we’re thinking in terms of birds-eye-view), we call this toe-in alignment. Angle your feet outward and you have toe-out alignment. Both require adjustment.
If you’re driving straight down a flat, level road, your steering wheel should be sitting close to perfectly straight. There’s usually a small amount of discrepancy allowed depending on the crown of the road, but overall the wheel should be sitting centred and straight, and your vehicle emblem in the centre of the steering wheel should appear level to you. If the wheel is off centre by more than a few degrees in either direction, it’s time to have an alignment performed. This will return your steering wheel to centre, and may improve the overall drivability as well.
Similar to the first point, vehicle pull is most easily noticed while driving straight down a level road. There is a common misconception that the vehicle should drive perfectly straight with your hands off the steering wheel. In a perfect world, this would be true, but in reality this isn’t the case because all roads have some degree of crowning which causes a slight pull to one side. Completely removing your hands from the steering wheel is also very dangerous. Instead, the vehicle should drive straight ahead with very little effort on the steering wheel. If your car pulls to one side or the other, it’s time to have your alignment checked and corrected, which usually corrects the vehicle pull and improves overall drivability.
Tire wear can speak volumes about the condition of a car. Our qualified technicians can use tire wear patterns to make educated guesses about tire pressure, suspension condition, and alignment problems. Wear on only the inside or outside edges of tires indicates a problem with the camber adjustment. Feathering or scalloping of the tires often indicates a problem with the toe adjustment. Tire wear is most often noticed by a mechanic while performing a tire rotation or an inspection or service. If you have any of these abnormal tire wear patterns, then you should consider having an alignment performed on your vehicle. There is added benefit in that proper alignment greatly increases the life of your tires by ensuring they wear evenly.
When your wheels are aligned properly, it cuts down on rolling resistance, which means that you car doesn't have to work as hard or burn as much fuel in order to move forward. This is good news for everyone: Not only do you spend less money on gas, but you also get the satisfaction of knowing your car is responsible for less pollution.
Even the slightest problem with your alignment can have disastrous effects on your tires. If your tires have too much or too little toe-in (the degree at which they point in toward each other at the front, like a person who stands pigeon-toed), a narrow strip on each tire will wear down very quickly, causing you to have to get new tires sooner. By getting regular wheel alignments, you ensure that your tires wear evenly, making them last as long as possible.
Having the wheels out of alignment can be stressful on the rest of the car, too. It means that you continually need to put pressure on the steering system in order to keep the car straight. A properly aligned vehicle can reduce the chances of unnecessary and costly repairs.
One of the biggest advantages of having your wheels aligned properly is that your car is easier to drive. No annoying pull to one side or the other. It's much easier and more pleasant to drive a car that has had regular wheel alignments.
Due to the increased labour times to perform a wheel alignment on some makes and models, we have categorized our prices into standard, premium and super.
Don't see your car listed? Don't hesitate to call or send us a quote request.
An additional charge is applicable to accommodate lowered vehicles, adjust each aftermarket component, unseize each alignment component and/or to reprogram the steering angle sensor
This inspection ensures that you are receiving the best wheel alignment possible. It includes a road test with the vehicle and a front-end steering and suspension check. If worn out components are found, they must be replaced before a wheel alignment is performed. A charge of $30 is applicable for this inspection. This fee is waived if repairs are performed at Level Auto Service.
Determining whether you will require a front wheel or a four wheel alignment is dependent on your vehicle’s rear suspension setup.
Vehicles with a rear axle beam do not allow for any alignment adjustability and this will only require a front-wheel alignment. This is usually the case for most front-wheel drive cars or pickup trucks.
Vehicles with rear independent suspension allow for the rear wheels to be adjusted. This is usually available in rear-wheel and all-wheel drive vehicles.
Even if your vehicle only has adjustability in the front two wheels, we always check all four wheels to advise you of any concerns that we may uncover.
A wheel alignment is the first step in resolving a pulling or handling issue but may not always solve these issues. You may have one of these few issues:
Tire Conicity
Tire conicity is where a properly inflated tire causes a vehicle to pull to the right or left when driven. Tires do not get conicity. They manufacture them with the tendency. It is considered a defect and tire manufacturers cover tire conicity under their warranty, if we diagnose it properly and promptly.
If your tires are out of the manufacturer’s warranty period, then you may want to try our Road Force Wheel Balance with StraightTrak®. This will identify the problematic tires, and place the wheel assembly in the best position possible to reduce pull.
Tire Pressure Is Inconsistent
Sometimes the solution is as simple as adding some air. Tire pressure fluctuates as you drive, and sometimes one tire will have less pressure than the others. If you find your car pulling to one side, the first thing you should do is check your tire pressure and add more if necessary.
Worn Out Part in the Steering or Suspension
If it’s not your tires, it may be your steering or suspension causing your car to pull to one side. Worn out components will impact how your car drives.
Most vehicles take about an hour to complete, but vehicles with modified suspensions may take upwards of 2 hours.
Most vehicles take about an hour to complete, but vehicles with modified suspensions may take upwards of 2 hours.
This inspection ensures that you are receiving the best wheel alignment possible. It includes a road test with the vehicle and a front-end steering and suspension check. If worn out components are found, they must be replaced before a wheel alignment is performed. A charge of $30 is applicable for this inspection. This fee is waived if repairs are performed at Level Auto Service.
We have custom outfitted our wheel alignment machine with extended ramps to allow us to align lowered vehicles.
An additional charge of $20 may apply for lowered vehicles.
We do not adjust ride height, so make sure you have that set to your desired height before performing a wheel alignment. Adjusting ride height after a wheel alignment will throw out of your alignment.
We do install lowering springs and coilovers, but they must be new and accompanied with all required hardware. Instructions must be provided as well. If you would like to purchase the kit with us, just request a quote!
We do perform wheel alignments on lifted trucks.
We do not adjust ride height, so make sure you have that set to your desired height before performing a wheel alignment. Adjusting ride height after a wheel alignment will throw out of your alignment.
We do install leveling and lift kits, but they must be new and accompanied with all required hardware. Instructions must be provided as well. If you would like to purchase the kit with us, just request a quote!
You may desire custom specifications for your wheel alignment for a specific road condition (eg. track or off-road).
We can set your vehicle to these specifications, but any deviation from manufacturer specified wheel alignment settings may cause the vehicle to have drivability, handling, pulling and/or tire wear issues. We are not responsible for any of these issues, and does not warrant any wheel alignment with custom specifications.
We offer a 72 hour warranty from the invoice date for our wheel alignment service. Any defects with the wheel alignment must be reported in this period. An appointment can be scheduled for a recheck at a future date.
* This warranty is void if the vehicle has worn out components, a modified suspension, or when custom specifications are requested.
