Is Wheel Balancing Still Needed After Wheel Alignment?

[StDante]

Performing a wheel alignment does not necessarily require a wheel balancing. However, when replacing or repairing a tire, if the tire is removed from the rim and then reinstalled, wheel balancing must be performed. Failure to do so can cause noticeable tire vibration at certain speeds. More details are as follows: 1. Wheel alignment involves adjusting the geometric angles of the tires, steering, suspension, and other components to ensure tight contact between the tires and the ground. The installation of a vehicle's four wheels, steering mechanism, and front and rear axles should maintain specific relative positions, which are standard values set by the manufacturer. Adjusting and restoring these positions is what wheel alignment entails. 2. Wheel balancing corrects the balance of the wheel (tire and rim assembly) to ensure the tire moves concentrically. Due to manufacturing variations, the mass distribution of a wheel is not perfectly uniform. When the wheel rotates at high speeds, this can lead to dynamic imbalance, causing wheel wobble and steering wheel vibration during driving. To prevent or eliminate this phenomenon, weights are added to the wheel in dynamic conditions to correct the balance at various edges.