Why Is Tire Balancing Important?

What is tire balancing?

You might not be able to tell just by looking, but no wheel is perfectly round or weighted. When a wheel spins at highway speeds, this fact shows itself in a vibration and shake. 

To offset the weight imbalance, you have to attach wheel weights in exactly the right spots on the wheel. This brings the wheel back into balance and makes it spin without shaking.

How does it affect my vehicle?

Tire balancing ensures that your wheels each have an even distribution of weight. This allows them to roll evenly down the road without shaking or wobbling. Tire balancing is crucial for keeping your tire warranty valid, since unbalanced wheels can cause your tires to wear unevenly.

Also, an out-of-balance wheel can put unnecessary strain on your wheel bearings and suspension. The most common sign you’ll notice is that you will feel vibrations while driving. This means you have less traction control and less control of your vehicle. Have your wheels checked as soon as possible if you feel a vibration.

How does a wheel get out of balance?

Rough roads, potholes, and any other impacts can knock your wheels out of balance. The weights on the wheels shift when this happens.

Being attentive while driving can prevent some of these impacts, but eventually, your wheels will need to be re-balanced.

How is tire balancing done?

To balance your wheels, a technician will remove them from your vehicle and pop off all the wheel weights.

They will then mount each wheel on a tire balancing machine that spins it at driving speeds to check for imbalances. 

The machine then tells the technician where to place wheel weights to offset the imbalance.

Weights can either be placed on the inside or outside of your tire. 

Once the technician has ensured that the tire balancing is successful by spinning the wheel again, they will remount it to your vehicle.

How often should I balance my wheels?

Anytime you feel a vibration in your steering wheel that seems to increase with your speed, you should have your wheel balance checked. If you are not feeling any vibrations while driving, you probably don’t need a tire balance.

We recommend balancing your tires every 6,000 to 8,000 miles or with every other oil change. We offer free lifetime tire rotation and re-balancing on every set of tires we sell.

Visit your local Blain’s Farm & Fleet if you reside in the Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, and Iowa area to ensure your wheels are properly balanced. It will help you feel safe on the road. As always, rely on your local auto mechanic for advice about your vehicle.