Wheel Balancing

Wheel Balancing Explained

Often confused with wheel alignment, wheel balancing ensures that your tires will spin vibration free. Irregularities and imperfections in the manufacturing of both wheels and tires can result in heavy spots. Balancing your wheels minimizes the potential vibration caused by those imperfections generally felt in the steering wheel, seat, or floorboard. Balancing is accomplished by placing measured weights opposite the “heavy spot.” A correctly balanced set of wheels and tires will make the car drive like it’s riding on a cushion of air.

We recommend having your tires and wheels balanced when first installed, when there is evidence of balance-related tire wear, or every 10,000 to 12,000 miles as a measure of preventative maintenance.  Unbalanced tires can lead to uneven wear, vibration, and potentially unsafe driving conditions.  This condition also wears out shocks and struts at an alarming rate.  It’s much cheaper to balance the tires once in a while than to replace expensive components that can be prematurely worn out from a bouncing tire. Vibration-free tires enhance ride control and performance and extend the overall life of a set of tires.

Wheel Balancing and Safety

From a safety standpoint, unbalanced tires can cause excessive vibration at high speeds reducing handling and control which may lead to an accident. From an environmental point of view, balance-related wear will cause tires to wear prematurely.