El wheel balancing It is a process that must be done so that the car circulates comfortably and safely for the occupants. It is a job that they have to do in a specialized workshop with the necessary machines, because requires some precision.
Do not think that tires are simple items that anyone can change correctly. The speeds and forces it has to withstand are enormous, so any defect in your installation will result in vibrations and even more serious problems, such as loss of adhesion. That's why you always have to balance the wheels when you put new tires on it.
What is wheel balancing?
When they balance the wheels of our car, what they are doing is its center of gravity coincides with its geometric center as it rotates. Said without scientific terms: that it weighs the same in all its parts so that when it rolls those differences in the form of vibrations are not noticed.
Therefore, the operators who are in charge of balancing the wheels place weights on various parts as needed. These weights go glued to the rim so that they do not loosen with the enormous inertia that they can have when the car is traveling at high speed. Of course, those weights are placed inside the rim. That is, on the side that is towards the interior of the car. Although there are some, such as steel, that they should take them outside inserted between the tire and the rim (top photo).
To know where to put them, balancing machine simulates wheel bearing and detects which side may have more or less weight than required. Its operation is based on the same principle as the machines used to balance crankshafts.
When to balance
Balancing the wheels must be done every time the tires are changed to correct the small decompensations that it may have in the masses. You may also need it if you lose your tire weights at some point. Something that does not usually happen, but that is possible if you hit it with a curb. It is also advisable to make the direction parallel, although this is optional and is usually left for when abnormal wear of the wheels is detected.
What to do if you lose a wheel balance on a trip
In these cases it is better to change the unbalanced wheel if you have one of the same spare. That is, not a provisional wheel or cookie. What you do not have to forget is that you have to check that you have the correct pressure and that is not expired. Something that if your car has the maintenance done well, it would not have to happen.
In the next video you can see how do you change the wheel. Although the one they use as an example is a cookie, the process is exactly the same with a normal one. Also, it will only take 10 minutes if you follow the tips given in the video.
Difference between balanced and parallel wheels
As we have told you before, balancing a wheel is balancing its weights so that it rolls evenly and comfortably. On the other hand, the parallel of the wheels or alignment is to modify the dimensions so that the wheels of each axle are perfectly parallel. If you want to know more about parallel wheels, we recommend the following article:
What happens if I don't balance the wheels
If you don't have the wheels balanced, you will notice vibrations when driving at certain speeds. The normal thing is that you notice them between 100 and 140 km / h. Precisely the most common range when driving on the highway and some roads.
These vibrations will be felt on the steering wheel, but also on the dashboard of the car, when it is on the front wheels. Instead you will notice it in the seats, especially the rear ones, when they are the rear wheels.
If you keep riding with this unbalanced for a long time, you may cause misalignments or premature wear in various parts of the car. For example, the tires will wear out ahead of time, the dampers they will also end up suffering, the steer axle truck could end up taking slack in some of its parts and even parts of the transmission as CV joints or differential they could be damaged. Nor will it do the silent blocks or to the engine mounts.
How much does wheel balancing cost?
The price for wheel balancing can be between 10 or 20 euros per tire; although most specialized stores include it in the final price if you have bought the tires from them. There are also those who say that they do it for free if you go to them to change the wheels, although normally this is just an advertising claim, in which they are also being added to the final price.
Si vas a balance some old wheels because you have lost the weights, the most usual thing is that it does charge you in the balance. At the end of the day, it is professional labor time that they have to charge to make the business profitable.