Often confused with wheel alignment, a properly balanced wheel is a beautiful, perfectly tuned wheel-tire combination.
How Do I Know If I Need My Wheels Balanced?
Is your vehicle vibrating at certain speeds, say between 50 and 70 mph? If so, chances are your wheel is out of balance. One section of your tire is heavier than the other because it has endured more exposure to the friction and heat of the road. Most people are very satisfied with the difference such a simple and inexpensive procedure makes.
Look for these signs and if you find either one, come see us:
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Scalloped, erratic wear pattern on tires
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Vibration in steering wheel, seat, or floorboard at certain speeds
Every time a wheel is first mounted onto the rim with a new tire, it has to be balanced. The goal is to ensure that the weight is even around the wheel.
Wheel balance is checked on a wheel balancing machine that can sense as little as 1/4 of an ounce difference in weight around the wheel. Why worry about 1/4 ounce on a wheel that weighs many pounds? That tiny amount of weight is traveling very fast around the axle - hundreds of times per minute. It creates enough momentum to cause serious vibration. When you multiply that by 4 wheels the wobble really adds up! Unbalanced tires put uneven pressure on the treads. Tires get too hot and wear unevenly. Tire imbalance can also strain the wheel bearings and suspension system.
To balance the tires, our technicians place tiny offsetting weights at specific points around the wheel.
The minute you pull away from the service station with your newly balanced tires, they begin getting out of balance again. Every bump and corner affects balance, as does tire wear. Over time your tires get out of balance again. That's why it's important to have tires balanced regularly.
What Are the Warning Signs That My Tires Aren't Balanced?
You're most likely to notice uneven wear on the tires. Many drivers also notice vibration over 40 mph, especially if the imbalanced tires on the front.
How Often Should My Tires Be Balanced?
During typical use, it's a good idea to have your tires rotated and balanced every 4,000 to 6,000 miles. Also, have them balanced anytime a tire is replaced or patched.
Wheel Balance
Your Place to Buy New Tires in Bradenton, Florida
Here at Begley Auto Repair complete satisfaction is our top priority. We carry the top brands in tires with names like: Bridgestone, Firestone, Toyo, Cooper, Goodyear, Michelin, Yokohama, and many more!
Tires with Begley Auto Repair = Peace of Mind
Your tires are the only thing connecting your vehicle to the road so you have to make sure they are in top condition at all times. Just because your tires may look good on the surface doesn't always mean they are safe. In fact, there is actually a law that requires tires to carry a certain amount of tread. To be sure you meet the legal requirement, stop by one of our two conveniently located Begley Auto Repair Service Stations in Bradenton, Florida to have us check your tires.
Troubleshooting Tires
Keep an eye out for these common signs that you may need new tires or service. If your vehicle exhibits any of these symptoms, bring it in for us to take a look:
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When driving, your car pulls to one side or the other
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You notice rhythmic vibrations
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Your tires are wearing unevenly
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Your tires won't maintain proper air pressure
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Shakes at highway speeds
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Low speed wobble in wheel
Wheel Alignments - Why is a Wheel Alignment Important?
It's no surprise that your vehicle will drive better during rush hour, weekend cruising, or in daily stop and go traffic if all the wheels are pointed in the same direction. That's called wheel alignment. If your wheels are out of alignment you may notice that your car pulls to one side or the other.
Something that you won't notice right away, but you will if you keep driving around town when you're out of alignment, is that your tires are wearing unevenly and fairly quickly. That's because when the vehicle is pulling to one side, you have to steer it back straight. The outside of the tire just wears out fast because you're constantly turning. Fighting to keep the vehicle going straight down the road can be an exhausting endeavor.
Some of the things that commonly throw a wheel out of alignment are slamming into a pothole, smacking a curb, or even something like a rock. And it doesn't have to be a big shock, it can just be the regular bumps and bangs of daily driving that eventually add up and take your vehicle out of alignment. That's why one of our advisers may suggest having your alignment checked periodically.
With an alignment service, we measure each wheel's alignment and to see where they are relative to factory specifications. While we have the vehicle on the alignment rack. we inspect the tires for wear as well as the suspension and steering components for damage or wear - all thing that can contribute to alignment problems. With some sedans you can adjust all four wheels so we bring all wheels into alignment. On those vehicles where you can only adjust the front wheels, we bring the front into alignment relative to the rear.
Cost varies on whether it's two or four wheel adjustable. Four-wheel drive vehicles may have an additional charge because they're more difficult to align. At any rate, it's cheaper than having to replace tires every few months!
If it has been awhile since you've had your wheels aligned, bring your vehicle to one of our two service garages along Manatee Avenue West in Bradenton, Florida for an alignment check.
Begley Auto Repair Has All Your Wheel and Tire Solutions
At Begley Auto Repair, we are committed to providing exceptional service to all of our customers. That’s why we have partnered with RepairPal to make scheduling your appointments as easy and convenient as possible. Trust us to take care of all your auto repair needs with professionalism and expertise.