Four Wheel Alignment - Know the Facts

KNOW THE FACTS

Four wheel alignment:

• Improves EV range
• Improves safety
• Improves comfort
• Improves tyre life
• Improves fuel economy

COULD YOUR CAR NEED ALIGNMENT?

Approximately 40% of cars on the road are carrying suspension damage that requires rectification (source: The AA, 2017).  With 30.9 million licenced cars, that's over 12 million damaged cars and yours could be one of them!

During 2023, the RAC attended nearly 30,000 breakdowns caused by pothole damage which was up 33% on 2022 - was you car one of them? Or have you received danmage without realising it? A recent check in a supermarket car park in a typical town and found that 8 out of 10 cars needed alignment. Remember, "alignment" covers more than just "tracking", there's camber, caster, steering angle - so many more parameters than the old "tracking gauges" can cover. Find your local AAA Centre here.

Poor wheel alignment will result if poor handling, increased tyre wear and can cause an accident. Just a 3mm mis-alignment can reduce your tyre life by 20%.

OUR DAMAGED ROADS

According to the RAC report (April 2021), our roads "resemble the surface of the moon", despite a claim from the Local Government Association that they are repairing a pothole every 19 seconds .

A report from 2015 highlights compensation claims for vehicle damage or personal injury rising at 20% per year. (Source: Asphalt Industry Alliance) More recently, potholes.co.uk reports that suspension problems due to potholes is costing UK motorists an estimated £2.8 billion per year. 

This danger is not going to go away. In March 2021 the Asphalt Industry Alliance estimated it would cost £10 billion spent over a decade to rid our roads of the backlog. Ongoing road damage due to heavy traffic, poor weather conditions compounds the problem. The Government has a pot of £5 billion towards repairs up to 2025, but even so cash-strpped councils are falling behind on road maintenance.

THE ADAS EFFECT 

Official figures predict that the introduction of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) will save 2500 lives by 2030 and this translates to over 25,000 serious accidents prevented Europe-wide. Many of these complex warning systems rely on the rear thrust angle to operate correctly which makes correct vehicle alignment even more important. ADAS will save lives, but incorrect calibration is a road safety concern. Check out our list of ADAS centres, who follow best practice and incorporate ADAS calibration with wheel alignment. ADAS cannot work without correct vehicle alignment. If your local "ADAS Specialist" doesn't offer both services, walk away and find someone who can.

WHAT DOES THIS MATTER?

Even undamaged suspension needs regular maintenance, consider the following facts: 

• A wheel that is just 2mm out of alignment is equivalent to dragging the tyre sideways for 24 feet per mile (source The Tire Business). What does this mean? Well, at 60mph you could be crossing two or three lanes of the motorway every single mile. Not only does that increase wear on the tyres, it also increases driver fatigue. 

• Most "laser" or "manual" aligners are accurate to 1mm (or 12 feet scrub per mile) - a proper CCD or 3D aligner as used at an Absolute Alignment Approved Centre is accurate to 0.1mm!

• Cars with incorrect wheel alignment can lose as much as 7% of fuel efficiency (source U.S. EPA) That could be £170 per year for an average 12,000 mile driver 

• 24% of MOT failures are due to tyre-related faults caused by suspension or steering problems. These require alignment after repair – that’s over 2.7 million cars failing their MOT needlessly!

If you suffer from poor wheel alignment (often known as tracking) or other suspension problems such as poor handling or badly worn tyres check out your local Absolute Alignment Approved wheel alignment centre.

Absolute Alignment is a leading provider of wheel alignment equipment to the motor trade. To find the latest alignment technology and see how it can work for your business, go to www.absolutealignment.co.uk.