Tire And Wheel Balance

NOTE: Balance equipment must be calibrated and maintained per equipment manufacturer's specifications.

Wheel balancing can be accomplished with either on-vehicle or off-vehicle equipment.

NOTE: If using on-vehicle balancing equipment on the driving axle, remove the opposite wheel and tire assembly.

NOTE: Balance equipment could read an incorrect balance result when measuring Chrome Clad wheels. This is caused by the equipments mounting cone/collet contacting the cladding or the cone/collet is not balanced. Always use the manufacturer's recommended balance equipment.

NOTE: If a tire sealant & inflator kit was used to temporarily repair small punctures then the tire must be removed from wheel and all the sealant must be removed before repairing & balancing the assembly.

It is recommended that a two-plane dynamic balancer be used when a tire and wheel assembly requires balancing. A static balancer should only be used when a two-plane balancer is not available.

Fig 1: STATIC UNBALANCE

Courtesy of CHRYSLER LLC

For static balancing, find the location of the heavy spot causing the imbalance (1). Counter balance the wheel directly opposite the heavy spot. Determine weight required to counterbalance the area of imbalance. Place half of this weight on the inner rim flange and the other half on the outer rim flange (3) at the predetermined spots.

Fig 2: DYNAMIC UNBALANCE

Courtesy of CHRYSLER LLC

For dynamic balancing, the balance equipment is designed to indicate the location and amount of weight to be applied to both the inner and outer rim flanges (2).

Aluminum wheels use a different type of wheel weight than steel wheels. Be sure to use the correct wheel weight for the wheel type.

Always verify the Balance. When using off-vehicle equipment, remount the tire and wheel assembly 180 degrees on the balancer spindle and recheck balance. Balance variation from one spot to the other should not be more than 0.125 (1/8) ounce. If variation is more than 0.125 ounce, balancing equipment could be malfunctioning.

If difficult to balance, break down the tire and wheel assembly and check for loose debris inside the tire. Prior to disassembly, mark (index) the tire at the valve stem. Use this mark in order to remount the tire in its original orientation with respect to the wheel.