Wheel Balancing

Balancing the wheels on your car is a critical component to getting the most out of your tyres.

Not only is it essential for safety, it also makes for a smoother ride and helps to minimise tyre wear. Getting your wheels balanced will increase the life of your steering and suspension systems and optimise your fuel efficiency.

One of the easiest ways to tell when something is not right with your tyres is from behind the wheel. Most of us would have encountered steering wheel wobble or vibration when we are driving at high speeds, and this can mean that a wheel is out of balance.

What is a wheel balance?

Your car contains tiny, but important, weights to counterbalance the heaviest part of the tyre and wheel assembly.
If these weights become loose, the wheel will wobble — and the faster you are travelling, the more the wobbling intensifies.

This wobbling increases steering component and tyre wear and is potentially unsafe. Not only this, unbalanced wheels can create bald spots in your tyres and create uneven tyre wear – greatly reducing the life of your tyres.

Your Simpsons Tyres & Autocare tyre technician can easily fix the problem. We’ll attach your wheel to a balancer which replicates the exact position the wheel would be in when attached to your vehicle. This way the imbalance can easily be identified and corrected.

Get the most from your Tyres

Your wheels might need to be balanced if any of the following conditions apply to you:

• At certain speeds your car shakes.
• You have recently had new tyres fitted.
• You have had a tyre removed from its rim.
• You have noticed even a small amount of irregular tyre wear.
• You have unusual vibrations in your steering wheel.

Tyre Rotation

One of the best ways you can look after your tyres is by rotating them regularly. Swapping your rear and front tyres will ensure that your tyres wear evenly, and last significantly longer.
As a guide, tyres should be rotated every 5,000 to 8,000 km or at least every 6 months, even if there is no sign of uneven wear.

Different vehicles will wear their tyres at different rates. For example, a front-wheel drive vehicle will wear its tyres very differently from a rear-wheel drive. Station wagons and utes also wear their tyres differently due to the lack of weight over the rear wheels. If you’re not sure when to rotate your tyres, ask one of our friendly qualified mechanics.

How much is a wheel balance?

The cost of a wheel balance can vary depending on the make and model of your car and the type of tyres you have.
Simpsons Tyres & Autocare are Taranaki’s expert tyre technicians, we’ll be able to assist with your all your alignment and tyre requirements.

To get a price on a wheel balance in New Plymouth for your vehicle, be sure to contact Simpsons Tyres & Autocare.