Balancing wheels?

[02TafWhtSi]

How do shops balance wheels? I know they use a special machine but what is the process? I have to get my wheels re-balanced soon and I'd like to know what they'll be doing exactly.

[chubbychu]

same here...what the heck is "BALANCED"?

[02SilverSiHB]

I don't really know the whole deal behind it, but from watching, I see them put the tire on the rim, put the rim/tire on the machine, it spinds...they see if it is balanced...some machines can detect if it isn't. If it isn't they put some of the weights on to balance the tire on there....keeping the rim from bouncing up and down if the tire isn't balanced on...That's what my guess anyway.

[ThickMick]

After they mount the tire and inflate it they place the tire on a balance machine. The machine spins the tire around while the computer checks for balance inconsistancies. If the computer detects something it will beep at which point the tire will stop spinning and the guy running the thing will go back to the exact point on the wheel where the machine beeped. Once he reaches that point, the computer will tell him what weight he needs to attach to correct the inconsistancy. (He has a whole host of little weights o choose from)

Usually you just need one or two weights on a wheel, but sometimes you don't need any at all. They can attach weights on the inside of the tire or clip them on the lip depending on the shop. That's all I can remember from my days pumping gas at the local Shell

[02TafWhtSi]

Thanks guys! I'm going to get it done at STS tomorrow for $52. I'm getting noticeable steering wheel vibration over 60 mph even though Discount Tire Direct says they balance all tire/wheel packages before shipping them :rolleyes: . I'll post the outcome in a few ;) .