Wheel Alignments & Balancing: What's the Difference?

When you’re getting maintenance performed on your Fort Morgan daily driver, you may hear about wheel alignments and wheel balancing being brought up. But, what’s the difference? When you compare wheel balancing vs. wheel alignments, they may seem similar on the surface, but there are some distinctions that set them apart. When you get new tires or wheels, they may be uneven or unbalanced, causing an unsafe and uncomfortable ride.

On the other hand, your vehicle’s alignment from the factory ensures that your vehicle doesn’t favor one side or the other. Still not sure how wheel alignments and balancing differ? The service experts at Transwest Chevrolet have you covered. Compare wheel balancing vs. wheel alignments today with our team, and schedule a service appointment to have your vehicle’s wheels properly serviced!

Wheel Balancing vs. Wheel Alignments

While both wheel balancing and wheel alignments are a great way to improve your vehicle’s handling on the Holyoke roads, they do provide different benefits when you perform the service. Let’s take a look at the differences between wheel balancing and wheel alignments below:

Wheel Balancing

Although many new tires and wheels appear perfectly round to the human eye, they may have some slight variations that would cause them to wobble or become unbalanced when you’re driving around Brush. Because of this, you’ll often want to get a balancing service when you get new wheels or tires.

When your wheels are being balanced, technicians may place small weights on the inside of the wheel to even out “wobble.” Unbalanced wheels may cause your steering wheel to shake or vibrate and even minimize your tire’s lifespan. We suggest regularly having your wheels balanced to avoid any unnecessary wear and tear.

Wheel Alignments

As you drive around town and hit bumps on the road, your wheels will slowly become misaligned. This means that your steering wheel will veer one way or the other, causing it to be difficult to keep your vehicle driving straight. From the factory, your vehicle was aligned properly so that you can effortlessly tackle your commute.

Over time, your vehicle will become misaligned and need a wheel alignment service. When you get a wheel alignment service, the technicians will return your vehicle’s alignment geometry back to factory specifications so that you can continue to enjoy a smooth ride. Failure to align your wheels can result in uneven trade and loss of traction. Wheel alignments should be performed according to your maintenance schedule.

How Do You Know If You Need Wheel Balancing vs. Wheel Alignment?

Both out of balance and unaligned wheels can decrease your tire’s usability. So then, how do you know if you need a wheel balancing vs. a wheel alignment? It’s simple; if your car is pulling to one side, it’s likely that you need wheel alignment. If your vehicle’s steering wheel is vibrating or shaking during your drives, you likely need wheel balancing.

While those are the main telltale signs that you need one service vs. the other, it’s not always the case. We recommend scheduling a service appointment with a trusted service center to help you diagnose the issue you’re having!

Get Wheel Alignments & Balancing Today at Transwest Chevrolet!

From wheel alignments to wheel balancing and even other vehicle services, you can count on our Sterling service center to assist. At Transwest Chevrolet, we promise to help you keep your vehicle in tip-top shape so that it doesn’t leave you stranded. If you have any questions about vehicle maintenance and services, feel free to contact our team!