subject: Wheel balancing for your Car [print this page] Wheel balancing for your Car Wheel balancing for your Car
Wheel balancing usually permits the tyres and wheels to spin without any vibrations and discomfort. Also properly balanced wheels help to eliminate vibration and to avoid premature wear caused by an imbalance in the rotating wheel and tyre which is usually done by checking for any heavy spots on the wheel-tyre combination.
But wheels that are out of balance produces vibration that causes a discomfort to drive and also results in premature wearing of suspension and steering components, rotating parts and tyres.
The general symptoms of the wheel that is unbalanced include vibration in the steering wheel during certain highway speeds, cupped wear pattern on the tyres, vibration in the seat or the floorboard during certain highway speeds and also the light weight of modern cars are a major problem to the unbalancing of the wheel.
Unbalanced tyres will cause the car to vibrate at a speed of about 50 to 70 mph. A tyre is generally said to be out of balance when one section of the tyre is heavier than the others. To balance a wheel, it should be mounted on a balancing machine which will spin the wheel and locate the heavier part. Then the heavier part is compensated by attaching a lead weight on the opposite side.
A vibration sensing in the steering wheel indicate a problem in a front wheel while a vibration sensing in the seat indicates a problem in the rear. The driver of the vehicle may not be able to always sense the imbalance at the steering wheel as it would get dampened by the weight of the vehicle. Thus balancing is equally important for both the front and rear wheels.
By properly wheel balancing the vehicle, the ride could be made smoother and comfortable with less wear of the tyres, thus helping the vehicle owner from saving both his time and money.
