How to Diagnose Tire Balance Problems

Tire balance is critical for the life of a tire. Correct balance lets your car ride smooth. Incorrect balance makes your vehicle not only ride rough, but harder to control. This may cause dangerous circumstances in some situations. Diagnose tire balance problems to ride safely and more economically.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Save money on gas when you diagnose and fix your tire balance problems. Unbalanced tires make your motor work harder to keep your car moving. Properly balanced tires cause your vehicle to glide along the road better. If your car isn't feeling smooth, you may have a balance problem.

2. Look at your tires. If you see flat spots on your tires, this is a sign of improper tire balance. Or, missing tire weights (lead weights used by tire companies to balance your tires) also indicate potential tire balance problems.

3. Pay attention to the way your vehicle handles when you apply your brakes. This is another way to diagnose tire balance problems. If your vehicle pulls to one side when you put on your brakes, this may indicate a tire out of balance (or low air pressure).

4. Rotate your tires about every 3,000 miles. This helps to prevent flat spots on your tires. Even if you already see flat spots on your tires, rotating them may help to prolong the life of your tires.

5. Diagnose tire balance problems that may be fixable by the tire company you bought from. If you see flat spots on fairly new tires, take them back to where you bought them. It may be possible for the service department to "true" your tire by cutting rubber off of your tread, making it round again.