Overview: Wheel Alignment
Plenty of Canadian drivers think about alignment twice a year, when the winter tires go on and when they come off. It's a sensible habit. Quebec requires winter tires on cars registered there from December to mid-March, and BC requires winter tires or chains on signed highways through the cold months. That keeps tire and alignment shops busy at both ends of the season.
Alignment itself is three angles. Camber is the lean of the wheel, caster is the tilt of the steering axis, and toe is where the wheels point. Toe is the one that eats tread fastest when it's out.
Spring is the damage season. Frost heave and potholes knock wheels out of line, and a curb buried in a snowbank does the same. In Ontario, the Ministry of Transportation wants a damage claim for its highways within ten days, and the City of Toronto sets the same limit for city roads. Keep the alignment printout and the invoice if you plan to claim.
Our listings show what each alignment shop says about itself on its own website, and the province and city lists below lead to the ones near you.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know the car needs an alignment?
Uneven wear is the sign that doesn't lie, and a seasonal tire swap is the easy time to spot it. Look at the set coming off. One edge worn smoother than the other says toe or camber is out. A pull or an off-centre steering wheel counts too, but check pressures first. Tires lose pressure as the weather turns cold, and a soft tire pulls just like a bad alignment.
Will my city pay for pothole damage to my car?
Sometimes, but the deadline comes fast. In Ontario, the Ministry of Transportation handles its highways and wants notice within ten days. Toronto sets the same limit for city roads, and reporting the pothole doesn't count as a claim. The city won't pay if it met the province's minimum maintenance standards for that road. Other cities have their own process, and your own insurer may be the quicker route.
Four-wheel alignment or front only?
Four-wheel on nearly every car and crossover built in recent decades, since the rear wheels set the line the car travels. Front-only still makes sense on a pickup or older vehicle with a solid rear axle, where there's nothing at the back to adjust. Even then, the machine should read the rear first. Ask for the printout either way.
Why did an alignment not stop the pull?
Because something else is pulling. On a salted car, a caliper whose slide pins have rusted and stuck is a common cause. So is a tire with an internal belt fault, uneven pressure, or a worn wheel bearing. Swap the front tires side to side. If the pull moves with them, it's the tire. If the pull started the day the winter set went on, look at that set first.
Should I book an alignment in fall or spring?
Spring, unless something's already wrong. An alignment set in the fall gets tested by a winter of frost heave and potholes, and one hard hit on a hidden curb can undo it. We'd book once the potholes have done their worst. The exception is uneven wear on the tires you're about to put on. Sort that out first, or it'll chew through the winter set.
