Signs your car is out of alignment
- It pulls left or right on a flat road
- The steering wheel sits off centre while you drive straight
- The inside or outside edge of the front tires is wearing faster than the middle
- The tread feels smooth one way and sharp the other when you run a hand across it, a pattern called feathering
- The steering feels vague, or the car wanders at highway speed on the 417
One caution about pulling. Ottawa roads are crowned so water runs off, and the heavier routes are worn into ruts, so plenty of cars drift slightly right on ordinary streets. A real alignment pull shows up on a flat, level stretch, or as tire wear you can see.
What an alignment adjusts
An alignment sets three main angles back to the manufacturer’s specification.
- Toe is whether the front of each tire points in or out compared with its back edge. It does the most harm to tires when it is wrong, scrubbing them sideways every kilometre you drive.
- Camber is the inward or outward tilt of the tire at the top. Too much of it wears one edge of the tread.
- Caster is the angle of the steering axis seen from the side. It affects straight line stability and how the steering wheel returns to centre after a turn.
At the back we also measure the thrust angle, the direction the rear wheels are pushing the car. If the rear is off, the car crabs slightly down the road and the steering wheel has to sit crooked to keep it straight. That is why every alignment here is a four wheel alignment, even on cars where only the front can be adjusted. Rear adjustment depends on the design. Some cars have it built in and some need an aftermarket kit.
How an alignment is done here
The car rolls onto our Daytona four post alignment lift up the orange approach ramps, with the front tires sitting on turn plates. Targets mount on all four wheels and the camera based system reads their position, so the measurements come from the wheels themselves rather than from a tape and a guess. Tire pressures get set and the steering and suspension get looked over first, because adjusting around a loose tie rod end or a worn ball joint just wastes your money.
The before readings are recorded, the adjustments are made, and the after readings are recorded. You get a printout with both sets, each next to its specification, so you can see what was out and where it ended up. A wheel alignment at our shop in Ottawa, ON starts at $125 before tax, parts extra. Adjusters seized solid by years of salt are common here, and freeing or replacing them is where extra parts and time can come in.
Potholes, new tires and suspension work
Spring in Ottawa means potholes. Freeze thaw cycles break up the pavement every March and April, and one hard hit can knock the toe out or bend a tie rod. If the steering wheel was straight before a pothole and crooked after it, get the alignment checked before uneven wear sets into your tires.
An alignment is also worth doing:
- After a new set of tires, so they wear evenly from the start
- After replacing tie rods, ball joints, control arms or struts, since those jobs change the angles. Our suspension and steering page covers those repairs
- After sliding into a curb or a snowbank hard enough to feel it in the steering
- After lowering or lifting a vehicle
If you are already coming in for a seasonal tire change, that visit is a convenient moment to have the alignment looked at as well.
Alignment and your driver assist cameras
On many newer cars, lane keeping assist and adaptive cruise depend on knowing exactly where straight ahead is. After an alignment, the steering angle sensor often has to be reset to the new centre, and some manufacturers require the forward camera or radar to be recalibrated too. Skip that step and you may see a driver assist warning, or lane keeping that nudges the car toward one side of the lane.
Our alignment lift and our ADAS calibration station share one bay, so the calibration can follow the alignment without the car being moved. Mention it when you book the alignment, and include the year, make and model so we can check what the manufacturer calls for.
When the problem is not the alignment
Some pulls have nothing to do with the angles. A tire with a shifted belt inside it can pull a car to one side no matter how well it is aligned, and swapping the front tires left to right is the quick test. A sticking brake caliper pulls toward the dragging wheel and leaves that wheel noticeably hot after a drive. Worn steering parts can also make a car wander even when the numbers are perfect. If one of these turns up during the setup, you hear about it before the alignment goes ahead, so you are not paying to align around a fault.
Questions
How much does a wheel alignment cost in Ottawa?
At Scorpion Auto Tech on Blackwell Street in Ottawa, a wheel alignment starts at $125 before tax, with parts extra. A printout of the before and after measurements is included. Seized adjusters or worn steering parts can add to the cost, and you are told before that happens.
How often should I get a wheel alignment?
Have it checked whenever you put on new tires, after any steering or suspension repair, and after a hard pothole or curb hit. Without any of those, checking it about once a year is reasonable on Ottawa roads, since freeze thaw damage and potholes knock alignments out gradually.
Do I need an alignment after getting new tires?
It is a good idea. New tires are the most expensive time to discover the toe is out, because uneven wear starts right away and cannot be reversed. An alignment with a new set lets them wear evenly from the first kilometre.
How do I know if my car needs an alignment?
The usual signs are a pull to one side on a flat road, a steering wheel that sits off centre when you drive straight, and tires wearing faster on the inside or outside edge. Steering that feels loose or wanders at highway speed is another sign, though worn parts can cause that too.
Do I need ADAS calibration after a wheel alignment?
On many newer cars with lane keeping or adaptive cruise, yes. At minimum the steering angle sensor usually needs to be reset, and some manufacturers require the forward camera or radar to be recalibrated after an alignment. The requirement depends on the make, model and equipment.
