A car geometry check, also known as wheel alignment, ensures your vehicle’s wheels are correctly positioned for safe, efficient driving. In this guide, we explain what a geometry check involves, how it impacts tyre wear and fuel economy, and when you should book one to keep your car running smoothly.
Most of us consider geometry to be somewhat of a flashback to our school days.
However, the concept of a geometry check on your vehicle focuses specifically on wheel alignment and on how well all four tyres line up along an invisible parallel line.
What Does a Geometry Check Involve?
A vehicle or car geometry check is the same as a wheel aligning service.
It is designed to ensure that all the wheels on a vehicle are positioned perpendicular to the road, and that they all sit parallel to each other. This is done by checking the set back of each wheel and whether it has been knocked out of kilter.
A wheel alignment and geometry check also considers things like tyre pressure, suspension and wear and tear on the vehicle’s suspension, wheel bearings, and the calibration of wheel plates.
The Benefits of Good Wheel Alignment
To recognise the benefits of a car geometry check and optimum wheel alignment, you need to know what happens when the wheels are not aligned and are unbalanced.
If wheels are pushed out of alignment, there is an uneven amount of pressure pushed onto each tyre. This creates excess resistance between the tyre and the road surface, which reduces the fuel economy and efficiency of the vehicle.
Proper wheel alignment = low road resistance and greater fuel economy.
And the best way to achieve proper wheel alignment is through a car geometry check.
How Often Do I Need a Car Geometry Check?
Misaligned wheels can cause all manner of issues, which is why an alignment check should always form part of your tyre maintenance.
Because misalignment can lead to both high fuel consumption and uneven tread wear, it’s important that you resolve issues efficiently – to reduce the risk of uneven tread wear affecting driver control and handling.
TOP TIP: Check the tread wear on all four tyres, as a first indication that something might be wrong with wheel alignment. If you notice wear on one specific part of a tyre, as opposed to the full surface of the tyre, it could be that your wheels are not aligned and so excess pressure is being pressed onto one part of the rubber surface.
