Is Wheel Balancing and Four-Wheel Alignment Necessary When Changing Car Tires?
2 Answers
Wheel balancing is absolutely essential when replacing tires. Failure to perform wheel balancing can result in uneven weight distribution along the tire's central axis during rotation, causing lateral wheel wobble that manifests as body and steering wheel vibrations. When replacing wheels, pay attention to the following parameters: 1. Center Bore (CB): Refers to the diameter of the wheel's center hole. While wheels with non-OEM center bores can be installed using adapters, we don't recommend this for safety reasons. 2. Pitch Circle Diameter (PCD): For example, a PCD of 5x120mm indicates the wheel has five lug bolts arranged in a 120mm diameter circle. This must match the original specification. 3. Offset (ET value): A positive offset means the mounting surface is outside the wheel centerline, while negative offset places it inward. Passenger cars typically use positive offsets, and this value significantly impacts driving stability and cornering traction.
When changing tires, wheel balancing is an essential step. I learned this the hard way when my car shook violently on the highway after skipping this procedure. New tires may have uneven weight distribution, which can be corrected by machine testing and adding counterweights. Otherwise, steering wheel vibration will affect stability and accelerate suspension wear. As for wheel alignment, which adjusts wheel angles to correct pulling or uneven tire wear, it's not necessary every time you change tires. It's typically only needed when the vehicle pulls to one side or shows abnormal tire wear patterns, otherwise it's just a waste of money and effort. I recommend always requesting wheel balancing when getting new tires at a reputable shop - most technicians will include this by default.
