HOW DOES WHEEL BALANCING IMPACTS TYRE LIFE
A rubber ring placed over the rim of a wheel of a vehicle to provide traction and reduce road shocks, a hollow inflated ring (pneumatic tyre) consisting of a reinforced outer casing enclosing an inner tube, tubeless, cross-ply, radial-ply. Before discussing the impact of tyre balancing on the tyre life, there is a need to know what exactly tyre balancing is.
What is wheel balancing
The terms ‘Wheel balancing’ and ‘wheel alignment’ are used interchangeably. However, they are two different concepts. The reason for the confusion is that both of them are mostly done together.
Alignment refers to an adjustment of a vehicle’s suspension – the system that connects a vehicle to its wheels. On the other hand, Wheel balancing is a totally different phenomenon. When tyres are manufactured, they seem perfect in size, shape, or weight. This is not the case, however.The naked eye might not be able to point it out, but the tyres have negligible variations in size, shape, or weight. In some cases, the tread might be thicker on one side than the other. Likewise, the shape might not be perfectly symmetrical. As tyres wear down, the difference comes even more profound and starts impacting the overall drive.
To arrest this, a technician performs Wheel balancing. Tyres have small metal attachments attached to their rims. To balance out the variations, Wheel care professionals strategically place these metal parts at different locations to achieve the perfect balance.To find a wheel balance, the unbalanced tyre is mounted on a spinner to check for vibration. Then the metals are moved along the tyre — the point where the vibration stops, the technician simply fixes the metals at that point. Balancing must be carried out regularly as regular driving can wear out the tyre. Wheel Balancing counters irregular tyre wear.
Impact of Wheel Balancing
An evenly balanced wheels of a vehicle ensures a safe and a smooth drive. Not only this, evenly balanced wheels ensure optimal steering response, excellent traction and increased durability for the tyres. If the wheels are improperly balanced, the entire wheel assembly can be severely affected and might prove costly to repair.
Therefore, wheel balancing does not have a positive impact on tyre life alone but the overall car performance as well.
When Wheel Balancing is Required?
Many of you will wonder how they can recognize that their tyres need balancing. The answer is quite simple. If the steering wheel is vibrating more than usual at a specific speed, your front tyres require balancing. Likewise, if the driver seat is vibrating excessively, rear tyres require balancing.
Another way to know that the wheels require balancing is that certain parts of the vehicle would require replacement quicker than usual. Unbalanced wheels can negatively impact the entire wheel system and other components.
Moreover, your wheels will wear out quicker than usual, which is another way to know that tyres require balancing. Unbalanced tyres start to wear out from the edges as compared to the middle in case of properly balanced tyres.
Need for solution?
Reach out your nearby ATS ELGI equipped Wheel Service center to balance your wheels for a smooth and safe drive.
Know more at https://www.ats-elgi.com/wheel-balancer/