Round and Round (Wheel Balancing)
July 28, 2024
In a perfect world, all wheels and tires would be perfectly round and weigh exactly the same at every point of the wheel. Unfortunately, they're not, and if they're out of balance, they can reduce the lifespan of your tires, make your vehicle shake like a carnival ride, and maybe even damage a few suspension parts along the way. You don't want that!
Wheel balancing, sometimes known as tire balancing, is a process by which a technician makes sure your tire/wheel assembly has evenly distributed weight. If it isn't, it can give your ride bad vibrations. If you feel your vehicle's steering wheel shaking, it can mean unbalanced wheels in the front. If you can feel a vibration in your seats, it could be unbalanced rear wheels.
In addition to your vehicle vibrating at higher speeds, there are other signs that your wheels are out of balance. You may see uneven tread wear, or you may notice you aren't getting the kind of fuel economy you used to.
When you experience these problems, bring your vehicle in, and we can put your wheels on a machine designed to detect any imbalance. The technician will start your wheels spinning, and a computer will determine how much weight is needed where. Then, the technician can add small weights on the inside or outside of your wheel rim to precisely balance out the uneven weight. When the wheel is balanced correctly, it will spin evenly and smoothly.
Sometimes your vehicle will hit a pothole or object in the road that dislodges one of those weights, which can throw that wheel out of balance again. If so, you'll have to bring it in to have that corrected
Some drivers confuse wheel balancing with wheel alignment. Alignment is making sure the wheels are perpendicular to the road and parallel with each other. Sometimes your vehicle will need both balancing and alignment done at the same time.
No vibrations are good vibrations when it comes to your wheels. Bring your vehicle to us, and we'll perform a balancing act to keep your vehicle riding smoothly down the road.
Ron's Auto Service
1517 SE 25th Ln
Cape Coral, FL 33904
2398290873
Need Service?
More articles from Ron's Auto Service

The Truth about Tire Pressure (Tire Inflation)
January 25, 2026
Most light vehicles (under 10,000 pounds/4,500 kg) in North America sold from 2008 model year on have a feature that many people are confused about. It's the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). You may have some experience with it yourself if you own a newer vehicle. Vehicles with TPMS hav... More

Your Vehicle's Other Power Plant (Alternator Replacement)
January 18, 2026
Your vehicle's engine is probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a power plant. But it has another power source that is vital as well: the alternator. The alternator is what puts out the electricity that powers such things as your lights, power windows, sound system, and na... More

How Tired Are Your Tires? (Tire replacement)
January 11, 2026
Of the things you think about most, your tires are probably pretty far down the list. Thats understandable because todays tires are engineered to do their job without needing you to pay too much attention to them. But they DO wear out, and worn tires can contribute to skidding in bad weather, not... More
