Tire and wheel care are two of the most ignored parts when it comes to car care in Pakistan. It’s important to understand that tires and wheels are the only connection a car has to the road, so it needs to be taken care of.
Wheel balancing and wheel alignment are two common wheel adjustments done for smooth ride. In Pakistan, these two terms are used interchangeably, making the motorists believe they are one and the same.
They are not. In this blog, we will help you understand the difference between the two and which one of these does your vehicle need.
What is Wheel Balancing?
Wheel balancing pertains to balancing the overall weight of the wheel assembly to counter vibrations. As a wheel gets used, it can wear causing uneven weight distribution. The difference in weight at multiple points in a wheel causes vehicles to move unevenly.
As wheel spins, different sections with different weights act differently hence causing vibration as you drive which gets really annoying. Not only that but it also destroys your suspension with continuous vibrations.
How to Know Your Wheels Need Balancing?
Here are the signs that your vehicle needs wheel balancing.
1. Uneven wear out of tire
The first thing an uneven distribution of weight does is to cause uneven wear of tires. Check your tyre health, if you notice any unusual wear then it might be due to uneven distribution.
Read more: How to check tyre life
2. Unusual vibrations
When driving your car, if you experience unusual vibrations in the seats, dashboard and mainly the steering wheel, wheel balancing might be due. If the vibrations are strong in the front side of the cabin, i.e steering wheel vibrates more than the rear seats than it’s the front tire which may need wheel balancing.
If the rear parts of the car cabin vibrate more than the front part, then it’s the rear wheels which need to be fixed.
3. Compromised handling
Due to the uneven distribution of wheel weight, the tyre and wheel response gets affected. It may not feel as smooth or controlled as it used to be. This is especially true around the corners or at high speeds.
What is Wheel Alignment?
Wheel alignment has surprisingly nothing to do with your wheels. It’s mainly focused on the suspension of the car. Wheel alignment deals with aligning the angle at which wheels are fixed with your car. Continuous wear and tear due to potholes, overloading, rough driving and speed breakers are the culprit for bad wheel alignment of your car.
When a car has bad wheel alignment it can steer right or left when steering is free.
How to Know Your Wheel Needs Alignment?
If your car is showing the following signs, then it might need wheel alignment right away.
1. Your car keep pulling to one side of the road
Needless to say, the first sign that your car needs alignment is if the car is pulling towards one side of the road. As mentioned above, your car can move left or right. This happens due to the bad alignment of wheels with the car’s suspension.
2. Squealing noise from the tyres
If your car makes squealing noise as you drive or steer around the corner, it needs wheel alignment. Due to the wrong angles of wheels, it’s not fully intact with the road and for that reason as speed increases the squealing sound can be heard.
3. Uneven wear and tear
The squealing noise is actually due to the treads of the tire losing grip. This ultimately causes wear and tear of the tire. If you see any signs of uneven wear and tyre, it’s time to get your wheel aligned.
Wheel Balancing vs Wheel Alignment: The Key Differences
| Factors | Wheel Balancing | Wheel Alignment |
| Definitions | Wheel Balance corrects the uneven distribution of weight in a wheel. | Wheel alignment is related to fixing the angles at which the tyre is fixed with the suspension. |
| Signs | Vibration in the car and uneven wearing of tyre | Car keeps pulling to one side of the road |
| Advantages | Smoother rides and less wear and tear of tyre and suspension | Quality riding experience with superior control over the vehicle. |
This was a brief overview of the differences between wheel balancing and alignment and their signs. If your car shows any of the signs as mentioned above, it’s advised to take your car to a tyre care shop.
Do you have any other differences to mention? Let us know in the comments below.
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