When you're driving and you notice that your vehicle is drifting to one side and that you need to steer away from the center to remain driving straight, you know it is time for a wheel alignment. This situation may be caused when you hit a huge pothole or directly hit a curb while parking your vehicle. Both would knock your wheels out of alignment. However, drifting towards one side can also be caused by other issues. Driving on underinflated tyres is among the candidates. It is therefore important to check your tyre pressure and eliminate that possibility before heading for wheel alignment. Here are some other reasons why you might need an alignment:

Uneven Wear and Tear

Wear and tear can happen unevenly on your car tyres, making the car to drive adrift. However, this assessment requires a trained eye and may be difficult for mechanically inexperienced drivers to examine with precision. These are observations that will help the mechanic to make informed conclusions eliminating the possibility of wheel alignment issues.

Wheel Vibrations

The car can also have wheel vibrations that cannot be fixed by wheel alignment. These vibrations can be caused by unbalanced or bent wheels as a result of hitting potholes or a wear out of the suspensions.

Other Considerations

Every driver should know that some vehicles only require alignment on the front wheels. However, most saloon models require alignment on all four. Wheel alignment requires more than just making sure that your wheels and tyres are pointing straight ahead. Alignment is done depending on the type of the vehicle in question.  With this in mind and after eliminating other possibilities for uneven driving, it is time to seek wheel alignment for your vehicle.

Specialized wheel alignment equipment is needed for a proper job. These are used in setting the curvature by tilting the wheels inward or outward while facing ahead. The wheels should also be tilted forward or backward looking from the side. The mechanic will also tilt the wheels by toeing in and out and looking from above the wheels. All these measurements are taken using inch fractions for the proper and professional job.

As a general rule, wheel alignment is not included in the usual auto repair and maintenance list. This means that the frequency of wheel alignment for your vehicle is dependent on personal choice and as it is necessary. However, even when your car is cruising in the straightest manner, you need to have wheel alignment issues checked at least once a year. When you have bought new tyres, you should also have your wheels aligned to avoid uneven wear and tear.