When talking about car maintenance, Wheel Alignment and Wheel Balancing are the two principal parts that should be considered. Both of them play significant roles in the process of maintaining your vehicle. This, however, makes many people confused between two terms: wheel alignment and wheel balancing.

Now, let's have a clear look at how these two services work. Wheel Alignment and Wheel Balancing; Both are the important steps performed to enhance your vehicle maintenance. These two are related to wheels only but they address different areas of how your car handles and operates. Let's save your money, improve your experience of driving, and keep yourself safe on the road if you know the difference between these two.

What you will read here is everything you need to know about wheel alignment and wheel balancing, what their importance is, when to seek these services, what can be the estimated costs, and importantly, how they differ.

What is Wheel Alignment?

In wheel alignment, the car’s suspension system is properly aligned so that the vehicle’s wheels are correctly aligned. The suspension system is set in a proper way so that the wheel is aligned relative to the road and with respect to each other. In this process, all four wheels of your car are aligned parallel and perpendicular to the ground. It is an important part of any vehicle because it affects handling, tyre wear, and even safety.

Types of Wheel Alignment

Wheel alignment is categorized into three types:

i: Two-Wheel Alignment: As the name suggests in this process the alignment of the front two wheels is performed. In this wheel alignment, only the front wheels of the car are aligned in a manner that they would be perfectly in line with the rear wheels.

ii: Four-Wheel Alignment: This service is for all four-wheel of the car and all four-wheel drive vehicles. In four-wheel alignment, the wheel adjustment is made to all four wheels so that they work well together. This sort of alignment is usually suggested for vehicles that have heavy loads or need high stability.

iii: Thrust Angle Alignment: This type of wheel alignment concerns the alignment of rear wheels to front wheels and for the cars with a solid axle, this was an important alignment. Thrust angle alignment keeps the vehicle straight and thus improves general handling.

Why Do Wheels Need Alignment?

There are various reasons for proper wheel alignment for your vehicle:

• Tyre Life: Uneven tyre wear can cause tyre to wear fast. Improperly aligned wheels may cause an issue for the car and may affect the smooth drive. Going for regular alignment will help extend the life of your tyres.
• Enhanced Cornering: Wheel alignment is a must if you want to make the cornering ability of your vehicle better. `A well-aligned vehicle responds better to steering inputs. Which results in a smoother and more stable ride.
• Fuel Economy: It is beneficial for fuel economy. Because the Misalignment of your vehicle's tyre can increase rolling resistance, in such scenarios, your engine needs to work harder. Proper alignment reduces that resistance and thus increases the fuel economy.
• Safety: Your ride should be smooth but best at safety. Aligned wheels provide better traction and control, vital for safe driving. Misalignment can affect your vehicle's stability, making it harder to control.

Why Your Car's Alignment Goes Off

Several factors can cause a vehicle's alignment to go off:

• Road Hazards: Your vehicle can knock the wheels out of alignment easily if you hit a pothole or a curb. Minor impacts can even distort your alignment settings.
• Wear and Tear: The suspension components of your vehicle will decay with time causing misalignment. Some parts, like bushings and tie rods, deteriorate; you must check them constantly.
• Accidents: Accidents are unfortunate, even minor collisions can affect your alignment. So if you've gone through any such incident, it is highly recommended to have your alignment checked.

When To Get a Wheel Alignment

You need to get a wheel alignment when:

• Your vehicle shows uneven tyre wear.
• Your vehicle drags to one side while being driven.
• Your steering wheel is not centered while driving straight.
• You have recently driven over a pothole or curb.
• You are replacing new tyres.

What is Wheel Balancing?

Wheel Balancing is the process whereby the tyre and wheel assembly's weight distribution is rendered equal. Properly balanced wheels ensure that all the tyres experience an even rotation, reduce vibrates, and improve one's driving experience. If your wheel balance is off, you are likely to experience a bumpy ride and tyres are worn out and uneven.

Types of Wheel Balancing

There are two main types of balancing in a wheel:

1. Static Balancing: In static balancing, you tend to address heavy spots in the wheel when it remains stationary. By adding weights, you tend to balance out any heavy areas.

2. Dynamic Balancing: This is the more advanced method of balancing the wheel with motion. Both vertical and horizontal imbalances are addressed with this process, hence more of a complete solution.

Process of Wheel Balancing

The process involved in wheel balancing:

1. Mounting the Wheel: Here wheels are mounted in the balancing machine.

2. Spinning the Wheel: The machine spins the wheel which helps in identifying any kind of imbalance. It also measures the differences in the distribution of weights.

3. Adding Weights: To balance the heavy spots, weights are put on the wheel. Due to this, it can rotate evenly and fewer vibrations will take place.

Importance of Wheel Balancing:

The relevance of wheel balancing is evident in several areas:

• Reduction in Vibration: With proper balancing of your wheel, vibrations are reduced, thus giving you a smoother ride. You are likely to feel less shuddering at higher speeds.
• Tyre Life: Balanced wheels help prevent uneven wear of the tyre and, thus increase the tyre's lifetime. Not balancing your tyres might help your vehicle wear out faster.
• Better Handling: When your wheels are balanced then it leads to better handling and general performance of the vehicle. This is an essential component for you to be in control.

When to Have a Wheel Balancing

Have a wheel balancing done on these occasions:

• If you have fitted new tyres, new tyres must always be balanced.
• If you feel there is a vibration while driving.
• When you have rotated your tyres, this may alter the weight distribution.
• If you have hit a big pothole or bump.

Wheel Alignment and Balancing Cost

There is no certain cost for these services. The cost of wheel alignment and wheel balancing may vary. It depends on your location, service provider, and type of your vehicle.

Here's a general idea of what to expect:

1. Two-Wheel Alignment: You may have to pay between AED 50 and AED 120 for a two-wheel alignment

2. Four-Wheel Alignment: General assessment says it may cost Approximately AED 100 to AED 250

Cost of wheel balancing

The cost for balancing of the wheel may vary based on some factors, but roughly, you can expect to pay:

Per Wheel Balancing. You might have to give around AED 20 to AED 50 per wheel. For All Four Wheels. General assessment is AED 80 and AED 200 depending on the complexity of the job.

Keep in mind that these prices can vary. The cost of these services will depend on the service center and whether or not additional services are included in the mix.

In order to maintain your vehicle and the life of your tyres healthy, regularly checking up on your wheel alignment and wheel balancing is a must.

Why are wheel alignment and balancing important for your car?

Proper wheel alignment and balancing make sure that your vehicle is properly performing and safe. If you avoid these areas as part of your vehicle's maintenance, then you might observe a rise in tyre wear; their replacement would cost more money, besides this; it may also be one of the reasons for low fuel efficiency due to the non-service of this. Your vehicle may acquire high rolling resistance. Therefore, it might compromise the vehicle's handling, that is to say, its ability to be controlled.

Regular maintenance of these services ensures your vehicle safety and efficiency on the road, hence improving your overall driving experience.

Wheel Balance vs. Alignment

Wheel alignment and wheel balancing are two different services; however, they are often used and discussed together. Here is the difference between wheel alignment and wheel balancing in one view:

Conclusion

If you know the difference between wheel alignment and wheel balancing that will definitely make your car maintenance easy for you. Both services are part of your car's total safety, good handling, and life in tyres. If you go for regular checks and maintenance at the right time, you can definitely prevent costly repairs. And of course, this ensures smooth driving.

Need wheel alignment and wheel balancing? Visit your nearest TYREPLUS service center today to address your needs. Ensure your car stays in top condition with the expertise of our certified professionals.

Frequently Asked Questions