Wheel Alignment Cost

One of the underrated, but important car maintenance jobs is wheel alignment. This write-up aims at providing a cost estimate of wheel alignment and also a guide to the intricacies of this procedure. Alignment is an important job that directly affects maneuverability and control, while driving. That's why it is a maintenance job that should not be ignored.

One can either go for a two wheel alignment procedure or a four wheel alignment procedure, depending on the degree and location of misalignment present.

A four wheel alignment procedure is generally recommended and it will cost you between $50 and $150. This includes truck and car wheel alignment. Alignment costs for sports utility vehicles can range from $90 to $160. It is little price to pay, compared to what you will have to pay for replacing car tires.

Tire alignment in high-end car models like BMW may even cost more than $300. Some car repair shops offer a warranty on tire alignment for a limited period of time.

Here is a brief explanation of what all is involved in the implementation of this technique. It's all about adjusting certain parameters associated with the alignment of wheels with reference to each other, as well as the suspension. There are three important parameters that decide how well car tires are aligned. They are the following:

Camber is defined as the angle between the diameter of a wheel and a perpendicular drawn with respect to flat ground. It is a measure of how straight or perpendicular a wheel is aligned, with respect to flat ground.

Camber is measured in degrees and ideally it should be zero, so that tires are perfectly perpendicular to ground, with the tire surface making even contact. If the camber is not right or off the correct value, then excess wear and tear of wheels follows.

Castor is again an angle related to tire alignment, which measures the angle made by the steering pivot, with a line passing through wheel center. These steering pivots are parts of the car's suspension and their alignment with the wheels directly affects car maneuverability. A disturbing of castor alignment can lead to driving maneuverability problems.

The last important parameter that's adjusted during wheel alignment, is the toe angle. It is a measure of how the car wheels are arranged with respect to each other. Ideally they should be parallel, but if they aren't, it's essential that you bear the alignment cost and restore it back to normal, to prevent problems in controlling the car while turning.

Thus any wheel alignment procedure adjusts these three parameters and makes driving easier. That's why, one should never ignore getting this procedure done periodically.

Another question that needs to be answered is the timing of wheel alignment procedure and its scheduling time. One indicator of car wheels, in need of alignment is the observed effect of wear and tear. When wheels are misaligned, not only is steering control difficult, it leads to a need for early replacement of wheels.

Ideally, wheel alignment procedure should be scheduled every year or after 10,000 miles of running (whichever comes first). Costs of aligning wheels varies according to the car models. However, they generally do not exceed the range of alignment prices mentioned.