Tire Balance Safety
Tire balancing plays a very important role in vehicle safety and maintenance. According to the experts at the Tire Rack website, tire balancing uniformly distributes the mass of the tire when it is mounted on its wheel and the car's axle. An unbalanced tire can lead to serious vibration felt in both the steering wheel and the car seat. Tire balancing should always be performed by an experienced technician.
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How it Works
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The technician mounts each tire on a wheel. Then, each wheel is placed on a balancing machine that spins the wheel to locate the heaviest part of the tire. A lead weight is added to the wheel's outer surface on the side opposite of the heaviest part of the tire, distributing the mass of the tire evenly.
When to Balance Tires
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Tire balance is just as important as tire rotation and vehicle alignment when it comes to regular maintenance. The Tire-information-world website recommends checking your tire balance every time you have your tires rotated, which should be every 4,000 to 6,000 miles.
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Unbalanced Tire Symptoms
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The most common way drivers notice a problem with tire balancing is through vibrations felt when driving. According to the techs at Tire Rack, vibration that increases as the vehicle speed increases and is noticeable around 40-45 mph is most likely balance-related.
Unbalanced Tire Effects
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Tire balancing affects the wear of a vehicle's tire. Tires that are not balanced properly wear excessively or unevenly.
The Dangers
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Tire-information-world reminds drivers that the constant vibration caused by unbalanced tires can affect the entire vehicle, including components used for proper operation like the suspension system. Driver's must also remember that the increase in tire wear caused by unbalanced tires can lead to a loss in traction and even a tire blowout.
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References
- Photo Credit line of tires image by ashotoflife from Fotolia.com
