Somersworth Tire Balancing

You can make your vehicle tires last longer with regular tire rotation and wheel balancing. When a tire is out of balance there are heavy spots on the tire and wheel that cause it to wobble. Balancing adds weights to the wheel to balance it out (we are talking about very small weight differences). Variations in the tire and wheel manufacturer can cause a slight imbalance. The valve stem, and now the tire pressure monitoring sensors in the tire, also play into the equation. Even small differences can cause annoying vibrations at speed (the wheel is essentially bouncing a bit as it goes down the road). For example, at freeway speeds, an out of balance wheel can be slamming into the road 14 times a second, that can be very annoying and can also cause your tires to wear out faster than they should. If a front wheel's out of balance, you'll feel the vibration through the steering wheel. When it's a rear wheel, you'll feel the vibration through your seat. If you're getting bad vibes from your vehicle, bring it in to see if it's a balance issue or something else. You should balance your wheels whenever you get a new tire or remount a tire like when it's been removed for a flat repair.