You might be wondering if you really need to get your tires balanced or if that’s just something that the tire manufacturers made up. Sullivan’s Auto Service & Tire Pros is here to reassure you that this is truly a necessary service, and we can help you.
Wear and Tear Knocks Your Tires Out of Balance
As you drive your car, little bits and pieces of rubber wear off each of your tires. That changes the balance of the tires and the wheels. Eventually, that difference is a lot more obvious and you might find that your wheels are out of balance and need adjusting. Some of the signs that your tires are out of balance can be uneven tire wear and more road noise as you drive.
New Tires Aren’t Perfectly Balanced
Lots of car owners are surprised to realize that new tires aren’t perfectly balanced. First, there are differences in the rubber all the way around the tire, and then there’s the wheel itself. Once the tire is mounted on the wheel, the entire structure needs to be balanced properly to ensure that it’s right when the wheel is installed on your car.
Road Vibrations and Other Issues Also Affect Balance
Pavement doesn’t just chip away at your tires and their ability to stay balanced. Potholes, road vibrations, and all sorts of other issues can also affect the balance of each individual wheel. It’s also possible for wheel weights to fall off, which can change the balance of the wheel dramatically.
When Should You Get Your Tires Balanced?
You should always get your tires balanced when you get a new set of tires, but if you get a flat and need to have the tire repaired, it should be balanced then, too. If you’re feeling any sort of vibration as you’re driving, a good place to start is with wheel balancing to rule that out as a cause. When you get your tires rotated, or at least every 5,000 miles is also a good time to get your wheels balanced again.
Keeping up with your tires can feel like a complicated job. We’re ready to help here at Sullivan’s Auto Service & Tire Pros in Seaside, CA. We can help you to keep track of what your tires need and when so that your car is always in great shape and you don’t have to think about it.
