Is Wheel Alignment Equal To Wheel Balance?

Four-wheel alignment and wheel dynamic balance are common chassis operation items. Since these two operations are related to the wheels, many people think that these two operations are the same. So, what is the difference between four-wheel alignment and wheel dynamic balance?

Four-Wheel Alignment

Four-wheel alignment includes front-wheel alignment and rear-wheel alignment, which is to ensure that the vehicle has a good driving performance by adjusting the four-wheel parameters.

The specific parameters that need to be adjusted include front-wheel toe, front-wheel camber, kingpin inclination angle, kingpin caster angle, and so on.

Four-wheel alignment determines the position of the wheel in contact with the ground. Although the wheel is mentioned in four-wheel alignment, "positioning" is the key point.

A four-wheel alignment is a maintenance item that must be done when the vehicle runs off and tires are worn out. It is a process of adjusting the position of the tires, steering, suspension, and other chassis components to restore them to the factory settings. A four-wheel alignment is required only when there is a problem with the vehicle.

 

When Do You Need Four-Wheel Alignment?

●  Damage to the chassis and suspension caused by the accident.

● Under normal circumstances, too high tire pressure will aggravate the wear in the center of the tread, while too low tire pressure will aggravate the wear on both sides of the tread; if there is eccentric wear on one side, four-wheel alignment may be necessary.

●  The driving performance of the vehicle is affected, that is, when the driver feels that the wheels are running off, the steering is heavy, and the steering does not automatically return to the wheel.

●  After reassembling the axle and suspension parts, it is necessary to do the four-wheel alignment.

A four-wheel alignment is an repairs item. If the above-mentioned conditions exist, four-wheel alignment inspection and correction should be considered.

 

Wheel Balance

High-speed rotating objects have centrifugal force. When the mass of the object deviates, the object cannot rotate normally.

Wheel dynamic balance is the adjustment of wheel weight balance. In the manufacturing process of rims and tires, due to many reasons such as workmanship and density, there will be certain weight errors. These errors can be ignored at rest, but once rotated, the centrifugal force generated will be multiplied.

When the mass of a certain point of an object changes, it is necessary to adjust the mass of a certain relative position to balance the rotation again. Therefore, the wheel dynamic balance is the adjustment of the mass distribution of the wheel, so that the wheel can correct the balance of each edge part. The dynamic balance of the wheel should be done on a professional instrument, and the professional staff will balance the wheel with a counterweight.

When Do You Need Wheel balance?

●  As long as the tires and rims have been disassembled and assembled, a set of wheel balance is required.

●  After using for a period of time, the stones in the tire pattern or tires wear unevenly, and the dynamic balance of the tires needs to be checked.

Wheel balance is a maintenance item. If you have the above situation, you need to consider doing wheel dynamic balance.

 

Conclusion

Four-wheel alignment and wheel dynamic balance are very important to car maintenance, which is also closely related to our driving safety. We must develop the habit of paying attention to vehicles all year round, and never underestimate the changes brought about by the wheels.

ROADBUCK is one of the Chinese companies in the field of Wheel Alignment and Wheel Balancer manufacturing. Automobile safety is extremely important. We look forward to having a deeper exchange with you.

2021-10-13