What is a Tire Rotate and Balance?
Tires and wheel assemblies only have two maintenance needs, balancing and rotation. Tire rotation ensures that the tires wear evenly, and prolongs the life of the tire, while balancing ensures they roll smoothly without vibration.
How does a Tire Rotate and Balance work?
As tires are used, they encounter four different paths, and typical driving patterns will being to wear the tires in different places. We rotate the tires so the wear of each wheel position is blended with the next, ensuring a near perfect wear pattern. Wheel and tire assemblies also have unevenly distributed weight, so balancing ensures the tires weigh the exact same amount all the way around.
What are the symptoms of a bad Tire Rotate and Balance?
If tire rotation is forgotten, the front and rear tires will being to deviate in tread thickness. The driven tires will lose tread more quickly, and the front tire shoulder tread, the last thread, next to the tread, will being to smooth due to turning. When the tires are in need of balance, the steering wheel, brake pedal, or the entire vehicle will shake while driving, sometimes only at certain speeds.
Can I drive with a bad Tire Rotate and Balance?
It is completely safe to drive a vehicle without ever rotating or balancing the tires. It is not mandatory, but it does save tire costs, prolongs the life of suspension components, and helps maintain fuel mileage.
How often should the Tires be Rotated and Balanced?
Tire rotation and balance is part of your factory scheduled maintenance. The rotation and balance interval will be stated at some point in the service section of the owner’s manual. If you notice vibration or uneven wear on the tires, it should be addressed ahead of time.