Tire Balance vs. Alignment: Which One Do You Need?

You’re out for a drive when you notice something is off. Your car is pulling to one side, your steering wheel feels slightly off-centre, and there’s a faint vibration while you’re travelling at highway speeds. It’s obvious that something isn’t right. Is it a wheel alignment issue, or a tire balancing problem? They can be easily confused, and the fix is different.

See what’s included with each service, the warning signs for both issues, and when to book an alignment or balancing service.

What Is Wheel Alignment?

An auto wheel alignment is the adjustment of the angles of your wheels so they’re perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other, based on manufacturer’s specifications.

Your tire alignment is comprised of three different angles:

• Toe: Whether your tires point inward or outward when viewed from above.
• Camber: Whether your tires tilt inward or outward when viewed from the front.
• Caster: The angle of the steering axis when viewed from the side.

Proper wheel alignment is essential, because it directly affects how your steering responds and whether your steering wheel sits centred.

What Is Tire Balancing?

Balancing inspects and corrects uneven weight distribution in the wheel and tire assembly with small counterweights to avoid excessive vibration or uneven tire wear.

Signs of Bad Wheel Alignment

Watch for these signs of poor wheel alignment:

• vehicle pulls to one side when driving on a flat road
• steering wheel is off-centre when driving straight
• uneven or rapid tire wear (one edge of your tire is wearing faster than the other)
• steering feels loose or imprecise

Signs of Tire Imbalance

Signs of an imbalance include:

• steering wheel vibration, especially at highway speeds
• vibration felt in your seats or the floor
• scalloped or cupped tire wear

What Causes Each Issue?

Alignment issues are commonly caused by:

• hitting potholes, curbs, or frost heaves
• worn suspension or steering components

Tire balancing concerns tend to arise from:

• normal tire wear as tread material wears unevenly
• lost or shifted wheel weight
• new tire installation without proper balancing
• hitting a significant pothole or after a large impact

Why a Professional Makes a Difference

Proper wheel alignment needs special tools and high accuracy, hard to achieve without training. A small error sends you back to square one.

Professional Wheel Alignment

During wheel alignment, the technician lifts your vehicle on an alignment rack and attaches sensors to each wheel. The computerized alignment machine measures the exact angles of each wheel and compares them to the manufacturer’s specifications. This service typically takes an hour.

A wheel alignment inspection can also reveal underlying suspension problems that are causing the misalignment. If that’s the case, those parts will need to be repaired or replaced before a proper alignment can hold — another reason a professional diagnosis is worth it.

Professional Tire Balancing

A tire balancing service requires the wheel to be removed and mounted on a specialized balancing machine. The machine spins the wheel to identify heavy spots, and the technician attaches small counterweights to the rim to correct any imbalances. This usually takes about 15 to 45 minutes for all four wheels.

Which One Do You Need?

If you’re experiencing symptoms of both, a NAPA AUTOPRO technician can diagnose the right combination of services for your vehicle.

Canadian road conditions, winters, and everyday driving put a lot of strain on your suspension. Whether you need tire balancing or wheel alignment, visit your local NAPA AUTOPRO service centre for quick and professional service to keep your drives as smooth as possible.