Alignment
Tyre alignment is, as it sounds, the superficially simple practice of ensuring that all four tyres are lined up precisely on their axles. Tyres are aligned in pairs: the front pair on the front axle, and the back pair on the back axle, and then both pairs are measured comparative to the other. This should result in four tyres which all point in exactly the right direction, offering the least excess friction ( which causes unnecessary wear and tear on your car’s moving part) and offering you a smooth and safe ride.
Balancing
Wheel balancing – often paired with tyre alignment – is the process of evenly spreading the weight of your car over the four wheels. As with alignment, a correctly balanced set of wheels offers reduced friction, more efficient fuel consumption and a more comfortable, and often quieter, drive for you and your passengers. Both tyre alignment and wheel balancing are now automated processes, taking a trained mechanic just a few minutes to achieve a precise result that would have been the envy of old-school mechanics who had to take their time to ‘eyeball’ a good result for their customers.
General Condition
As always, drivers should have a good understanding of the workings, feel and sound of their car when it is in good condition. This enables them to quickly pick up and rectify any small issues with the car – especially the tyres which hold great importance as the only part of the car in contact with the road surface – before they turn into large and expensive inconveniences. Learn what your tyres look and sound like by driving mindfully and being aware of the condition of your tyres at all times – check them once a week; once a fortnight if your commute is small and on good roads; looking for signs of damage, bulges and dimples in the sidewall, and anything that strikes you as being ‘off’ or not quite right. Small issues can often be cheaply fixed, whereas complicated issues from not rectifying these small matters can be expensive and keep you away from home for longer, no matter where you live: coastal Kirkcaldy or central London.
