Back to all

Wheel Balancing at Tuffy Kentwood (Kalamazoo Ave SE)

September 26, 2016

So you love your job, and your family life is great. Congratulations! You have achieved balance. But can you say the same for your wheels? Kentwood drivers can tell if their tires are out of balance by vibrations at higher speeds on Michigan roads. If one of the front tires is out, you feel the vibration in the steering wheel. If it's a back tire, you'll feel the vibration in your seat.

Tires and wheels are pretty heavy. When a tire is mounted on a wheel at Tuffy Kentwood (Kalamazoo Ave SE), it is usually not perfectly balanced. So the technician will spin the tire on a machine to determine where it's too heavy. He will then place weights on the wheels in strategic locations to balance it out. When a tire is out of balance, it actually bounces down the road instead of rolling smoothly. Since the average size tire rotates at about 850 revolutions per minute at 60 mph/97 kph, it is actually slamming into the pavement 14 times a second. That's where you get your vibration.

Most people in Kentwood are surprised at how smoothly their car rides after balancing all four wheels.

Most high-quality tires sold in Kentwood hold their balance pretty well. They just get out of balance gradually with normal wear and tear. If you suddenly feel a vibration, it is probably because you lost a wheel balancing weight along the way. Definitely get a balance at Tuffy Kentwood (Kalamazoo Ave SE) in Kentwood if you feel a vibration, change your rims or have a flat repaired. Putting off a needed balance job leads to excessive and tire wear, wear to your shocks, struts, steering and suspension parts. Wheel balancing not only improves your ride and handling, but also can save you some repair bills and possibly an accident. Additionally, you will get better fuel economy.

Some Kentwood area drivers have their tires balanced at every rotation. Others do it every other time. Check your owner's manual for your requirements, or ask your friendly service advisor at Tuffy Kentwood (Kalamazoo Ave SE). Doing this will put you on the path to mechanical wheel balance.

Tuffy Kentwood (Kalamazoo Ave SE)
4384 Kalamazoo Ave. SE
Kentwood, Michigan 49508
616.301.1436

 

More articles from Tuffy Kentwood (Kalamazoo Ave. SE)

Plugging Away (Spark Plug Replacement)

February 9, 2025

If you drive a vehicle with a gasoline engine, thank the spark plugs for igniting the gasoline/air mixture in each cylinder that keeps your vehicle traveling smoothly down the road every day. Your spark plugs work hard, firing thousands of times in a well-choreographed order, and you usually don... More

No Strain, No Gain (The Basics of Oil Filters)

February 2, 2025

Ever wonder what one of the best things is to ever happen to your vehicle's engine? It's the little thing that usually looks like a can, the oil filter. Just like your kitchen sink strainer filters out errant particles of food from clogging your drain, the oil filter cleans out small particles t... More

Keeping Yourself in Suspension (Control Arm Assembly Replacement)

January 26, 2025

When you are pointing your vehicle straight down the street, it should go straight. Thats pretty straightforward, right? Sometimes, though, you may notice you have to keep adjusting the steering wheel to keep going straight. While that could be caused by many different issues, one possibility i... More