Author: Phil Mosier, contributor
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One of the best things you can do to get the most miles out of your tires is to stay on top of balancing.
Balancing helps detect irregular wear patterns early and allows you to take steps to get your tires running properly again. It will also improve the ride for your drivers.
So, what do you look for and what should you do? First, start by asking yourself a few questions.
What are some symptoms/signs that wheels may be out of balance? Are the signs different for steer tires verses drive and trailer tires?
Typically, for a steer tire, when a tire isn’t balanced you’ll see cupping or scalloping (wavy wear) on the shoulder ribs. Over time that can progress to the intermediate ribs. That’s why it’s so important to catch a balancing issue early.
Another sign that a steer tire may be out of balance is excessive wear on one area of the tread compared to the tread wear that is 180-degrees from that spot. Other indicators can be spot wear or randomly worn areas around the tire circumference.
For drive tires, a telltale sign of tire imbalance is excessive or fast shoulder wear. On the trailer position, if you see diagonal or localized wear spreading from the shoulder across the tread, you need to take a closer look. You might also see cupping or scallop wear on shoulder ribs, which may transfer to the intermediate ribs.
What happens when tires aren’t balanced?
If you ignore signs of tire imbalance, irregular and/or fast wear can occur, and that can also mean ride disturbance and vibration – something drivers don’t like. Gone unchecked, it will also mean you’ll have to remove tires early in life, and that has a direct impact on your overall tire budget. If tire imbalance is severe, it could eventually damage your truck’s mechanical components. So, not only will you lose money on the tire from being removed early due to irregular wear but also your truck may end up needing additional mechanical work done.
How frequently should tires be balanced?
Tires should be balanced at the time of installation, so starting off you’re in good shape. After that, there is no set mil
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