Regardless if you’re driving on ice and snow or roads cracking under 95 degrees or higher, it is your tires and wheels that keep you rolling along Alexandria, VA streets. Keeping them in good condition is what prevents unneeded replacement costs when it comes to tires, so wheel balancing is a key part of a regular, preventive maintenance plan.
Specifically, a professional wheel balancing service from Wiygul Automotive provides the following: Even wear of tire tread, a smoother ride for driver and passengers, increased life of each tire, and more efficient fuel consumption.
The signs you need to balance your tires include vibration in the car and a shaking steering wheel when driving. Rough handling at highway speed indicates that not only are your wheels out of balance, but the tire tread is wearing unevenly, as are the parts which make up the steering and suspension systems. Regardless of how many or how few signs you may see, Wiygul recommends regular wheel balancing for your Alexandria, VA car or truck.
The procedure involves equalizing the combined weight of the wheel and tire so that they rotate smoothly at high speed. Our technicians are experts at mounting tires onto wheels, but there are always variations in manufacturing that lead to slight imbalances. For example, the hole drilled for the valve stem on one side of the wheel or the joining point of the cap plies (extra layers of polyester fabric) used on many tires.
Once mounted, the combined variations go unnoticed at typical speeds driving around town, performing routine errands. For higher speeds, such as highway driving, these imbalances quickly increase vibrations felt by the driver and passengers.
To perform a balance correctly, our technicians placed the wheel and mounted the tire on a balancing machine. The device centers the wheel and provides the information needed to attach small counterweights along the rim. The excess vibrations immediately stop, and tire wear continues evenly.
Even wear is important because tires change how they grip the road as the tread wears thinner. It is why we recommend regular wheel balancing for your Alexandria, VA vehicle every 6,000 to 8,000 miles as part of a preventive maintenance schedule. Keep in mind, however, that balancing does not compensate for a bent wheel or other physical problem with your car or truck. If balancing does not fix the issue, we recommend letting us perform a free inspection to determine what requires repair.
At Wiygul Automotive, we only charge $20 per wheel to balance the wheels and tires for your automobile. Our technicians service all major automotive brands with an extensive inventory of tires and wheels for nearly every personal taste or choice. Every wheel balance, like our other services, comes with a 2 year/24-month warranty. To schedule a service appointment, call today at 866-702-8050.
