The ice and snow is finally melting away, and the streets should be clear for a few weeks before they begin cracking under the summer heat. No matter which weather extreme, it’s your auto’s wheels and tires that keep you on the roads in Fort Washington, MD. As a key part of a preventive maintenance plan, professional wheel balancing helps extend the life of your vehicle.
Each wheel balance from a Wiygul Automotive Clinic provides the following benefits for car and truck: Increased life of each tire, more even tread wear, greater fuel efficiency, and a smoother ride for the driver and passengers. To know when it is time to bring in your vehicle for a servicing, there are two key signs to watch for.
Rough handling at highway speeds. This is a warning that there is at least one wheel out-of-balance and the tire is already wearing unevenly. It is usually the first sign drivers detect.
Increased vibration at any speed. This sign appears as a shaking steering wheel and is the second sign for most drivers. It can also be a warning there is a problem with the steering or suspension.
At Wiygul Automotive in Fort Washington, MD we define wheel balancing as equalizing the combined weight of a wheel and tire to ensure smooth turning at high speed. Since every wheel and tire has minor imperfections at the time of manufacture, this is important even for new tires.
An example would be the valve stem hole drilled into one side of the wheel or the point where the cap piles (extra layers of polyester fabric) on the tire join together. These imperfections have little effect at lower speeds, even when not properly balanced. At highway speeds, however, the effects become apparent almost immediately.
Our technicians placed the wheel and tire on a custom balancing machine. It centers the wheel and provides the data where they need to attach small counterweights along the rim. It eliminates excess vibrations and allows for even tread wear. Since tires grip the road differently as the tread wears down, we recommend additional wheel balancing every 6,000 to 8,000 miles for your Fort Washington, MD vehicle.
Balancing does not fix issues such as severely worn tires, bent rims, or other physical problems. If we discover one while attempting a wheel balance, we recommend you have a free inspection performed at any of our Clinics to determine the extent and how to fix it.
Our balancing service is only $20 per wheel and comes with a 2 year/24-month warranty. Wiygul service technicians have access to an extensive tire and wheel inventory for every major foreign and domestic automobile model. To schedule an appointment at a Wiygul Clinic near you, call us today at 866-702-8050.