Wheel Alignment vs Wheel Balancing: What's the Difference?
These two terms get used almost interchangeably by drivers, but they fix completely different problems, and getting the wrong one done won't solve the symptom that's actually bothering you.
What wheel alignment actually adjusts
Alignment, sometimes called tracking, adjusts the angles at which the wheels meet the road, so they point in the correct direction relative to each other and the car. Misalignment, often caused by hitting a pothole or kerb, causes the car to pull to one side, and causes uneven tyre wear concentrated on one edge over time.
What wheel balancing actually adjusts
Balancing corrects uneven weight distribution around the wheel and tyre assembly, using small weights attached to the rim. An unbalanced wheel causes vibration, typically felt through the steering wheel at certain speeds, often a specific speed range like 50 to 70mph, rather than at all speeds.
How to tell which one you need
- Car pulls to one side, or steering wheel is off-centre when driving straight: likely alignment
- Vibration through the steering wheel at particular speeds: likely balancing
- Uneven wear on one edge of a tyre: likely alignment
- Vibration through the seat or whole car rather than just the wheel: could be balancing, or could be a different issue like a bent wheel
Why both matter after new tyres
New tyres are usually balanced as standard when fitted. Alignment is a separate check, worth doing periodically or after any impact with a kerb or deep pothole, since it isn't something fitting new tyres automatically corrects.
Check a car's MOT history for tyre wear that might point to an alignment issue.
Check MOT history