Wheel misalignment quietly destroys tyres and spoils handling. It happens gradually, or suddenly after a pothole or kerb strike, and it can wear a new tyre out in a few thousand miles. Here are the five signs to watch for.
1. The car pulls to one side
If you have to hold the wheel off-centre to drive straight on a level road, alignment is a likely cause (a low tyre or road camber can mimic it, so rule those out first).
2. Uneven or rapid tyre wear
Wear concentrated on one edge of a tyre is a classic alignment symptom. See why tyres wear unevenly for the patterns to look for.
3. An off-centre steering wheel
If the wheel sits crooked when you're driving straight, the alignment has shifted, often after kerbing a wheel or hitting a pothole.
4. Vibration through the wheel
Vibration can be alignment-related, though it's often a balancing issue, the two are different jobs.
5. Squealing tyres
Tyres scrubbing across the road from bad alignment can squeal, especially on turns.
Why fix it promptly?
Misalignment wears tyres fast and increases fuel use. Correcting it protects your new rubber and keeps the car tracking true. If you've damaged a tyre on the same pothole, our broken tyre service can replace it at your location across London and Birmingham. Book a visit.
