My car is pulling to the left. Do I need laser wheel alignment on all four wheels to get it fixed, or will just two do?
WHEEL alignment, or tracking as it is sometimes known, can make a real difference to the way your car drives.
If the vulnerable suspension and steering components have been knocked out of line after a pothole strike or nudged by contact with a kerb, you may notice the car pulling to one side, particularly under braking.
You’re also likely feel the car ‘tugging’ as you drive around a corner, or notice that the steering wheel is offset when you are driving along a straight road. As a result, you’re likely to use more fuel than usual and you may find the tyres wearing unevenly after a while.
Having the alignment of the wheels adjusted is a simple procedure, which can done at most garages and fast-fit centres. The tricky part is getting the measurements and adjustments right for your car.
Two-wheel tracking will measure and adjust just the front wheels, and could be enough if you have recently had suspension or steering components replaced. The mechanic may use an analogue device to physically check the distance between the wheels, or rely on computers and lasers. The more sophisticated devices tend to be more accurate, but shouldn’t be any more expensive, because the test is quicker to set up.
The technician will then compare the figures to those in a database for your car and make the adjustments needed to get it back on track. They can also measure the vertical angle of the wheel, known as the camber, plus caster, the fore and aft angle. The latter doesn’t affect tyre wear, but can alter how the car steers.
Four-wheel alignment measures the settings for the rear wheels too. This could be very important on highperformance cars, which may have extra adjustments to allow different set-ups, perhaps for a track day.
If you see signs of abnormal tyre wear on the rear tyres or like to drive enthusiastically, then it’s worth making the extra investment in four-wheel alignment.