Is wheel balancing and alignment necessary after tire rotation?
2 Answers
After rotating the four wheels, it is not necessary to perform wheel balancing and alignment tests. The purpose of rotating the four wheels is to ensure more even wear across all four tires. Tires are a crucial component of a vehicle, directly affecting driving stability and safety, as they are the only parts of the car that come into contact with the ground. Being made of rubber, tires are prone to aging over time with prolonged use, hence they require regular replacement. Below is additional information: Tire Rotation: Tire rotation is one of the methods of vehicle maintenance. Due to various factors, tires can wear unevenly, which affects their overall lifespan. Therefore, it is essential to rotate the tires at regular intervals. Generally, for a new car, the first tire rotation should be performed after driving approximately 10,000 kilometers, followed by rotation cycles adjusted between 5,000 to 10,000 kilometers.
I've done tire rotations quite a few times, purely to ensure even tire wear, like swapping positions every 8,000 kilometers or so to extend tire life. There's absolutely no need to do wheel balancing or four-wheel alignment every time. Wheel balancing is for solving vibration issues when the wheels rotate, usually only done when installing new tires or experiencing high-speed vibrations. Four-wheel alignment corrects wheel angles and is only necessary when the car pulls to one side or tires show uneven wear. I follow this rule—it saves money and is efficient. Some repair shops recommend spending more on checks, but if the car's condition seems normal, it's totally unnecessary. At most, an occasional visual inspection of the tire condition is enough. Remember, regular rotations save tire costs, but don't get tricked into unnecessary over-maintenance.
