Difference Between Alignment and Balancing

Accidents do occur, and occasionally they occur as a result of man’s negligence.

When driving a vehicle, one must ensure that it is in good working order by inspecting everything that could cause it to malfunction.

The tires on a car are quite vital and should be given sufficient attention and care because they are frequently overlooked. 

Alignment and balancing are two words that we hear all the time when we take our car in for service, but few people grasp the difference between the two.

These are closely connected principles that ensure your safety while driving and that you do not have an accident on the road due to poor tire alignment or improper tire balance. 

Alignment vs Balancing 

Alignment refers to adjusting a vehicle’s suspension system so that all four wheels are properly aligned with each other and the road surface. Balancing is the weight distribution around a vehicle’s wheels and tires. Tires that are out of balance can cause vibrations that can be felt in the vehicle.

Wheel alignment is the process of adjusting the angle of the wheels so that your car steers in the right direction while driving.

Not to mention that proper wheel alignment enhances the life of the tires and keeps them from wearing out prematurely.

Camber, toe, and caster alignment are the three ways of adjusting wheel alignment. 

Wheel balancing is the process of keeping the tire and rim perfectly balanced for even mass distribution.

At a particular speed on the highway, if there is an imbalance inside the wheels, the driver will feel vibrations on the steering and seats.

Tire balancing corrects an uneven weight distribution in the wheels. Imbalanced wheels can cause vibration, excessive tire wear, suspension damage, and other issues. 

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Alignment	Balancing
Definition	It corrects the angles of the tires so that they come in contact with the road in the correct way.	It corrects the weight imbalance and wheel assemblies.
Benefits	It helps obtain a smoother ride and increases the tire’s life.	It achieves a smoother ride, reduces tire wear the decreases the strain on the drivetrain.
When it’s time	Rapid tire wear, squealing tires.	Uneven tire wear, vibrations in your seat, floorboard, or steering wheel.
Causes of Problems	Potholes, mismatched tires, heavy loads, aggressive driving, normal wear, and tear.	Sudden impacts, worn-out suspension parts, normal tire wear, and imperfections.
Cost	More expensive	Cheaper

What is Alignment? 

A new car’s tires are properly aligned, which means they all point in the same direction. This ensures that neither tire pushes outward nor pulls inward, producing problems with the car.

When the wheels are precisely aligned, the tires provide higher mileage.  

Wheel alignment simply refers to adjusting the geometry of the wheels, which can become compromised owing to bad suspension.

This can occur when your automobile hits a large pothole, is involved in an accident, or when you install a new set of tires in your vehicle.  

Wheel alignment, also known as tracking, ensures that the wheels are perpendicular to the road and parallel to one other.

You have the option of having a 2 wheel alignment (front axle) or a 4 wheel alignment (front and rear axles). 

The technician will inspect the camber, toe, and caster during the assessment.

Camber refers to the angle of the steering pivot as seen from the side of the vehicle; toe refers to the direction the tires point in respect to each other, and caster refers to the angle of the steering pivot as seen from the side of the vehicle. 

Alignment prevents your vehicle from drifting to the right or left. It can also improve your vehicle’s handling and eliminate strange on-road vibrations.  

What is Balancing? 

Balancing is required because tires become imbalanced with constant rotation. Out-of-balance tires produce vehicle vibration, which raises the likelihood of a collision at greater speeds.

Tire balancing is thus required after every 12-15 thousand miles of running. Balancing also guarantees that your tires last longer because balancing reduces tire wear significantly. 

When a wheel is first installed on a vehicle, it should be precisely balanced. Wheels lost balance with time, causing the weight distribution and contact patch (the section of the tire in contact with the road) to change. 

Wheel balancing is used to rebalance the weight and guarantee that the tire rotates uniformly. Small balancing weights are added to the rim to compensate for weight irregularities. 

Unevenness in a tire or rim can throw the wheel off balance. Tires and wheels cannot rotate perfectly without proper wheel balance, resulting in uneven tire wear.

If your wheels are correctly balanced, you may expect a safer driving experience with fewer vibrations throughout the vehicle. 

Your tires and wheels are put onto a tire balancing machine during a tire balance procedure.

The machine spins the tire and wheel assembly to measure the imbalance, allowing a technician to accurately insert the exact tire weights for a fully balanced wheel and tire combination.  

Main Differences Between Alignment and Balancing 

1. An alignment corrects the angle of the tire while balancing corrects the weight imbalance. 
2. Alignment helps get a smoother ride and increases the tire’s life, while balancing achieves a smoother ride, reduces tire wear, the decreases the strain on the drivetrain. 
3. It is time to get an alignment when there is rapid tire wear, squealing tires, etc. Signs of needing a balancing are uneven tire wear, vibrations felt in your seat, floorboard, or steering wheel. 
4. There can be problems in the alignment due to potholes, mismatched tires, heavy loads, aggressive driving, and normal wear and tear, whereas problems in balancing can be caused by sudden impacts, worn-out suspension parts, normal tire wear, and imperfections. 
5. An alignment is more expensive than a wheel balancing. 

References 

1. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1008010319408 
2. https://www.sae.org/publications/technical-papers/content/2000-01-3659/