Brakes, tyres and suspension
Wheel Alignment in Brisbane
If your car pulls to one side, the steering wheel sits crooked when you are going straight, or a tyre is wearing on one edge, the alignment is out. We do four wheel alignments in Moorooka, adjust what is adjustable, and tell you when the real cause is a worn suspension part rather than a setting.
Warning signs
Symptoms worth acting on
The car pulls
Ease your grip on a flat straight road and it drifts one way. Note that Brisbane roads are cambered to shed water, so a very slight drift left is normal. A definite pull is not.
The steering wheel is off-centre
You are driving straight but the wheel sits at ten past ten. That is a toe setting problem and it will not fix itself.
One edge of a tyre is worn
Run your hand across the tread. If the inside or outside edge is noticeably lower than the rest, camber or toe is out.
The tread feels feathered
Sharp on one side of each tread block and rounded on the other when you run your palm across the tyre. That is a toe problem and it is often audible as a droning noise before you ever see it.
The car wanders
It needs constant small corrections to hold a lane, especially at highway speed.
The angles
What alignment actually adjusts
Three angles, and they do different things. Toe is whether the wheels point slightly towards or away from each other viewed from above. It is the angle most often out and the one that scrubs tread off fastest, because a wheel that is pointed slightly sideways is being dragged rather than rolled.
Camber is the tilt of the wheel viewed from the front. Too much negative camber wears the inside edge. Caster is the angle of the steering axis viewed from the side, and it governs straight line stability and how the wheel self centres after a turn.
Not every angle is adjustable on every car. Plenty of vehicles have factory fixed rear camber, and on those, an out of specification reading points at a bent or worn component rather than a setting.
Why four wheels
Why we do four wheels, not two
Setting the front to the chassis centreline is not the same as setting it to where the rear axle is actually pointing. If the rear has moved, and it does after a decent pothole or with tired trailing arm bushes, the car runs slightly crab-wise. You then straighten the steering wheel to compensate and it sits off-centre forever.
A four wheel alignment measures the rear thrust angle first and sets the front to that, so the wheel ends up straight and the car tracks true.
When to book
When to get one done
After fitting new tyres, always. Fresh rubber on wrong angles is money on the floor. After hitting a serious pothole or a kerb hard enough to make you wince. After any suspension or steering work that disturbs the geometry. After lowering or lifting a vehicle. And as a general check every twelve months or so.
When it is not the answer
Parts first, then alignment
Sometimes the readings are out because a part is worn, and adjusting the angles on a car with play in it is a waste of your money. Before touching the adjusters we check for play in tie rod ends and ball joints, perished control arm and sway bar bushes, worn wheel bearings, and tired struts.
If one of those is the cause it has to be replaced first, then the alignment done afterwards. The other direction round achieves nothing.
Pricing
Alignment pricing
A four wheel alignment is priced by vehicle type, and some vehicles need adjustable parts fitted before they can be brought into specification at all. [CONFIRM: typical price range]
You get the before and after readings either way, so you can see what was out and where it ended up.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
How often should I get a wheel alignment?
About once a year, whenever you fit new tyres, and after any decent kerb or pothole hit.
How long does an alignment take?
Usually around an hour if nothing needs replacing first. Book it in so the car goes straight on the rack.
My steering wheel is crooked but the car drives straight. Is that a problem?
Yes. It means the front toe is split unevenly, and it will wear the tyres unevenly even though the car feels fine.
Is alignment the same as balancing?
No. Alignment fixes pulling and uneven tyre wear. Balancing fixes vibration at speed.
Can an alignment fix a vibration at 100km/h?
No. That is a balance problem.
Why is my new car already out of alignment?
Potholes, kerbs and speed humps move things. It does not take a crash.
My car pulls slightly left. Is that always the alignment?
Not always. Road camber, uneven tyre pressures and a dragging brake caliper can all do it, which is why we check those before adjusting anything.
Do you align four wheel drives and commercial vehicles?
Yes, along with European, diesel, fleet, hybrid and electric vehicles.
Will you tell me if a part needs replacing first?
Yes, and we will not charge you for an alignment that cannot hold because of a worn component.
Do I get a printout?
You get the before and after readings so you can see exactly what changed.
Book a wheel alignment
Before and after readings.
See exactly what changed.
Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm, Saturday 8am to 3pm. After-hours key drop available. All major cards and cash.