Misconception about wheel alignment and balancing

My tyres had been wearing out unevenly and it is something that had bothered me for some time without a proper understanding.
At least every after two years, I would change tyres but at different intervals with some looking better than others.
I had a habit of replacing all my tyres at the same time but how some would wear out much faster than the others was just confusing.
This went on for some time until I engaged a professional mechanic, who informed me that the problem was with wheel alignment that I had not done in a long while.
Wheel alignment consists of adjustments that ensure that wheel angles are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the ground.
This reduces the rate at which tyres wear out as well as ensuring that the travel is straight and true to the road without swaying off the road.
True, I had religiously done wheel balancing that I thought would effectively protect my tyres.
But this was the origin of the confusion because my “mechanic” had not helped me to differentiate between wheel alignment and balancing.
Unlike wheel alignment, which deals with positioning of all tryes as a single component, wheel balancing is a specialised function that ensures that the weight of the wheel is even every time it turns.
Every time a new tyre is mounted onto the axle, the wheel must be rebalanced to ensure it continues to rotate evenly.
This helps to prevent uncomfortable or nauseating vibrations that are produced as a result of premature tyre wear, suspension and steering components.
Just like me, many drivers do not differentiate between wheel balancing and wheel alignment, some of the key aspects of a car’s tyre system.
Wheel balancing addresses the distribution of weight around a single tyre, while wheel alignment focuses on the position of all tyres ensuring that they are evenly aligned.
Wheel alignment service includes a tyre tread check and inspection of the toe, camber, and caster, the three components that measure wheel orientation.
Most manufacturers recommend that wheel alignment should be done every time a car travels at least 10,000 miles.
However, even without the mileage, if you notice that your car is “pulling”, on one side it means that it is due for wheel alignment.