Tire balancing is a lot more important than most car owners think. Brown Automotive knows that it’s easy to overlook some of the simpler services like balancing, so here are some tips for when you should be getting your wheels balanced. There may be other circumstances that require balancing, too, like getting into an accident or hitting an especially awful pothole. Also, if you notice a wheel weight that has fallen off, you need to get that corrected.
When You Get New Tires
New tires seem like they’d be perfectly balanced right out of the box, right? Nope, that’s not how it works. There are minuscule differences in rubber thickness that affect tire balance. Plus, there’s the fact that your wheel rims aren’t perfectly balanced on their own, either. So, when you do get new tires, it’s important that they start out as well balanced as possible to extend the life of the tires.
When You Notice Your Tires Are Wearing Unevenly
Uneven tire wear is a bigger problem than you might think. It affects how your car handles and it can even cause suspension issues if left too long. Rotating your tires can help quite a bit with uneven tire wear, but so can balancing. When your tires are properly balanced they’re less likely to experience uneven wear.
When You Rotate Your Tires
Speaking of rotating your tires, you’re doing that regularly, right? Most manufacturers recommend rotating your tires every few thousand miles. And when you’ve got them off the car already, it makes sense to go ahead and make sure that they’re balanced as well. Then, when they go back on the car, you know that they’re in the best possible condition to keep going for as long as they can.
When the Owner’s Manual Recommends Balancing
Don’t overlook the fact that your car’s manufacturer may have some very specific recommendations about tire balancing, too. It always helps to take a quick peek at what the owner’s manual says, just so you know what the manufacturer says is the right thing to do. The typical recommendation is between 5,000 and 8,000 miles, so it never hurts to check just to be sure.
Brown Automotive in Trussville, AL can help you with all of your tire needs, including tire balancing. Give us a call and we can make sure that your tires are properly balanced and installed correctly according to your car’s rotation schedule.