How Long Does a Wheel Alignment Take? What Adds Time
How long does a wheel alignment take? Tire makers and automotive guides agree on the answer: the alignment itself takes about an hour or less.
It can take longer for a four-wheel alignment, or if a worn or damaged part has to be replaced first. That figure covers the alignment work itself, not the whole visit.
Say you live in Carleton Place or elsewhere in the Ottawa Valley, and the check has to fit into a day that already holds work, errands and family plans. It helps to know what can lengthen the visit before you book, so you can plan the rest of that day around it.
Key Takeaways
About an hour or less. Tire makers and automotive guides put the alignment work itself at about an hour or less.
Four wheels take a little longer. A four-wheel alignment takes a little longer than one that adjusts only the front wheels.
The design decides which. Some vehicles need only the front wheels adjusted, and many modern vehicles need all four.
Worn parts come first. A worn or damaged steering or suspension part has to be repaired or replaced before the alignment can be set, which makes the visit longer.
A strut replacement can lengthen the visit. An alignment is commonly recommended after a suspension part such as a strut is replaced, so a visit that includes both can run longer than the alignment work alone.
It matters to driver-assist features. On newer vehicles, features such as lane-keeping rely on the wheels pointing where the vehicle expects them to.
Leave room in your day. Plan around more than the alignment itself, since a worn part found at the check can lengthen the visit.
How Long Does a Wheel Alignment Take on Your Vehicle?
The alignment work itself takes about an hour or less, according to tire makers and automotive guides. Two things can change how long it takes on your vehicle: whether the front wheels or all four are adjusted, and whether a worn or damaged part has to be dealt with first.
Both depend on your own vehicle: its design and the condition of its steering and suspension parts. Book your service online with Carleton Place Ford.
Front Wheels Only, or All Four?
Some vehicles need only the front wheels adjusted. Many modern vehicles, including those with independent rear suspension, need all four, and the vehicle's design decides which.
A four-wheel alignment takes a little longer than one that adjusts only the front wheels, so the kind your vehicle needs is part of the answer.
That means two vehicles can need different alignments, and slightly different amounts of time, because of how each one is built.
What a Wheel Alignment Involves
Automotive guides describe an alignment that starts with a look at the tires and the steering and suspension parts, because a worn part has to be dealt with before the angles can be set. The wheel angles are then measured electronically and compared with your vehicle maker's specification.
The angles that can be adjusted on your vehicle are set back to specification, and the result is checked before the vehicle goes back to you.
Each step depends on the one before it: the angles aren't set until the parts are sound, and the result isn't checked until the angles are set.
Worn or Damaged Parts Come First
A worn or damaged steering or suspension part is one of the common reasons an alignment visit runs longer. A part like that has to be repaired or replaced before the alignment can be set properly, because worn parts can't hold an alignment.
So a check that turns up a worn, bent or broken part changes the plan: the part is repaired or replaced first, and the alignment follows.
How much time that adds depends on what's found.
If nothing worn or damaged turns up, the time comes back to the alignment work itself.
When a Suspension Part Such as a Strut Is Replaced
If a suspension part such as a strut is replaced, an alignment is commonly recommended afterwards, so the two can happen in the same visit. That's another way a visit can run longer than the alignment work alone.
If a strut replacement is already planned for your vehicle, it's worth asking whether an alignment should follow it at the same visit.
The order matters here: the new part goes in first, and the alignment is set after it.
The Part of the Time You Can See Coming
Two of the things that add time can be known before the visit: whether your vehicle needs the front wheels or all four adjusted, and whether a suspension part such as a strut is being replaced at the same visit. The third, a worn or damaged part, is something the check finds.
So the first two are yours to plan around, and the room you leave in your day is for the third.
Your vehicle's design doesn't change from one visit to the next, so once you know which kind of alignment it needs, that part of the answer stays the same.
Knowing which kind your vehicle needs, and whether a strut is being replaced too, gives you something solid to plan with. Book your service online with Carleton Place Ford.
A Hard Hit Can Lengthen the Visit
If you drive the Ottawa Valley through a pothole season, a hard hit can do more than shift the angles. Ford's owner's manuals say a bad jolt can knock the front end out of alignment or damage your tires.
When a steering or suspension part has been damaged, it has to be repaired or replaced before the alignment can be set. That's the kind of finding that makes a visit longer.
If you feel a sudden vibration or ride disturbance while driving, or you suspect your tire or vehicle has been damaged, Ford's owner's manuals say to immediately reduce your speed and drive with caution until you can safely pull off the road.
Freeze-thaw winters are hard on Canadian roads, and tire makers note they're hard on alignment too.
The signs that an alignment is worth having checked are in our guide to whether a wheel alignment is necessary.
Driver-Assist Features and the Alignment
On newer vehicles, the alignment also matters to driver-assist features such as lane-keeping, which rely on the wheels pointing where the vehicle expects them to.
Automotive guides name lane-keeping in particular, along with other driver-assist features that depend on accurate wheel position, and note that an alignment that's well out could affect them.
Leave Room in Your Day
Plan your day around more than the alignment itself, since a worn part found at the check can lengthen the visit. The kind of alignment your vehicle needs, and anything that has happened to it lately, can both shape the time it takes.
What you've noticed. Mention it when you book, along with anything recent, such as a hard pothole hit, new tires or suspension work.
Which kind your vehicle needs. Ask whether your vehicle takes a front-wheel or a four-wheel alignment, since the four-wheel job takes a little longer.
A planned strut replacement. If one is already on the list for your vehicle, mention it, since an alignment is commonly recommended afterwards.
Your tire pressures. Ford's owner's manuals say to check tire pressure at least once a month, when the tires are cold.
Contact us with questions or feedback.
The Answer Comes From Your Own Vehicle
No general figure can say how long the work will take on your own vehicle, because its design and the condition of its parts both affect the time. The figure from tire makers and automotive guides, about an hour or less, is a starting point for planning, not a promise.
The kind of alignment, a worn or damaged part found at the check and suspension work at the same visit can all move it, and the check on your own vehicle is where that becomes clear.
The address and phone numbers for Carleton Place Ford are listed below.
In The Works, the maintenance package on Carleton Place Ford's service pages, a Ford-trained technician checks tire and brake wear.
Book your service online with Carleton Place Ford.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Does a Four-Wheel Alignment Take?
Tire makers and automotive guides put the alignment work itself at about an hour or less, and a four-wheel alignment takes a little longer than one that adjusts only the front wheels. Which kind your vehicle needs depends on its design, and many modern vehicles need all four wheels adjusted.
What Can Make a Wheel Alignment Take Longer?
A worn or damaged steering or suspension part is one of the common reasons, because it has to be repaired or replaced before the alignment can be set. Worn parts can't hold an alignment, which is why they're dealt with first.
A four-wheel alignment also takes a little longer than one that adjusts only the front wheels.
What Happens During a Wheel Alignment?
Automotive guides describe it this way: a look at the tires and the steering and suspension parts comes first, then the wheel angles are measured electronically against your vehicle maker's specification. The angles that can be adjusted are set back to specification, and the result is checked before the vehicle goes back to you.
Can a Strut Replacement and an Alignment Happen in One Visit?
They can. If a suspension part such as a strut is replaced, an alignment is commonly recommended afterwards, so the two can happen in the same visit.
That makes the visit run longer than the alignment work alone, so it's worth leaving room in your day for both.
Why Does Wheel Alignment Matter to Lane-Keeping?
On newer vehicles, the alignment matters to driver-assist features such as lane-keeping, which rely on the wheels pointing where the vehicle expects them to.
Automotive guides name lane-keeping in particular, and note that an alignment that's well out could affect it and other features that depend on accurate wheel position.
How Should You Plan Your Day Around a Wheel Alignment?
Plan your day around more than the alignment itself, since a worn part found at the check can lengthen the visit. When you book, mention what you've noticed and anything recent, such as a hard pothole hit, new tires or suspension work.
Source: Ford's owner's manuals, tire makers and automotive guides.
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About the Author:
Kerry Irven is the Vice President of New and Used Automotive Operations for Heighton Automotive Group, a family-owned and operated automotive group serving communities across Eastern Ontario. Kerry began his automotive career in new-car sales, building his experience on the showroom floor and working his way through multi-store dealership operations.
With over 25 years in the automotive industry, Kerry has helped grow automotive businesses from one location with 40 to 50 vehicles in stock to more than 500 vehicles across 10 rooftops. His hands-on background in both new and used-vehicle operations gives him a practical understanding of what customers look for when shopping for their next vehicle.
Throughout his career, Kerry has always been actively involved in staff coaching and in understanding customer wants and needs, helping ensure the businesses he works with continue to adapt to what customers are truly looking for.
One of the most exciting chapters of his career has been the shift into modern automotive marketing, embracing new technology, transparent pricing, customer-first inventory strategies, and new ways to create a better vehicle-shopping experience.
Kerry has completed extensive automotive training, including certification through the Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council, involvement with the Used Car Dealers Association of Ontario, Canadian automotive dealer training, and multiple customer service courses.
Born and raised on a farm, Kerry has always valued family, hard work, and a practical, down-to-earth approach. Joining Heighton Automotive Group and working alongside Thomas Heighton and family, along with managing partners Kyle Lothian and Martin Gougeon, has allowed him to bring those same values into the car business. It has also allowed Kerry to continue following a simple philosophy: treat every customer exactly the way he would want to be treated.
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