How Often Should You Get Your Tires Balanced?

Tire balancing may just be one part of your standard automotive maintenance schedule, but it is an important part of that schedule that you should not skip or ignore. It’s a good idea to have your tires balanced several times a year, following the same schedule you use for your oil changes. It’s easy to have this service performed by a service professional when you go in for an oil change.

There are a number of benefits associated with having your tires balanced frequently, the biggest of which being that it provides you with a smoother ride (especially when you have to deal with bumpy roads in your area) and that it can help to prevent premature wear of the tires, meaning you’ll be able to use those tires for longer without having to spend the money on replacing them with new tires in Riverside, CA.

Here’s some information you should know about balancing your tires.

An overview of the balancing process

So how exactly does the tire balancing process work? The general idea is that your service technicians will apply some counter-weights to try to reach an ideal weight distribution in your vehicle, providing a smoother ride free of vibrations and shakes.

This is necessary because it’s nearly impossible for any vehicle assemblage to have a perfectly even weight distribution when the tire is first mounted onto a wheel. Even just a half-ounce off on one side of the weight distribution can result in some vibrations while you’re driving your vehicle. These vibrations can come in the form of horizontal or vertical movements. This makes it necessary to balance your tires.

Of course, you should not expect your tires to remain in perfect balance forever. The more you drive your vehicle, the more likely it is that you’re going to drive over rough terrain or potholes, or make some sharper turns than you might like to do. The general wear and tear you put on your vehicle could knock your tires out of alignment—that’s just the reality of driving your vehicle every day. This means the vibrations may start to come back, and you’ll no longer have the smooth ride you did right after you had your tires balanced.

Keep in mind that this isn’t just an issue that is associated with your comfort behind the wheel. The more out of balance tires get, the more likely it is that the associated issues with that imbalance will result in a decreased life expectancy and performance of the tires. Therefore, it’s a good idea to invest in tire balancing in Riverside, CA on a regular basis—as stated before, about as often as you have your oil changed. You should not wait until the vibrations start to get extremely noticeable, because this could mean you’re letting your vehicle sustain more damage than it should have to.

For more information about caring for your vehicle’s tires, contact Reliable Tire Center or visit our tire shop in Riverside, CA with your questions about tire balancing.

Categorised in: Tire Balance, Uncategorized