Final Fitting & Torque Check
What is Wheel Balancing and Why Do You Need It?
Wheel balancing is one of the most important but least understood aspects of tyre maintenance. Here’s why it matters for your safety, comfort, and wallet.
Understanding Wheel Balance
Wheel balancing ensures that the weight of the tyre and wheel assembly is distributed evenly around the axle. Even tiny imbalances—as small as a few grams—can cause significant vibrations at highway speeds. No tyre or wheel is ever perfectly balanced from the factory due to manufacturing tolerances and variations in rubber density.
Our computerized wheel balancer spins the wheel at high speed and uses sensors to detect these weight imbalances with precision down to the gram. The machine then calculates exactly where to place small adhesive weights on the rim to counteract these imbalances, resulting in a perfectly balanced wheel that spins smoothly without any wobble or vibration.
Why Balancing is Essential
Unbalanced wheels don’t just cause an uncomfortable ride—they can lead to serious problems. Vibrations from unbalanced wheels accelerate wear on your tyres, creating scalloped or cupped wear patterns that drastically reduce tyre life. These vibrations also travel through your vehicle’s suspension and steering components, causing premature wear to expensive parts like wheel bearings, shock absorbers, and steering racks.
Most importantly, unbalanced wheels can affect your vehicle’s handling and braking performance, particularly in emergency situations. The constant vibration can also cause driver fatigue on long journeys.
Symptoms of Unbalanced Wheels
You may need wheel balancing if you experience:
•Steering wheel vibration at certain speeds (typically 50-70 mph)
•Vibration through the seat or floor that increases with speed
•Scalloped or cupped wear patterns on your tyre tread
•Uneven tyre wear across the tread surface
•Increased road noise from vibrating tyres
Benefits of Professional Balancing
•Smooth, comfortable ride with no vibrations at any speed
•Extended tyre life by preventing uneven wear patterns
•Reduced fuel consumption from decreased rolling resistance
•Protected suspension components from vibration damage
•Improved handling and safety in all driving conditions