Wheel Balancing

Together with proper wheel alignment, balanced wheels ensure smooth and enjoyable driving.

Wheel balance refers to the even distribution of weight around a revolving tyre and wheel package. Your wheels need to be balanced with small counter weights to prevent them from having heavy spots that can cause vibration and premature wearing of tyres, struts, shocks and other steering and suspension components.

When driving with an out-of-balance wheel, the wheel literally bounces down the road or wobbles from side-to-side.

At 60 mph, your wheel is subjected to a pounding force of 60 lbs if your wheel is only 6 oz. out of balance! Half an ounce of uneven weight distribution is already enough for vibrations and noise problems to become noticeable.

Modern lightweight suspension systems and low profile tyres make it all the more important to have wheels correctly balanced, since these are more sensitive to imbalance than on older heavier cars.

Troubleshooting
The following are a sign that your tyres require balancing.

• Steering wobble
• Excessive wheel noise
• Uneven tyre wear

Our Tip

Have your wheels balanced with every tyre change or puncture repair and your tyre service life will benefit as a result.