What Is Wheel Balancing, and How Does It Affect Your Car?

Vehicle maintenance is necessary to ensure a vehicle’s long life. One of the essential  goals of car maintenance is taking care of the tire’s performance. Wheel balancing plays a key role in prolonging the lifespan of car wheels and tires. If the wheels are correctly balanced, they can contribute to a safe driving experience. They also improve stability while driving. Some key factors, like natural wear, manufacturing differences, potholes, etc., make wheels unbalanced. Unbalanced wheels lead to vibration and premature tire wear and can also impose strain on other car components. The present article covers all the necessary information about wheel balancing for a comfortable and safe driving experience.

What Is Wheel Balancing?

Wheel balancing ensures that the weight of a tire and wheel assembly is uniformly distributed across the axle. This process is crucial for all vehicles because an unbalanced wheel can lead to inconsistent tire wear and vibrations and severely affect vehicle handling. Weight imbalances are identified and corrected using a machine. As a result, the process ensures that the wheel continues spinning smoothly at fast speeds.

The reason to undergo this process in your car is that improper weight distribution across wheels can lead to excessive wear on suspension components, steering components, and tires. Correctly balanced wheels contribute to a decent fuel economy and ensure tires perform optimally. Moreover, such wheels avoid premature wear on elements around the wheels. With this preliminary understanding on what is wheel balancing, let's understand how it differs from wheel alignment.

Difference Between Wheel Balancing And Wheel Alignment

Wheel balancing focuses on distributing the wheel and tire assembly uniformly to avoid vibrations and instability when the car operates fast. Conversely, wheel alignment makes sure wheels' angles are correctly adjusted so they stay perpendicular to the road and parallel to each other. If you find uneven tire wear, you must check whether your car needs a balancing or alignment service.

How Does Wheel Balancing Work?

Wheel balancing equalizes the weight of the wheel and tire assembly so that it spins flawlessly at a fast speed. The following points explain the working mechanism of this process.

1. Mounting The Tire And Wheel Assembly On A Balancing Machine

To know how to balance wheels, a mechanic removes the unbalanced wheel from your car and mounts it over a specialized balancing machine. The particular machine securely holds the wheel and tire assembly and thus prepares it for the balancing process.

2. Spinning The Wheel To Detect Imbalances

After mounting the unbalanced wheel, the balancing machine spins the wheel at a fast speed to mimic driving conditions. The machine's sensors identify weight imbalances by measuring irregularities or vibrations during the rotation.

3. Adding Weights To Counteract Imbalances

To correct the imbalance, tiny wheels are carefully attached to the wheel's rim. This uniformly redistributes the mass across the wheel's circumference and thus eliminates the uneven rotation.

4. Rechecking To Ensure Proper Balance

After counteracting imbalances, the wheel is again spun to ensure the weights have wholly corrected the imbalance. Adjustments (if required) are made until the wheels are perfectly balanced. Rechecking weight balance is imperative to ensure a smooth riding experience, reduced tire wear, and optimal car performance.

Signs Your Car Needs Wheel Balancing

Some signs will immediately inform you that your car's wheels are imbalanced and that you must act. Driving a car with imbalanced wheels increases the chances of accidents and thus increases the odds of making claims. An insurance company assesses the state of the car during claims. Not maintaining wheel balancing can severely affect claim approval.

1. Vibrations In The Steering Wheel Or Floor

Vibrations in the steering wheel are one of the most prominent signs of unbalanced wheels. Usually, such vibrations are more perceptible at fast speeds and suggest uneven weight distribution across the wheels.

2. Uneven Tire Wear

Imbalanced wheels can lead to patchy or uneven tire wear. Proper wheel balancing ensures uniform tire contact with the road.

3. Wobbling At Higher Speeds

Driving a car at fast speeds means that you may feel more wobbling inside. This effect can severely affect vehicle stability and riding comfort. Hence, the unbalancing issues are quickly addressed.

Benefits Of Proper Wheel Balancing

Wheel balancing has several benefits, from improved fuel efficiency to driving comfort. Some of the key benefits are discussed here:

1. Improved Handling And Stability

Balanced wheels ensure the car handles smoothly and responds well to steering inputs. Consequently, it improves stability, specifically at faster speeds. Thus, you benefit from a joyous and safe driving experience.

2. Extended Tire Lifespan

Proper wheel balancing ascertains uniform wear across all tires. It decreases the odds of uneven tread wear that could prematurely deteriorate your tires. Therefore, proper and timely wheel balancing can save you money in the long term and also extend the tire lifespan.

3. Enhanced Fuel Efficiency

If the wheels are balanced, the rolling resistance reduces. So, your car does not need to make much effort to move forward. Consequently, it leads to a better fuel economy as it helps save on fuel.

4. Reduced Mechanical Stress On Vehicle Components

Driving a car with unbalanced wheels places too much stress on bearings, suspension components, and other parts. Proper balancing reduces vibrations and protects suspension components and bearings against superfluous wear and tear.

How Often Should You Balance Your Wheels?

Vehicle manufacturers usually include guidelines regarding wheel balancing in the owner's manual. Following these guidelines ensures optimal tire performance and longevity. 

Balancing your car's wheels every 5,000 to 8,000 kilometers is recommended. Alternatively, you can do that during routine tire rotations. Regular wheel balancing helps maintain smooth driving and prevent potential issues.

In India, the price of wheel balancing commonly varies from INR 100 to 300 for each wheel. It ranges as it depends on the vehicle type, as well as, the service provider. If you have a luxury car, it may cost more since it needs specialized equipment and mechanics with unique expertise.

You now understand the key aspects of what is wheel balancing, its significance, benefits, how it works, etc. Proper wheel balancing guarantees a safe and smooth driving experience. It prevents uneven tire wear, protects suspension components, and boosts fuel efficiency. Well-balanced wheels roll comfortably on the road and reduce the odds of accidents. Regular wheel balancing will improve car handling and extend tire life.