Wheel Balancing in Tyne and Wear

When a wheel and tyre are fitted together, one side is always slightly heavier. At low speed you will not notice. At motorway speeds that heavy spot tugs the wheel up and down many times a second, which you feel as vibration.

Wheel balancing at Banks of the Tyne in Hebburn is part of our tyre and alignment work. It is often done with new tyres, but it can be done on its own when vibration appears.

Signs the wheels need balancing

The classic symptom is a vibration that appears within a certain speed range and then smooths out. Which part of the car you feel it in gives a clue.

• Steering wheel shake at certain speeds usually points to a front wheel
• A buzz through the seat or floor often points to a rear wheel
• Vibration after a new tyre or a puncture repair
• Patchy or cupped tyre wear over time
• A wheel with a missing balance weight, visible as a clean patch on the rim

How balancing is done

The wheel is taken off the car, cleaned of mud and stones, and mounted on a balancing machine. The machine spins it and shows where the weight needs to be added and how much. Small weights are then clipped or stuck to the rim in the right places.

We check the tyre and wheel at the same time. A bent rim, a bulge in the sidewall or a damaged tyre cannot be balanced away, and we will tell you if we find one. Some of those faults mean the tyre or wheel should not be used.

What affects the result

Balancing assumes the wheel and tyre are sound. If the vibration continues after balancing, the cause may be elsewhere, such as a bent wheel, a worn suspension joint, a loose wheel or a brake disc fault. It is also different from tracking, which is about the angle of the wheels, not their weight distribution.

Alloy wheels with unusual designs may need particular weights or fitting methods. Ask us if yours need special attention.

Keeping them balanced

Wheels can go out of balance if a weight falls off, if you hit a pothole or kerb, or as tyres wear. If a vibration returns, get it checked rather than living with it, because it can wear tyres and suspension components faster.

If a tyre has been repaired or replaced, it is worth asking for the balance to be checked as part of that work. If you ever see a bulge, cut or sudden vibration after an impact, stop and have the tyre looked at before driving further.