An unbalanced tire is one small thing that causes early tire and suspension wear. Tire imbalance may seem like a minor problem to many people. In reality, it is a critical issue that can harm your safety and your car’s handling on the road.
What Is Tire Balancing?
Tire balancing, also known as wheel balancing, corrects an uneven spread of weight on the wheels. Unbalanced wheels can lead to vibration, unnecessary tire wear, suspension damage, and other problems.
During a tire balance repair, an expert technician places your wheel and tire assembly onto a tire balancing machine. The wheel and tire components are spun by the machine to gauge the degree of imbalance.
The technician will then install the appropriate wheel weights to balance the wheel and tire correctly using this knowledge.
Wheel alignments and balancing are separate services. When it comes to wheel alignment, it basically refers to adjusting your vehicle’s suspension angles and steering. This type of service does not include the wheels or tires being balanced.
Tire balancing certainly sounds essential, but why exactly do you need this service for your car?
Having your tires’ properly balanced could provide a variety of benefits, such as:
- Improved driving comfort
- Less deterioration of the tires
- Reduces the load on the engine
- Increased fuel efficiency
- Fewer vibrations and sounds
What Causes Tires to Become Unbalanced?
What leads to tires becoming out of balance? The most frequent offenders are uneven tire wear, bent rims, tire flat spots or low tire pressure. Additionally, flat spots on the tread’s contact patch may develop if you leave your vehicle parked for an extended period of time without moving it. This may trigger a vibration at highway speeds.
How Do I Know if My Tires Need Balancing?
It may be an indication that your tires need to be balanced if the wear on them is uneven. If you feel a vibration in the seat, floorboard, or steering column, the same might apply.
You can tell if the front or rear wheels need to be balanced by where your vehicle shakes.
But if the seats start to vibrate, the rear tires probably need to be balanced. A vibration may also be caused by other variables. It is best to have your vehicle inspected by a qualified technician if you observe any of the aforementioned signs.
How Often Should Tires Be Balanced?
You need to make an appointment right away with a professional and trained technician if you detect any signs of unbalanced tires. It is also recommended to have your car’s tires balanced and rotated every 5,000 to 8,000 km, or as recommended by the manufacturer. When else should you have your tires balanced?
- While performing tire rotations
- When getting other tire repairs
- During routine maintenance meetings
How to Balance Tires: What You Should Know
Tires
When we talk about tires, we explicitly mean the rubber, not the actual wheels. The wheel will be mentioned when applicable, but for the majority of the subjects covered in this article, you’re only discussing the tires.
Balance
The capacity of the tires to rotate smoothly without unfavourable vibrations is referred to as “balance.” A tire may be heavier on one side than the other for a variety of reasons due to variations in manufacturing methods and damage that may happen during shipment and handling.
Rotation
When we refer to “rotations,” it explicitly means the turning of the wheels and tires. The engine’s rotations per minute (RPM), which are a mechanical system unrelated to tires, are distinct from this.
Weights
The word “weight” means precisely what it says. They are positioned at particular locations around the tire to make sure that any heavy areas have a counterbalance to even them out on the opposing side of the tire.
Get Your Tires Balanced at Superior Tire & Auto
If you’re looking for tire balancing services, contact Superior Tire & Auto. We are trained experts who offer tire balancing services for different vehicle models and makes. Visit today to get the best advice and services for your tire balancing and other automotive requirements.