Wheel balancing can be described as the process of equalizing the weight of the combined tire and wheel assembly. This helps the wheel to spin at a high speed and that too quite smoothly. The process includes putting the wheel on a balancer, which would center the wheel, and then the spin would determine where the weight would go.
The wheel comes with a valve stem hole which takes away a small amount of weight from any one side of the wheel. Thus imbalances can occur at anytime and if it happens at a higher speed, then even a tiny imbalance can get accelerated due to the centrifugal force which causes the wheel or the tire to spin. This can create a lot of vibration inside the vehicle and cause irregular and damaging wear on the tire.
The Importance Of Wheel Balancing
Wheel balancing Essex is crucial, not only for safety while driving but it also helps to save a lot of money and enables the users to:
- Reduce the accident risks that might be caused due to skidding.
- Drive smoothly, comfortably, and without any hassles.
- Reduce the wearing off of the wheel, which increases its lifespan and helps you to save a lot on maintenance costs.
- Prevent the high cost of wheel bearing and suspension damage that might occur due to wheel imbalance.
- Improve the fuel economy of the car as wheel balancing Essex promotes efficiency in driving.
What Are The Potential Causes Of Wheel Imbalance?
There are three primary causes behind wheel imbalance:
- Manufacturing defects- the wheels are not made with equal weight around their circumference.
- Road condition- Poor road conditions, like deep potholes and broken roads, can cause the wheel to bend and disrupt its balance.
- Wear and tear- With time, different components of the wheel like shocks, ball joints, etc., can wear off and cause an imbalance.
How To Know About Wheel Imbalance?
You can check for wheel imbalance when your car is stationary. You would need to inspect the wheels for any kind of rapid or uneven wear like indents throughout the edge of your wheel or tire. You might also experience certain symptoms of imbalance while driving the car, like:
- You would feel the car, including the seats, steering wheel, and footboard vibrate. This would get more prominent when you drive on a highway.
- You would notice that the vehicle would tend to pull toward the left and right.
- You would experience that the wheel is squealing and also that your car is wobbling.
Thus, it is essential to check for wheel balancing regularly. If you notice any of the above issues and suspect that there is an imbalance in your wheel, then contact your nearest tire shop and get it fixed by a technician. It is a matter of road safety and should never be ignored.