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6 Reasons Tires Get Out of Balance (+ How To Fix It)

While your tires can provide plenty of support, there is always a chance that they could get out of balance. If this occurs, it could lead to unnecessary wear and tear and make them less effective.

Due to this, it is important to understand the signs of unbalanced tires and what could cause this to occur.

Michelin Tire

Signs of Unbalanced Tires

Having unbalanced tires can be quite common. So, should all tires have the same pressure?

Unfortunately, it can lead to wear and tear, ruin the tire treads, and make them less safe to drive on.

One of the most common signs that your tires are not properly balanced is if you notice a vibrating sensation from inside your car. While the vibration can be noticed at any speed, it becomes more significant and difficult to manage the faster you go.

You may also start to notice squealing sounds that seem to get louder as you go faster.

Drivers that have unbalanced tires could also notice their tires start to wear down faster. This will include odd wear and tear on the tires, uneven balance of depreciation from one tire to the next, and a decrease in fuel efficiency.

Due to this, it is important what is causing your tires to be improperly balanced.

It Is Very Important To Fix

Unbalanced tires are common, but they should be avoided.

When your tires are not properly balanced, the tread will start to wear down more quickly. It can also start to cause challenges with your steering and alignment, particularly when you are driving at high speeds.

The vibrating sensation can also cause challenges to properly controlling and enjoying driving your vehicle.

Due to this, it is important to understand the most common causes of unbalanced tires and make necessary repairs to

Causes of Unbalanced Tires

If you have unbalanced tires, it can cause a variety of challenges and be expensive in the long run. Due to this, it is important to understand what causes the unbalanced tires and to make corrections and repairs when necessary.

The only way to fix unbalanced tires is to apply small weights to the tires.

There are various causes of unbalanced tires, in particular, to be aware of.

1) Cold Air Causes Improper Balance

One of the most common reasons why your tires can lose balance is because of cold air.

When the weather is cold, it can start to cause air to leak out of your tires more quickly than it would in the summer. As all four of your tires will not be in the exact same condition, one that has a slight leak will lose air much faster than the rest.

Eventually, this will cause your tires to lose their balance.

Due to this risk, it is important that you check your tires on a regular basis. Beyond a visual inspection, you should be in the habit of testing your tire pressure and air levels at least once per week.

Filling up the tires to the same amount whenever you get gas or at a service station can help prevent this issue from occurring.

2) Tires Are Not Rotated Regularly

There are various forms of service that you need to have done for your vehicle on a regular basis.

One important service to have done is a professional tire rotation.

The tires on your car will naturally take on different levels of force due to the imbalance of weight of your car. When you have your tires rotated, the technicians will swap the position of your tires on your car. Ultimately, this helps to ensure they wear down evenly.

If you do not have your tires rotated on a regular basis, one or two of the tires is bound to depreciate faster than the rest. If this happens, one of your tires will eventually get a small leak and will have reduced tread. This will eventually cause your tires to have less balance.

Fortunately, this is an easy issue to avoid by getting regular tire rotations.

Ideally, you should have your tires rated at least a couple of times per year along with other routine vehicle maintenance.

3) Driving at High Speeds

Vehicles today are designed to drive very fast.

While a vehicle is quite durable and can easily drive over 75 MPH to keep up with traffic on a major highway, when you do increase your speed it could start to create additional force and strain on your tires.

When you consistently drive at high speeds, it could cause an imbalance of wear and tear on your tires and even cause the loss of wheel weight.

When this happens, your tires will slowly start to lose their balance.

By being a careful driver and avoiding excessive speeds, particularly in poor road conditions, you can keep your tires in good shape and retain proper balance.

4) Damage to Tires Due to Hitting Objects

Whenever you are driving your car on an open road, it is important to look out for hazards.

While communities and roadway managers will work to keep the roads in good condition, there is always a chance that there could be potholes or debris on the road.

If you are driving and hit one of these hazards at a high speed, it could lead to the loss of wheel weight and damage to the tire, both of which will result in poor balance in your tires. Hitting any object on the road, including speed bumps or curbs, can also cause damage to a belt within the tire itself.

This rupture could cause further imbalance as the tire loses air.

To help prevent this, it is important that you are careful and look at the road when behind the wheel. If you do hit any type of hazard, it would be wise to check out your tires as soon as possible.

You can then make necessary repairs that will help avoid poor balance in your tires.

5) Long-Time Everyday Use

While you can help to reduce the likelihood that your tires will get out of balance by driving safely and avoiding hazards, there is only so much that you can do to prevent this from happening.

Ultimately, simple daily wear and tear can start to cause your tires to lose their balance.

To help with this, it is important that you have your tire balance checked on a regular basis. If your tires are not in proper balance, the technicians can add a wheel weight to one or multiple tires.

This will help ensure that the balance is fixed.

6) Leave The Vehicle In the Garage Too Long

While driving your car on a daily basis and going through normal wear and tear can cause an imbalance of tires, so can a lack of use.

If you have a car that largely sits unused, any imbalance of your tires will continue to get worse.

This is largely due to the fact that this could cause flatness on your tires, which can lead to additional leaks. Due to this, you should try to drive each of your vehicles regularly.

If you do not drive one very often, it would be wise to check the tire pressure and balance before driving it at high speeds.

Having a quality set of tires on your vehicle is very important.

When your tires are in good condition, they can help to provide you with the necessary traction in any driving conditions. While tires can last for a long time, there is always a chance they become out of balance. There are various reasons why your tires could get out of balance.

Fortunately, there are ways you can avoid or fix many of these imbalance issues.

Sources

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