Essex potholes and kerbs knock tracking out of line, and once it is out your new tyres start scrubbing away on one edge. We check and adjust your alignment so the wheels point where the manufacturer intended, which keeps the steering straight and stops you buying tyres more often than you should.
The steering wheel sits off centre when you are going straight, the car drifts to one side if you relax your grip, the wheel does not self centre after a roundabout, or one edge of a front tyre is feathered and worn while the rest looks fine. Any of those is worth ten minutes of our time.
Fitting new tyres to a car with the tracking out is money down the drain. Bad alignment can take thousands of miles off a tyre's life and shows up as a sharp inner or outer edge within a few months. If we are fitting tyres and the old ones show that pattern, we will tell you before we hand the keys back.
If a wishbone bush, track rod end or wheel bearing is worn, adjusting the tracking is only a temporary patch. We will tell you what we can see so you can get the part sorted rather than paying for the same job twice.
Toe is whether the wheels point slightly in or out when viewed from above — that is what most people mean by tracking, and it is the setting that destroys tyres fastest when it is wrong. Camber is how far the top of the wheel leans in or out. Caster is the steering pivot angle that makes the wheel self-centre after a corner. Toe is adjustable on virtually every car; camber and caster often are not, so if they are out it usually points to a bent or worn part.
It is rarely one dramatic moment. Kerbing a wheel while parking in town, dropping into a pothole on a rural lane around Rayne or Shalford, or hitting a sunken drain on the A120 all nudge the settings. That is why we suggest a check once a year, and any time the steering starts to feel different.
If any of these sound familiar, ten minutes with us will save you money on your next set of tyres.
People use the terms interchangeably, but they are different jobs. Balancing is done with the wheel off the car on a machine and cures vibration at speed. Tracking is the angle the wheels sit at on the car and cures pulling and uneven wear. Balancing is included when we fit tyres; tracking is a separate check.
How it works
Pulling, off-centre wheel, or one tyre edge worn away — it all points us in the right direction.
The tyres tell the story. We check pressures and look at how each one has worn.
Alignment measured and the toe brought back to the manufacturer's figures.
Steering wheel straight, figures rechecked, and we flag any worn part we spotted.
Prices
Tracking is one of the cheapest jobs you can do for your tyres and one of the most overlooked. A check and adjust costs far less than the pair of tyres bad alignment will quietly eat. Ring us with your car and we will give you the price and the quietest time to come in.
Ring 01376 433951 for a fitted price.
Most cars only need the front toe adjusting; some benefit from a four-wheel check.
Older cars and Essex road salt can mean track rods need freeing off first.
We will tell you where you are before you commit to an adjustment.
Having it set while we are fitting saves you a second visit.
Straight facts
| Wear pattern | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Worn on one edge only | Toe or camber out of line | Alignment check and adjust |
| Feathered, sharp edges across the tread | Toe out of spec | Tracking adjustment |
| Both outer edges worn, middle fine | Under-inflation | Correct pressures, check for a leak |
| Middle worn, edges fine | Over-inflation | Correct pressures |
| Scalloped or cupped patches | Balancing or worn suspension | Rebalance, inspect shocks and bushes |
Bring the car in and we will read the wear with you at the wheel so you can see it for yourself.
Local to you
Our alignment work is done at the Broad Road workshop, a couple of minutes from Braintree town centre. Drivers come in from Bocking, Great Notley, Cressing, Rayne, Witham, Halstead and Great Dunmow — usually after a pothole or when a new set of tyres started wearing on one edge. Drive in Monday to Saturday between 9am and 6pm.
Also at the workshop
Budget, mid-range and premium tyres for cars, vans and 4x4s, fitted and balanced on site.
New Tyres detailsChecked, legal part worn tyres with plenty of tread left, a sensible option when money is tight.
Part Worn Tyres detailsSlow punctures found and properly repaired from the inside where the damage allows.
Puncture Repair detailsQuestions we get asked
The things Braintree drivers ask us most about wheel alignment & tracking.
Once a year is sensible, and any time you clout a pothole or kerb hard, or notice the steering pulling.
No, drive in during opening hours, though a call ahead means we can tell you the quietest time.
No. Balancing stops vibration at speed and is done on the machine with the wheel off the car. Tracking is the angle the wheels sit at. New tyres from us are balanced as standard.
Areas we cover
Drivers come to us for wheel alignment & tracking from across mid Essex. Pick your town for directions and local detail.
CM77 area
CM8 area
CM8 area
CO6 area
CO5 area
CO9 area
CM6 area
CM6 area
CO6 area
CM3 area
CO9 area
CO9 area
CM7 area
CM3 area
CO5 area
CM1 area
CO1 area
Call 01376 433951 or send a WhatsApp with your tyre size and we will get you sorted. Drive in Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm.
Rear of 282 Broad Road, Braintree CM7 5NWMon to Sat 9:00am – 6:00pm, Sunday closed
Find us
Rear of 282 Broad Road
Mon to Sat 9:00am – 6:00pm, Sunday closed
| Monday | 9:00am – 6:00pm |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 9:00am – 6:00pm |
| Wednesday | 9:00am – 6:00pm |
| Thursday | 9:00am – 6:00pm |
| Friday | 9:00am – 6:00pm |
| Saturday | 9:00am – 6:00pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
| Bank holidays | 10:00am – 4:00pm |
