What happens to equipment when it is not properly aligned?

When equipment is not properly aligned, it leads to increased wear and tear on various components. Misalignment can cause parts to experience uneven stresses, which can result in premature failure of bearings, gears, and other mechanical components. As machinery operates, misaligned parts may rub against each other or become subjected to forces that they are not designed to handle, accelerating degradation and potentially leading to more significant breakdowns.

In contrast, while it might seem that misalignment could create a softer ride or positively affect efficiency, these outcomes generally do not occur. Instead, poor alignment typically contributes to greater wear and operational issues, which can also negatively impact fuel efficiency over time. When equipment is misaligned, it often results in the engine or motor working harder to maintain performance, which increases fuel consumption rather than decreasing it. Thus, the emphasis on increased wear and tear is critical for understanding the ramifications of improper alignment in agricultural equipment.