Wheel alignment is important for the health of your vehicle. A wheel alignment consists of adjusting the direction and angles of the wheels. Correct wheel alignment to the specification required by your vehicle maximizes tyre life and your vehicle will track straight and true when driving along a straight and level road.

Incorrect wheel alignment can result in rapid irregular tyre wear that can affect the handling and safety of your vehicle.

Wheel alignment can be affected by hitting a massive pothole in the road, driving against a kerb or by excessive wear to suspension or steering components.

Wheel alignment involves measurements often described as toe in, toe out, positive camber or negative camber. These measurements have standards that a technician uses to get as close as they can to the right measurement.

Different types of vehicles need different “toe” settings, to do with if the front of the tyres are nearer further apart than the rear of the tyres, to allow for the way the wheels pull either towards each other or apart.

The “Camber”, the inward or outward tilt of a tyre, is set by the vehicle manufacturer, and can be affected by potholes in the road and may need to be adjusted periodically.

Incorrect camber settings could cause premature wear on the inside or outside shoulder of your tyres, which is something worth keeping an eye on.

You should have your wheels checked after an impact with a kerb, a pothole or stone, when a tyre looks abnormal or every 10,000 miles.