What causes Unbalanced Tires?

Ever notice that your car pulls to one side or the other when you take your hands off the wheel? It is most noticeable at highway speeds and is very likely a sign that your tires are out of balance. Here's what causes tires to be out of balance and how to fix it right away.
 
What causes Tires to be Out of Balance?
The most important safety feature of your car is its tires. A tire that is out of balance can be dangerous because your car may pull to one side or another, cause vibrations through the chassis at high speeds, cause uneven tire wear, shorten the life of your tires, and reduce fuel economy.
 
Despite close manufacturing tolerances, no two tires are ever exactly the same. That requires that your tires be balanced by using weights so they ride properly. A tire can go out of balance through simple daily wear and tear. Plus, you can lose a wheel weight from hitting a pothole or curb. Tires can also become out of balance by being under inflated.
 
What is Tire Balancing?
Tire balancing is a process by which each of your car's tires and wheel assemblies are placed on a tire balancing machine that measures the lighter and heavier areas. To make sure the weight is evenly distributed, small weights are placed to balance the wheel and tire. It is best to have your tires balanced when you buy new tires and every time you have the tires rotated.
 
How do you Rebalance a Tire?
One of the reasons that it is best to have your tires balanced after a tire rotation is that one of the rear tires could be out of balance and you wouldn't necessarily notice it vibrating until it is placed on the front of the car. When you buy new tires from any Lithia Motors dealer, you get your tire rotations free of charge. Rebalancing is done in the service department. A tire mounted to a wheel is placed on a tire balancing machine and is spun. Vibration measurements find lighter and heavier areas and your service technician adjusts the weight differences by adding weights for a perfect balance.
 
Sometimes wheels have heavy spots as well as tires. When they line up it can cause a more severe weight imbalance. In such a case, the technician will take the tire off the wheel and realign it for a better balance and then add small weights to perfect the ride. When the wheel and tire are balanced the tire will roll smoothly and improve tread wear for a longer lasting tire.
 
What are Signs that Tires need Rebalancing?
Signs that your tires need to be rebalanced include uneven tread wear, losing tread prematurely, poor gas mileage, and a bumpy ride. As mentioned, your tires can go out of balance after hitting a pothole or curb and after dislodging a tire weight. It can also happen from having underinflated tires or from having your car sit for months, causing a "flat spot" on the tires.
 
You may notice a vibration in the steering wheel or while braking. Often, the vibration gets worse the faster you go. When the imbalance is in one of the front tires, you'll feel the vibration pulsing in the steering wheel. When a rear tire is out of balance, you are more likely to feel a vibration or shaking in the floor of the vehicle. You may notice a thumping sound that speeds up as you do. If you have to exert constant pressure on the steering wheel in order for the car to go straight, you need to rebalance the tires and probably need a front-end wheel alignment.
 
If your car pulls to one side or the other at highway speeds, or you have to keep your hands on the wheel for it to track straight, you likely need a wheel alignment. You may also notice that when you are driving straight that the steering wheel is at an angle or crooked and that you may hear noise while steering or encounter squealing tires.

Is Balancing the same as Alignment?
No, the two services are different and require different machines to correct problems. Tire balancing focuses on correcting the balance of individual tires to produce a smoother ride, to get better gas mileage, better tread wear, and a longer lasting tire.
 
Wheel alignment checks the angles of the wheels and tires, so they make proper contact with the road. Proper wheel alignment reduces uneven tire wear and helps your tires last longer. A wheel alignment also assures that your vehicle's suspension system is working properly for a smoother ride.
 
Wheel alignment is a more complicated procedure that measures various wheel angles and calibrates them against vehicle specs. Your Lithia Motors technician will make adjustments to your car's camber, caster, and toe for perfect alignment.
 
The Bottom Line
Making sure that your tires and wheels are checked during maintenance for proper balance and wear will result in money saving benefits down the road such as better gas mileage, less strain on vehicle components, and improved tread wear on the tires.
 
Let Lithia Help
If you notice uneven tread wear, a vibration in your steering wheel or when you brake, bring your car to a Lithia Motors state-of-the-art service center where our ASE-trained technicians are on hand to check out your car and get you back on the road safe and sound.