What does front wheel alignment include?

Front wheel alignment primarily involves adjusting the angles of the wheels so that they are set to the car manufacturer's specifications. This ensures that the vehicle drives straight and true without pulling to one side, and that tire wear is minimized.

Alignment shimming plays a critical role in this process. It refers to the technique of adding shims to adjust the camber angle of the wheels, helping to achieve the proper wheel alignment. This is essential because if the wheels are not aligned correctly, it can lead to uneven tire wear and negatively affect vehicle handling and performance.

The other options, while related to wheel and tire maintenance, do not directly describe the alignment process itself. Adjusting the steering wheel may help in making a car drive straight, but it does not align the wheels. Replacing tires is a separate maintenance task that may be necessary due to wear but is not part of the alignment itself. Balancing the front wheels is also a different service that ensures the weight is evenly distributed around the wheel and tire assembly, reducing vibrations but not affecting the alignment angles.