For your wheel-tire set, tire balancing can be seen as a tune-up. The tire balancing ensures that the weight is evenly distributed around the entire circumference of the unit. The floorboard or the seat that gets worse at faster speeds, poor fuel economy, faster tread wear, and unevenness are the common symptoms of out of balance tires. The tire will roll smoothly when all areas of the wheel-tire unit are as equal in weight as possible. For the longest life, this wears it evenly. The riding comfort is contributed with balancing since vibration is the result of imbalanced tires will wobble or hop up and down. With precise work, imbalanced tires are easily corrected. Balancing is done by attaching small weights, just fractions of ounces, to the wheel. Today, we at Top Notch Body Shop & Mechanic would like to discuss imbalanced tires.
How Wheels Get Out of Balance
Tire imbalance is contributed to everyday wear. Normal manufacturing imperfections, such as the lack of precise equal weight distribution in the tires and wheels. In some spots, it may be slightly heavier. To cause a vibration when you’re driving, just half an ounce in weight difference.
Wheel Rebalancing Procedure
To pinpoint lighter or heavier areas and making adjustments to account for these weight differences, rebalancing is done in a tire shop by putting the wheel-tire unit on a tire balancing machine that takes measurements. Because you might have a tire out of balance on the rear of the vehicle and won’t feel it until it is moved to the front, the best time to get it done is when tires are being rotated. Below is how it is done.
1) Attached to a tire balancing machine is a tire mounted on a wheel.
2) While vibration measurements are taken, the wheel is spun. How much weight to add and where on the wheel to attach it, this tells the tech if the weight is spread evenly.
3) The technician may be able to rebalance and adjust the weights, that adds more, if an imbalance is found. To move the tire on the wheel and then rebalance, a tech may be required. Causing a greater imbalance that needs to be corrected, this because a heavy spot on the wheel and on the tire can sometimes line up together.
Tire Balance VS Alignment
Balancing isn’t the same as getting an alignment, though both should be part of regular auto maintenance. They are properly positioned in relationship to each other and to the road, alignment about correcting the angles of the tires. Ensure the tires contact with the ground as they should, it gets the wheels all traveling in the same direction.
Signs Tires Need to Be Balanced
1) In the floorboard or your seat, and steering wheel, you will feel vibration.
2) Generally, every 5,000 miles, you get them rotated.
3) If you drive rough roads, invest once a year, otherwise at the very least every two years.
4) Flat tire needs repairing.
5) When buying new tires.
6) The weight on the rim falls off.
7) Uneven tire wear is noticed.
Tire Balancing, Rotation & More in Dallas, Texas (Just Minutes Away from Addison, Balch Springs, Carrollton, Cedar Hill, Coppell, DeSoto, Duncanville, Farmers Branch, Ferris, Garland, Grand Prairie, Grapevine, Irving, Lancaster, Lewisville, Mesquite, Ovilla, Richardson, Rowlett, Sachse, Seagoville, Sunnyvale & Wylie, TX)
An imbalanced tire and wheel assembly is likely the cause of vibration when underway as well as a bent wheel, a damaged tire, worn suspension parts or other aging components. Don’t wait to get it diagnosed if you feel a vibration. When your tires are well balanced, you will head off other problems and enjoy a smoother ride. Call Top Notch Body Shop & Mechanic for your tire balancing services.