Car questions · Keeping it running
When do I need a wheel alignment?
2 minute read · Checked October 2026 · Written at the Harkness counter, Coppervale, BC
The short answer
Have your alignment checked once a year, and any time the car pulls, the steering wheel sits off centre, or the tires wear on the inside or outside edges. A hard hit on a pothole or curb can knock it out. So can new steering or suspension parts, so we check it after those jobs too.
What is a wheel alignment?
An alignment sets the angles of your wheels to the carmaker's numbers. Toe is whether the tires point straight ahead or a little in or out. Camber is how far each tire leans in or out at the top. Caster is the tilt of the steering axis, and it helps the wheel return to centre after a turn.
Transport Canada's tire safety guide explains what happens when those angles drift. Misaligned wheels may drag instead of rolling freely. That can raise fuel use, shorten tire life and cause problems with handling and ride.
When do I need a wheel alignment?
Transport Canada suggests a check once a year, or sooner if you see uneven or rapid wear on the inside or outside edges of a tire. Beyond that, watch for these signs.
- The car drifts or pulls to one side on a flat, straight road.
- The steering wheel sits off centre when you drive straight.
- One edge of a tire is wearing faster than the rest of the tread.
- You hit a pothole or a curb hard enough to feel it in the steering.
- You just had tie rods, control arms or struts replaced.
New tires are a good time for a check as well. A fresh set on a car that is out of alignment starts wearing unevenly from the first kilometre.
Why do Kootenay roads knock alignment out?
Our roads move. Frost heaves lift the pavement every winter, and spring thaw opens potholes along Highway 3. Transport Canada notes that a bad jolt from a curb or pothole can throw your front end out of alignment. Add washboard on a Forest Service Road and the odd snowbank you slide into, and the angles have plenty of chances to shift.
Is it the alignment or something else?
A pull can also come from low tire pressure, an uneven tire or a dragging brake. A shake at highway speed is more often wheel balance, which our guide on why a car shakes at highway speed covers. So we road test first, then check tire pressures and the front end.
Worn parts come before the alignment. A loose tie rod end or ball joint lets the angles move as you drive, so the numbers will not hold. If we find play, you get photos and a price for the steering and suspension work, which starts from $145. Once those parts are tight, the alignment holds.
Our wheel alignment starts from $129. We measure all four wheels and adjust them to spec. You get a printout with the before and after numbers.
Asked at the counter
Do I need an alignment after a tire changeover?
Usually not. Swapping wheels leaves the suspension angles where they were. If the car pulled before the changeover, or a tire shows edge wear when it comes off, that is the time to book one. We look at tread wear on every tire changeover.
How long does a wheel alignment take?
Most take an hour to an hour and a half. The time goes up if a part is seized with rust and has to be freed before it can be adjusted, which happens on older cars that have seen a lot of salt. We call before any extra time goes on the bill.
Why do you measure all four wheels?
The rear wheel angles set the line the car tracks along, so they matter even when you never steer them. Some cars can only be adjusted at the front. The printout shows all four corners, so you can see where each one started and finished.
What we checked
- Transport Canada, TP 2823E Tire safety guide (wheel alignment and balancing) · checked 2026-10-05