How Much Does it Cost for a Wheel Alignment?

If you have ever had a tire change at a tire shop you have likely paid for a wheel alignment before. In this article we will look more closely at this aspect of maintenance, what it is, why it’s important and of course how much this is likely to cost you.

What Is Wheel Alignment?

The obvious place to start this post is with explaining just what wheel alignment is and why it is so important. Essentially this is a service offered by technicians whereby they adjust the angle of our wheels to reset them to manufacturer specs.

You may be wondering why you would need to do this. The answer is simple. We underestimate the forces and strains on our wheels as we drive down the road and over time our wheels will gradually come out of alignment.

This change in alignment may not be visually noticeable but you can both feel and see signs of this occurring. As mentioned ideally you should be able to drive in a straight line without even touching the steering wheel. If the wheels are not correctly aligned however the car may wander off course to the left or right unless you correct it with constant steering wheel input.

A quick look at your tires may also show you that they are wearing unevenly. Ideally the tread should be completely on the road surface but as we get out of alignment the inside or the outside of the tires' tread may appear more worn.

What Adjustments Are Made During a Wheel Alignment?

There are three measurements that a technician takes when they determine how to adjust your wheels. In this section we will take a closer look at all three.

The Toe

The term "toe" is used to describe the direction that your tires are pointing and it is likely the most critical aspect of an alignment. As long as the toe is correctly in line you should be able to drive a straight line without having to adjust the steering wheel very much at all.

Turns are made more safely when the toe is correct and the tire treads will wear more evenly. Even tire wear is important as concentrated pressure exerted on just one section of the tires will wear out faster leading to an earlier than expected tire replacement.

When measuring the toe it is described as either toe in or toe out. These terms mean:

• Toe In: The tires are pointing inward facing each other
• Toe Out: The tires are pointing outward away from each other

As a general rule you should have a mild toe in alignment rather than any level of toe out.

Caster

The caster measurement refers to the angle of the front suspension or steering axis. It can affect how the car feels but does not have an effect on the tire wear. It is measured as either positive or negative caster.

• Positive Caster: This means that the steering axis is tilted slightly towards the back of the vehicle. This is ideally where the alignment should be as it allows the steering wheel to quickly return to its original position after you make a driving adjustment or take a corner.
• Negative Caster: This means that the steering axis is pulling in the opposite direction to what it should be making steering trickier. You might have this happen if you have a minor collision.

The caster angles ideally will be almost equal to prevent issues with handling. This is the kind of problem however that is not diagnosed without a wheel alignment.

Camber

Ideally you want your wheels to be completely vertical as they sit on the axles. Camber refers to any angle by which they are leaning in or out from the body of the vehicle. Again we are using the positive and negative terms to describe in what way the tires are leaning or cambering.

• Positive Camber: This means that the tops of the wheels closest to the body of the vehicle are pointing away from each other outward.
• Negative Camber: This is the opposite to positive camber so the tops of the wheels closest to the body of the vehicle will point inward toward each other.

The effect of a misalignment in camber can be that the inside or outside edges of your tires will wear unevenly. This will potentially result in an early need for tire replacements and in the long run may cost you money.

Another effect of positive and negative cambers can be a tendency for the car to pull to one side over the other. This may only result in the need for slight steering wheel adjustments or it can become more severe making for a difficult and uncomfortable driving experience.

How Do You Know if You Need a Wheel Alignment?

If you are driving along in a straight line but the steering wheel is not perfectly straight then this likely means you have some alignment issues. Uneven tire wear is another big sign of an alignment issue. The most alarming warning sign however is if your car pulls to one side or the other causing you to wrestle with the steering wheel to keep yourself on course.

This should ideally be part of a regular maintenance service schedule and it is suggested you get this done every 6,000 miles or six months. Commonly oil change locations will offer wheel alignment services at the same time as your oil service.

Some vehicles may not need the alignments as often and the type of driving and road conditions you routinely encounter may also alter how often you need an alignment. The biggest indicator that it is time for an alignment however is your own intuition.

If you are struggling to control the vehicle more and more, then a serious level of misalignment has likely developed and for your own comfort and peace of mind you should have a wheel alignment performed.

Other reasons to get a wheel alignment include:

• The car has recently been in an accident
• You have recently hit a curb or a deep pothole
• There are signs of uneven tire wear
• You have had new tires fitted (You may need to do this to receive a warranty on the tires)
• Road noise gets louder as you drive
• Squealing sounds when you make a turn
• Feeling vibrations in the steering wheel

How Much Does a Wheel Alignment Cost?

Now we come to the big question, how much does a wheel alignment cost? If you have only your front wheels aligned you may pay between $50 - $150. If you have all four done then the cost might get up around the $200 mark.

As with all things automotive however prices can vary for a number of reasons such as where you are, your vehicle and the type of shop you go to.

Do You Need to Align All Four Wheels?

This depends on what kind of car you have; some cars can take an alignment on all four wheels but others can only be aligned on one axle. If your car only allows two wheels to be aligned then you do not have the option for four.

If you can have all four wheels aligned then you should definitely consider doing this. It may cost a little more but it can make a real difference to the comfort of your ride. The cost difference between two and four wheel alignment is not that vast although you assume it would be twice as much it is in fact not.

What Can Influence the Cost of an Alignment?

Vehicle Type

As mentioned some vehicles will only allow a two wheel alignment so this will decrease the cost. The size of the vehicle may make a difference as heavier work includes higher labor costs. If you have made aftermarket adjustments to your suspension this may also increase the cost of a wheel alignment service.

Service Packages

Getting your alignment done as part of a regular service appointment may save you a little money as you are getting several things done at the same time. You may also get a warranty that covers alignments and tire rotations for the life of your tires when you have them replaced so make sure to take advantage of that.

Paying for a service package that offers this may save you a lot of money over time. If the package costs $250 and your alignment would be $100 each time then by your third alignment you will already be at least getting half price wheel alignments.

Additional Repairs

When the technicians get the wheels off and get a good look at what is going on they may discover issues that need repairing. If parts of components are broken or need repairing this may mean you will have to pay for additional services on top of the alignment.

Location

Everywhere you go in the U.S. you will notice different prices on everything and automotive costs are no different. The same service in California might not cost as much in Alabama. Also rural technicians tend to cost less than their big city counterparts.

If you can find a trustworthy mechanic outside of the city and you don’t mind taking a drive you might find a bargain for your wheel alignment.

Type of Shop

Unless it is covered by a warranty going to a dealership for this service will always cost you more money. This is because the dealership hires the best and most experienced technicians so that cost is passed on to the customer.

Dedicated tire shops are also good when it comes to quality service as wheels are all that they do. Prices are often reasonable and you can shop around for quotes for your wheel alignments.

Alignment Method

There are two ways that alignments are performed these days either manually or digitally. This does not mean the technicians just press buttons to change the alignment as it refers to the measurement method.

Manual alignment is done using specialized measurement tools and may be prone to certain levels of human fallibility. Digital alignment uses sensors and lasers to make more accurate measurements and theoretically get a more perfect alignment.

Digital alignment does cost more but many customers swear they can feel a difference from the extreme precision of this method having been used.

Conclusion

Wheel alignments are not the cheapest service you can get and often people will neglect this. Technically it is not a huge safety issue but over time failure to adjust alignment can cost you in more frequent tire changes and a less than perfect driving experience.

Having all four wheels aligned can cost upwards of $200 but not all cars need an all-wheel alignment. Find out what your model needs and how frequently it should have an alignment service. Hopefully our information on the things that affect cost will help you hunt out a bargain for your next wheel alignment.

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