Driving an imbalanced tire can cause a host of issues. Most people usually head to a tire shop when they notice the vibrations that could be coming from an out-of-balance tire, but that’s not always necessary if you have the right tools. What’s a little more important, however, is actually recognizing when your tires need balancing.
What Is Tire Balancing?
Tire balancing is the process of correcting the uneven distribution of weight in the wheels. Imbalance of wheels can lead to vibration, excessive tire wear, damaged suspension, and many other problems. During a tire balance service, your tires and wheels are mounted onto a tire balancing machine. The machine spins the tire and wheel assembly to measure the imbalance, so that a technician can precisely install the correct tire weights to achieve a properly balanced wheel and tire assembly.
How Do You Know If Your Tires Need Balancing?
Fortunately, there are some signs of imbalance tires. Upon noticing these signs, your trip to the auto shop should be swift, and uncompromising.
Vibration
If your tires are out of balance your steering wheel will vibrate. If they are really out of balance, your entire car will vibrate, especially at higher speeds.
Noisy Ride
You know how your tires normally sound on the road and if they start to sound different when you drive on the same routes, you might have a balancing issue. Unbalanced tires often buzz or hum as you drive along, more so than your average road noise.
Wobbly Drive
One sure sign you have a balance issue is wear and tear on the edges of the tires instead of the tread. This could happen with new tires, too, if they are faulty from the manufacturer. The result is wobbly handling, much like the vibration.
Uneven Pressure
The air pressure in your tires will not always be even; some tires will deflate faster than others, but as a whole, they should all lose some pressure at the same time. This is why checking the air pressure is recommended every other time you fill your gas tank.
At Bosch Auto, we serve a multitude of vehicle repair and maintenance services, including tire balancing. Our vastly experienced technicians are passionate about solid repair work, and we always try our best. Please call us for more info or contact us.