Your Wheels Need Regular Balancing Wheel balancing isn’t optional; it’s necessary. Once new tires are put on your vehicle, they need to be balanced to your car, truck, or SUV’s wheels. Your wheels are an assembly with many parts.
How are tires and wheels balanced?
Tires and wheels are balanced before being attached to the vehicle by spinning them on a machine that identifies heavier or stiffer spots that cause vibrations. Some tire dealers and repair shops balance tires on “road force” machines that simulate the weight and forces applied to tires and wheels during driving conditions.
Should new tires be balanced before they’re installed?
Yes, new tires should be balanced before they’re installed on your car or truck. The balancing process is more about balancing the wheel and the tire together as a unit to ensure a smooth ride and make sure the tires wear evenly.
What is a tire balance service?
During a tire balance service, your tires and wheels are mounted onto a tire balancing machine. The machine spins the tire and wheel assembly to measure the imbalance, so that a technician can precisely install the correct tire weights to achieve a properly balanced wheel and tire assembly.
Why are my tires out of balance?
If it’s in the seats, the imbalance is in the back wheels. Tires can become out of balance because of uneven tire wear or the loss of a wheel weight because a rim hits a curb or pothole. If you leave your car parked for extended periods without moving it, the tires might develop flat spots that cause imbalances.
How do tires get balanced?
In the tire balancing process, a technician uses a highly calibrated balancer and then applies wheel weights (measured in ounces) to evenly distribute the weight of a tire and wheel assembly. This eliminates or minimizes any vibrations to ensure a smooth ride, while also reducing wear and tear on suspension components.
How do you balance a tire?
Balancing involves placing the wheel and tire assembly on a balancer, setting the center of gravity of the wheel, and rotating it to identify the position of the weight. To balance the tires, it is necessary to use a tire balancer, measure the weight of the unbalanced part and then add weights of lead on the opposite side.
How does a tire balancing machine work?
A tire mounted on a wheel is attached to a tire balancing machine. The wheel is spun while vibration measurements are taken. This tells the tech if the weight is spread evenly, how much weight to add and where on the wheel to attach it. If an imbalance is found, the technician may be able to rebalance and adjust the weights (adding more).
What happens when a tire is out of balance?
When a tire is out of balance, one area will be heavier than another. This causes the car to shake, which can be felt in the steering wheel and body of the vehicle. You may experience a vibration or steering wheel shimmy at highway speeds that get better when you slow down.
What happens if wheels are not balanced?
Out-of-balance tyres are bad news: they wear out your tyre tread and drive down your fuel economy. You’ll most likely be tipped off to this problem by vibrations in the steering wheel, the seats, vehicle chassis or by patchy or cupped wear on your tyre tread.
What happens if the wheel assembly isn’t balanced?
Your tires will wear down prematurely when the wheel assembly isn’t balanced – and you may be in for some not-so-good vibrations. When a tire and wheel assembly is first mounted onto a vehicle’s axle, the system is balanced – meaning that the weight of the wheel and tire assembly is uniformly distributed around the axle.
What happens when tires aren’t balanced?
When tires aren’t balanced, the wheel spinning puts greater stress on specific portions of the tire. This uneven motion is what causes the vibration. It also leads that area of the tire to wear out more quickly. Compounding the problem is that the worn portions of the tire become weaker over time yet take the hardest pounding.
How do I know if my car has a wheel imbalance?
Normal wear patterns for a tire will not be primarily along the edges of the tire but will take place across the tread. If you feel vibrations mostly in the steering wheel of your car, then the wheel imbalance is probably in the front wheels of your car. If you feel the vibration mostly in the seat, then it’s most likely the back wheels.
How does wheel balancing affect your car’s performance?
Wheel balancing problems can affect your car’s performance and your safety. An imbalance in your wheel is often due to heavy spots that can cause the wheels and tires to spin with an unwanted vibration. Wheels are balanced by readjusting the weight around your car’s wheels.
How bad are unbalanced tires?
Tire Damage Unbalanced tires can lead the tires to wear unevenly. In fact, the vibration you feel could be due to uneven tread wear. When your tread is uneven, it can be difficult to steer your car easily. Your tires will also not have the proper contact on the road which is dangerous.
What are the symptoms of unbalanced tires?
The most common symptom of unbalanced tires is excessive vibrations while driving at higher speeds. You may also notice rough steering and uneven or unusual tire wear if you inspect them visually. It can also wear out suspension components. Here is a more detailed list of the symptoms of unbalanced tires: 1. Excessive Vibrations
What is the difference between unbalanced front and rear tires?
However, the basic difference between the two unbalanced situations is that the effect of an unbalanced front tire is usually felt through vibration in the steering wheel, while the symptom of an unbalanced rear tire is mostly noticed in the vibrations of the back seats and/or floor. Below are the general symptoms of unbalanced tires. 1.
What are unbalanced wheels?
Unbalanced wheels are a common problem that isn’t too hard to fix or diagnose. They happen because of regular tire use and are generally unavoidable. However, a lot of people ignore them and that can cause significant damage to the tires and the suspension system.
How do unbalanced tires affect fuel economy?
Unbalanced tires cause the engine to work harder because they create resistance as you drive. The result is lower fuel economy, forcing you to fill your tank more often. The reason for this occurrence is relatively straightforward. Since the car’s weight isn’t evenly distributed around the tires, the tires require more energy to rotate.
