Wheel Balancing
Why Wheel Balancing is Important
The need to balance your wheels is just part of the general maintenance every car requires. As tires wear, the distribution of weight around their circumference becomes uneven. Eventually, even if the wheel was perfectly balanced to start with, this change in weight will cause the wheel to become unbalanced.
But your tires don’t look too bad? Imbalances of as little as one ounce can cause a noticeable vibration at 60 MPH. It is recommended balancing all four wheels every 12,000 miles for greater tire life.
Other Causes of Wheel Imbalances
Hitting a pothole or a curb with your tire or rim can throw out a previously balanced wheel.
Wheel impacts and the normal stresses of driving may cause a wheel balancing weight to become dislodged. If this happens you are likely to experience the immediate onset of vibration.
Why New Tires need Balanced
Whenever you buy a new tire the tire technician should balance it as part of the fitting process. A new tire may look perfectly round and evenly balanced, but there are small variations in weight around its circumference that must be corrected for. And the tire isn’t the only factor that must be taken into consideration- your wheel rim, too, will contribute its own set of imbalances.
The Added Benefit of Road Force Balance
Tire conicity and rim run out can also cause vibrations. Road Force Balancing is able to address these issues and allow you to get more miles out of your tires. This is a great option when you are having difficulty with your tires but still have strong tread.
The Long-Term Cost of Wheel Imbalance
Unbalanced wheels will still be affecting your car in ways that may end up costing you a lot more than a wheel balance would:
Accelerated and uneven tire wear.
Undue stressing of your car’s suspension.
Damage to steering components.
Driver fatigue.
Impaired tire traction and steering control.
Increased fuel consumption.
The Wheel Balancing Process
When you take your car for a wheel balancing, our mechanic will remove the wheels and place them one by one on a machine which spins them and measures the amount and location of the imbalance. A small weight will then be attached to the rim of the wheel to even out the weight distribution and bring the wheel back into balance.
The end result of wheel balancing will be a smoother, less tiring ride, a safer car, lower fuel bills and tires that last longer.
