Wheel Balancing

Balanced Wheels, Happy Wheels: Understanding Wheel Balancing

Wheels and tires depend on balanced weight distribution to perform at their best. Tires that aren't correctly balanced don't grip the road as well, wear unevenly, and can cause problems for other vehicle components. 

The trusted service professionals at East End Auto can balance your tires using the latest technology to ensure a smoother ride and increased tire lifespan.

What Is Wheel Balancing?

Wheel balancing, also called tire balancing, is a service in which technicians address uneven weight distribution. If there is an imbalance, they can attach wheel weights in precise areas so your tires don't have excess pressure in some spots that would prevent them from rolling smoothly. 

Picture continuously rolling a ball that doesn't have evenly distributed weight. The ball will wobble and eventually wear unevenly. That is what happens to tires that are out of balance.

While some symptoms are the same, tire alignment and balancing are different services. Misalignment is when your tires don't all point in the same direction, which is a vehicle suspension issue.

The experienced service technicians at East End Auto use the latest balancing equipment to address balance issues and help you enjoy a smooth ride. Wheel balancing should be a part of your regular vehicle and tire maintenance schedule every 5,000 to 6,000 miles or any time you notice imbalance symptoms.

Warning Signs You Need a Tire and Wheel Balance

Tire balance is critical to smooth driving, tire lifespan, and avoiding damage to components such as bearings, tie rods, and suspension parts. Bring your vehicle to East End Auto for professional wheel balancing service if you notice any tire imbalance symptoms.

Vehicle Vibrations

Improper balance causes tire vibrations that get worse as you speed up. Vibrations can travel up through the steering column, making your steering wheel shake. Vibrations traveling through the suspension system can make your entire vehicle shake.

Bring your vehicle to East End Auto for a tire vibration diagnosis, wheel balancing, or other necessary repairs.

Tire Noise

Some road noise from your tires isn't unusual, but you may hear noises you don't expect if they are out of balance. Imbalanced tires sometimes cause buzzing or humming sounds. As with vehicle vibrations, this tire noise increases as you reach higher speeds.

If you hear an unusual humming or buzzing sound from one or more tires, visit East End Auto for dependable tire balancing and other services.

Handling Instability

When tires aren't balanced, they aren't planted as firmly on the road, making your vehicle harder to handle. This is a safety issue, especially at higher speeds when you most need the traction.

If you have trouble handling your vehicle, drive carefully and at a safe speed to East End Auto. We will perform a tire balance check and rebalance as necessary. Our highly trained technicians can also diagnose and repair other handling problems, such as misalignment and power steering pump problems.

Irregular Tire Pressure

Tire pressure fluctuates, but you should not have to add air to one or more tires regularly. Properly weighted tires should lose pressure at about the same rate, so air pressure issues in one or more can signal imbalance.

If one or more of your vehicle's tires often need inflation, visit East End Auto so we can inspect your tires for damage or fix the problem through wheel balancing.

Uneven Tire Wear Patterns

In a properly balanced tire, pressure is evenly distributed across the surface. The rocking movement and wheel wobble initiated by unbalanced tires cause excess pressure in some areas, leading to faster wear.

If you notice uneven wear patterns on your tires, bring your vehicle to East End Auto so we can diagnose improper balancing, misalignment, or other issues.

Improve Tire Lifespan With Regular Wheel Balancing by the Trusted Professionals at East End Auto

East End Auto has been providing trusted static and dynamic tire balancing and other vehicle maintenance and repair services in  Duluth, Hermantown, Proctor, Two Harbors, and surrounding communities since 2002. We take great pride in helping our friends and neighbors get the most out of their vehicles through dependable service.

Call us today at (218) 525-7965 or visit us at 5077 Jean Duluth Rd, Duluth, MN 55803 to make an appointment or for emergency service. East End Auto will diagnose the problems with your vehicle, make any necessary repairs, and help you set up regular tire and vehicle maintenance schedules. We offer fair pricing and friendly, dependable service to every customer who comes through our doors.