What is Difference Between Wheel Alignment and Tire Balancing

What Is a Wheel Alignment?

Also sometimes referred to as a tire alignment, a wheel alignment is not actually about making adjustments to the wheels or tires. Instead, it is about correcting and adjusting the vehicle suspension to which your wheels and tires are connected.

Wheel alignments help ensure your car drives straight and even, instead of drifting off to the left or right. Bringing your car in for regular alignments also improves the handling of your vehicle and your overall driving experience.

Ideally, you should have your wheels aligned either once every 1-2 years or every 12,000-15,000 miles. (Some people like to have theirs done at the same time as their routine oil change.) However, you may need one sooner if you experience the following:

• Your car consistently pulls to the left or right instead of driving straight.
• You notice uneven or premature wear on your tires.
• Your steering wheel vibrates or shifts off-center when your vehicle is in use.
• Your tires regularly squeal or screech.

What Is Tire Balancing?

For your car to drive smoothly and comfortably, your wheels need to be properly balanced. However, as with the alignment of your suspension, your wheels can slowly shift out of balance over time. If this is not corrected, you could experience issues like constant vibrations while driving, eventual suspension damage, or tires that wear out much more quickly than they should.

Professional technicians correct your tires by mounting them onto a special machine that measures their current level of balance. From there, adjustments to the weight of each tire are made accordingly. You may also occasionally see tire balancing referred to as wheel balancing.

To keep your vehicle running smoothly, you should have your tires balanced every 4,000-6,000 miles or anytime you have your tires replaced. Some signs you may need to have a balance done ahead of schedule include:

• Your steering wheel, seat, or floorboards vibrate consistently when your vehicle is in use.
• You have noticed bulges or missing weights on any of your tires.
• You have recently had an accident, driven over a pothole, or hit a curb.

Are Tire Balancing and Wheel Alignments Really That Important?

Like other forms of routine maintenance, both tire balancing and wheel alignment contribute to a smoother, safer overall driving experience. They also prevent undue wear and tear on your engine, preserve the integrity of your suspension, and extend the lifespan of your tires. Keeping up with these services can improve your car’s performance and boost fuel efficiency, as well.

Ultimately, bringing your vehicle in to have the wheels balanced and aligned as needed helps stop more serious problems from developing, saving you money, and preserving your vehicle’s value in the long run. But you naturally want to choose the right mechanic shop to trust with the job.

City/Consumer Tire has you covered and then some with a full range of routine maintenance services, repair options, and more. We also pride ourselves on treating our clients just like part of the family, so five-star customer service, reasonable prices, and hand-picked expert technicians are our mainstays.

So, if you are due for your next wheel alignment, tire balancing, or both, come on down and see us soon! We cannot wait to make a difference for you.

Sources

https://www.firestonecompleteautocare.com/blog/alignment/tire-balance-vs-alignment/

https://wiygul.com/support/1648/wheel-alignment-vs-wheel-balancing-whats-the-difference/