If you own a semi-truck or operate a fleet of larger trucks, it's imperative that you keep the wheels of those trucks properly aligned. Truck wheel alignment may be more important to a driver's control of the truck than you realise, and improper alignment of a truck's tyres can be very costly. To ensure your heavy-duty rigs are always in good repair and that you're not wasting money on improperly maintained trucks, note a few factors to consider about big truck wheel alignment.

Cost of misaligned wheels

You may know that misaligned tyres can lead to a truck pulling to one side or the other, but this is not just an inconvenience for the driver. That added pull puts extreme stress on the axles of the truck and causes more friction from the tyres. In turn, the truck needs more power to keep rolling straight, which results in using more fuel. That added friction also means that the tyres wear out quickly, and tyres for big rigs are a very expensive item to replace.

Driver safety and fatigue

Managing a big rig is often tiresome enough for drivers, as the weight of the truck constantly pulls against the steering wheel. When tyres are misaligned, however, this can add to driver fatigue, as he or she is always pulling the truck back into its proper position. 

Driver fatigue can lead to decreased response and reaction times, increasing the risk of an accident. A driver may also need to rest more often on a run, which adds to a delivery time and potentially reduces the amount of deliveries that can be made, which loses business for your company and reduces your revenue.

Tandem axles

The back wheels of tandem axle trucks need to follow in the tracks of the front wheels for proper control of the truck's back end. When any of the tyres of your truck are not aligned properly, this can cause pressure on those back axles, since they're not following in those tracks. In turn, the back part of the truck begins to thrust out of position. 

This misalignment can lead to lack of control over the back end of the truck, increasing the risk of accidents and making it more difficult for a driver to turn a corner. Aligning the wheels of the truck, especially if the front tyres are out of alignment, will ensure that the back wheels follow that track and the back end of the truck is always under full control of the driver.