Wheel balancing is also known as tire balancing. This balances the weight of the combined tire and wheel assembly to enable smooth high-speed rotation. The wheel and tire combination is balanced by placing it on a balancer, which spins and centers the wheel to determine where the weights should be placed. You should know when to balance your tires and why.
Types of Wheel Balancing
There are two main types of car wheel balancing which are static wheel balancing and dynamic wheel balancing.
- Static wheel balancing– If you leave an object on a free-rotating axle, it will remain motionless regardless of the position. When an object is connected to a rotating axis, a static imbalance will cause the wheel’s heavy area to flow toward the bottom. The imbalance can be corrected by adding the corresponding weight to the side that is opposite the heavy location. This is done until the balance is gotten. If there is a small imbalance between the tires, static wheel balance is the best and it is easy to carry out.
- Dynamic wheel balancing– Dynamic balancing uses spinning computer balancers that will measure any weight imbalances and are detected by the sensors of the spinning computer balancers. The sensors identify where the imbalance in the wheels is and how much weight should be added to balance the tires. Tiny weights which may be clip-on or adhesive weights are applied to the inner and outer edges of the wheel rim.
Why Should your Wheels be Balanced?
1) Balancing your tires will make your ride smooth and easy. The smoother ride of your car is an advantage of tire balancing. You can start feeling vibrations in your car as the weight on your tires slips out of balance. These vibrations become more noticeable when traveling at freeway speeds.
2) Balanced Tires Provide Better Fuel Savings– Your tires may deteriorate at various rates due to an uneven ride, lowering your total gas mileage. You may prevent wear that could lower your car’s fuel efficiency by making sure weight is distributed equally across four tires, which can ultimately save you money.
3) Increase the Tires’ Lifespan– The durability of your tires may be shortened by uneven wear and tear. The tires may wear out a little more quickly when your tires are out of balance due to the high vibrations and uneven tread wear.
4) Safeguard the suspension of your car– Car suspension helps your vehicle remain stable as it helps absorb energy from the tires to the body and frame. Imbalanced tires will damage the suspension of your vehicle and when the imbalance is ignored, it increases the intensity of the vibrations.
5) You have a safer ride– Uneven tread wear and dangerous bald regions can appear in tires that are out of balance. This might make maneuvering your car more challenging, especially at high speeds, but your car will always be in great shape if you perform routine preventative maintenance like tire balancing.
When to Know that your Car Wheels Need Balancing
- When the car vibrates as you drive- Your steering wheel will vibrate if the wheels are out of balance. If the vibration on the steering wheel is of high intensity, it indicates that the front wheels need to be balanced. At high speed, the entire vehicle will vibrate if the wheels are extremely out of balance. When there are vibrations on the backseat and vehicle floor this shows that the back wheels need to be balanced.
- When the car wheels start to make a different noise when you are driving on the same roads as they usually do, you may have a balancing problem. In addition to the usual road noise, unbalanced tires frequently buzz or hum while you drive. Similar to vibration, if you accelerate and the noise increases, your tires are definitely out of balance.
- Uneven car wheel pressure- If you constantly keep adding pressure to the same car wheel more than the other wheels, it is a sign that your car wheels need balancing.
What affects wheel balance?
1) Car’s suspension system– When adjusting the wheel, consideration must be given to any potential uneven weight distribution throughout the tire caused by the vehicle’s suspension system.
2) Driving habits– Some driving habits can lead to more car tire wear. Stopping short can lead to flat spots and loss of tread that will cause loss of certain weight loss to some parts of the car wheel.
3) Hitting potholes– When you are driving too fast and you hit potholes; this may cause some of your wheels to lose weight leading to an uneven balance between the wheels.
4) Weather changes– A sudden drop in temperatures result in reduced tire pressure which will cause an imbalance in the tires.
5) Leaving your car motionless– When your car stays for a long while without any motion, there is a significant loss of pressure and this leads to differences in weight between the tires leading to imbalance.
How often should your wheels be balanced?
It is advisable to check your car wheel pressure every time you go for a gas refill. Wheel balancing should be done every 5000 to 6000 miles. Other times when you can get your car wheels balanced are, during tire rotation services, flat-tire repair services, and regularly scheduled maintenance visits.
Conclusion
If you want a smooth, easy, and fuel-conserving ride you should have your wheels balanced regularly. If you experience any signs such as the car vibrating, unusual sounds, and uneven car wheel pressure that means you should contact your mechanic for car wheel balancing. Avoid leaving your car idle for too long and avoid potholes and ensure your car suspension system is good to avoid the extra cost of damages from car wheel imbalance. Ensure to contact your mechanic for any issue you face with your vehicle.
