Wheel Balancing; What, Why and When? | Hometyre Mobile Wheel and Tyre Balancing Service

Although tyres may appear round, they aren’t! Created from a single strip of rubber, there will always be a spot in the tyre that is heavier where the two ends overlap. You’ll particularly notice this on lower quality brands with a clear visible line down the side of the tyre. Compare this to a Michelin or Pirelli for example and this line will be almost invisible as steps are taken to ensure the tyre is as ‘round’ as possible. Overall, regardless of the brand, it’s very rare to install a tyre onto a new wheel and not need it to be balanced! Even high-end carbon fibre/CNC wheels succumb to human nature and have small areas of imperfections.

There are two main types of balancing: Static and Dynamic

Static balancing means that the object will be balanced in its axis of rotation. If said wheel has an imbalance, the heavy spot will naturally want to fall to the bottom when spun. This is countered by placing a weight on the opposite side to match the drop, this will now balance out.

Dynamic balancing is a little more complex and even harder to convey in text. Unlike static balancing where the weight is placed in the central area of the wheel, dynamic balancing considers variations on the side of the tyre instead of the ‘average across the tread’.

Unless you are using a pre-statically balanced tyre or a thin vintage tyre, all modern wheels and tyres should be balanced on a dynamic balancing machine. Balancing by this method ensures greater accuracy compared to that of a static balancing machine. The reason tyres should always be balanced is the aforementioned imperfections will manifest themselves via vibrations through the steering wheel and suspension components at higher speeds.

If you’re experiencing a vibration at high speed or if your tyres are wearing on the edges, why not give us a call on 0333 444 5454 or head over to Hometyre.co.uk to book an appointment online!