What is car wheel alignment?
Car wheel alignment (sometimes referred to as wheel or tyre tracking) is a service that involves correcting the angles of your wheels so that they are accurately re-set to the original manufacturer's specifications.
It’s recommended to get this checked whenever you replace your tyres as, over time, the rigours of driving on the road can cause your wheels to become misaligned. You may need to align your car wheels if your car has recently had a more significant knock or impact, such as going through a deep pothole.
For the best performance, you ideally want to have as much of the surface area of the tyre to be in contact with the ground as possible. Getting your tyres and wheel alignment checked and adjusted regularly will help optimise your vehicle's fuel consumption, road handling and tyre life. Misaligned wheels can lead to uneven tyre wear and shorter tyre lifespans, meaning you will need to get your tyres replaced sooner than normal.
Read our blog to find out more about what wheel alignment is.
How do you know if your car needs a wheel alignment or tracking?
Chances are that you won’t be able to see whether your wheels are misaligned just from looking at the steering and suspension components, but there are a few signs you can look out for if you suspect your tracking is off:
- Your vehicle is pulling to one side
- Reduced fuel economy
- Uneven tyre wear
- Increased wear on suspension components
- Steering wheel vibrating when driving at high speeds.
Do I need 2 or 4 wheel alignment?
The type of alignment service your vehicle needs depends upon your steering and suspension system, and manufacturer recommendations. Most modern vehicles — cars, small SUVs, crossovers, and vans — require a four-wheel alignment. If you have the option to align all four wheels, you should. If you are unsure you can get in touch with your local ATS centre and our technicians will be able to advise. At ATS Euromaster, we offer both front wheel alignment and four wheel alignment services.
Four Wheel Alignment
Our computerised four wheel alignment service lines up both your front and rear wheels, ensuring your car tyres can deliver the best possible performance and fuel economy.
At ATS, we use a computerised four wheel car alignment service, providing a more accurate analysis and alignment of your wheels' tracking. We also like to keep you informed: one of our expert technicians will show your car's current alignment and how far out it is from the exact, original factory settings.
With over 150 ATS Euromaster centres across the UK, it's easy to find wheel alignment near you.
Front Wheel Alignment
At ATS, we offer a computerised wheel car alignment service, providing a more accurate analysis and alignment of your car wheels and how your tyres are tracking. We also like to keep you informed: one of our expert technicians will show your car's current alignment and how far out it is from the exact, original factory settings.
With over 150 ATS Euromaster centres across the UK, it's easy to find vehicle wheel alignment services near you.
What’s included in our wheel alignment service?
Even a slight misalignment can affect how your car feels on the road, how evenly your tyres wear, and how much fuel you use over time. This service checks key components, compares your wheel angles to the manufacturer’s specs, and corrects them if needed.
We inspect your tyres and suspension components to spot any signs of uneven wear or damage before adjusting anything.
Using digital or laser tools, we compare your wheels’ alignment against the manufacturer’s exact specifications.
If required, and where applicable, we adjust the alignment angles (camber, caster and toe) to ensure safe, stable handling*.
We make sure your steering wheel is correctly aligned so your car drives straight and feels right.
You’ll receive a clear printout showing the measurements before and after adjustment for complete transparency.
On request, we’ll check your tyre pressure and overall condition to help improve safety and fuel efficiency.
Wheel alignment appointments near you
We have over 150 centres throughout the UK offering wheel alignment services, with hourly appointments available.
Over 50 years of expertise of car & van wheel alignment
We've been carrying out car wheel alignments for over 50 years and our technicians are some of the best trained wheel alignment specialists in the country.
Range of wheel alignment services and options
We have 2 wheel alignment services to choose from with costs starting from only £57.50.
*Our Computer Alignment Front and Computer Alignment Front & Rear include Toe adjustment only. These services are suitable for cars, 4x4’s and car derived vans only, including electric or hybrid powered vehicles. A diagnostic equipment service may also be required to switch off dashboard warning lights related to systems like steering angle sensors – this is included within the cost of our Computer Alignment Front and Computer Alignment Front & Rear services subject to the compatibility of the vehicle with our diagnostic equipment. Camber and Castor adjustment (if possible) are not included with this service and will incur an additional charge. We do not carry out ADAS calibration on your vehicle, this is recommended after having a wheel alignment carried out. Computer Alignment Front can take in excess of 30 minutes and covers Toe adjustment to the front wheels only. Our Computer Alignment Front & Rear service can take in excess of 60 minutes and covers Toe alignment on both the front and rear wheels where possible – some vehicles do not permit rear toe adjustment to occur due to vehicle design/manufacture.
FAQs about wheel alignment & tyre tracking services
Yes, we recommend that you arrange a car wheel alignment service when you get new tyres. Over time, your wheels can easily become misaligned due to things like driving through potholes, mounting curbs or anything else that shakes or impacts your tyres. By the time you replace your tyres, your wheels are likely to be slightly misaligned, so it's a good idea to have them realigned before you fit your new tyres.
Our wheel alignment prices start from £57.50 for a 2 wheel computerised front wheel alignment, and £80 for a computerised four wheel alignment.
You can book your vehicle in for a car wheel alignment service near you online today. We have hourly appointments available throughout the UK. Use our locator tool to find your local ATS centre.
No, wheel alignment is not checked as part of an MOT test. However, misaligned wheels can pose a risk to your safety and cause various other problems that may fail an MOT, such as uneven tyre wear. Misaligned wheels also cause poor fuel economy, so it's in a driver's best interests to keep their wheels aligned.
For most cars, there are no specific requirements. It is common that wheel alignment is checked when a vehicle is having new tyres fitted. Over time, and through potholes and mounting curbs a car’s wheel alignment can be impacted.
If you regularly check the conditions of your tyres, you should be able to spot the signs that your tyre or wheel alignment is out.
Typically, a wheel alignment service takes around 30 minutes. However, this may vary depending on the vehicle. Our ATS centres provide free coffee and Wi-Fi that you can enjoy while you wait.
Yes, we do. Our centres are equipped to handle electric vehicles, including alignment checks and adjustments based on EV-specific requirements. The process is similar to standard vehicles, but we also take into account the unique weight distribution and chassis design of EVs.
Our digital/computerised wheel alignment service provides the highest degree of accuracy and ensures your tyres are set back exactly to the vehicle manufacturer’s original angles and optimum position. Our digital computerised wheel alignment equipment also features a simple to understand reception viewing screen. This means you can view the pre and post readings according to the manufacturer’s original specifications and see the adjustments made in real time, giving you extra peace of mind.
As shown above there are various different types of misalignment positions that can occur. These toe in, toe out, positive camber or negative camber.
Toe In and Toe Out
If your vehicle is pulling to one side it could be a result of incorrect toe alignment. “Toe” looks at whether your front tyres are closer or further apart compared to the rear tyres. Depending on your vehicle it may need different toe settings compensating for the way your wheels will either pull towards each other or away.
Negative Camber and Positive Camber
“Camber” simply means the tilt of your tyre, it can be inward or outward. Camber is set by the vehicle manufacturer. Your camber alignment can be knocked off by driving through pot holes and other forms of impact on your wheels.