TIRE TIPS
DO I NEED TO BALANCE MY TIRES EVERY TIME I SWITCH THEM OVER?
Have you recently switched your tires over? Or are you planning to rotate them soon? If so, are balanced tires required for each tire change? Let’s take a look in more detail.
Why Balanced Tires are Important
A balanced set of tires on your car is vital for several reasons. Here are a few of them:
Improve the Ride Quality
Balanced tires help to improve the ride quality of your car. Unbalanced tires vibrate and cause uncomfortable automotive rides, whereas balanced wheels ensure a smooth riding experience.
Reduce Wear & Tear
Unbalanced tires can lead to excessive wear on suspension components. This is because unevenly distributed weight increases friction between the tire and the road surface. A proper wheel alignment reduces tire wear and tear from uneven loading, maximizing tire life and performance.
Improve Safety
Balanced tires also increase safety, providing better traction when cornering or braking suddenly to avoid potholes. This is because balanced tires have even contact with the road surface, allowing for an even distribution of force when sudden stops are made or sharp turns are taken.
Maintaining balanced tires on your car is in your best interest. Not only for safety and performance but also to improve fuel efficiency.
How to Balance Tires
To keep balanced tires, it’s essential to re-balance them regularly. There are two main ways of wheel balancing a tire:
Static Balancing
The wheel and tire assembly is balanced by placing lead weights on the wheel until it reaches equilibrium. This ensures that any wheel/tire assembly imbalance is corrected and balanced accordingly.
Dynamic Balancing
It involves spinning the wheel while mounted on a balancing machine that measures uneven weight distribution. Once identified, counterweights are added to balance out any issues found.
Taking the time to balance your car’s tires is an important task. It can be done at a tire shop or home with the right equipment and expertise.
When Do You Need to Re-Balance Your Tires?
Tire rotation is usually recommended every 10,000 miles or so. This is to ensure even wear and tear on all tires as well as balanced tire pressure. However, when it comes to balancing your tires, it’s essential to understand that balanced tires are only required if you switch them over during the rotation process.
Consequently, if you don’t move your wheels around, balanced tires aren’t necessary each time the tire rotation service is carried out.
But, if you switch your tires from front-to-back or side-to-side to get an even tread pattern across all four tires, then balanced tires are essential. This ensures that the weight of each tire is evenly distributed across the axle.
Final Thoughts
So, do you need balanced tires every time you switch them over? Yes, balanced tires are essential whenever you move your wheels around. This is vital to maintain tire performance and the safety of your car.
If you’re in Saskatoon or the surrounding area and require further information, new tires, rotation, or balanced tire services, check out TreadNation. We offer a wide range of tire-related services to help keep your car running smoothly and safely.