Should Wheel Balancing Be Done on Two or Four Wheels?
2 Answers
Wheel balancing should be performed on all four tires whenever an operation alters the mass distribution of any part of the wheel. Situations requiring wheel balancing include: 1. After installing new tires or post-collision repairs. 2. Unilateral wear on front or rear tires. 3. Heavy steering wheel or floating/shaking sensations while driving. 4. Vehicle pulling to the left or right during straight-line driving. 5. For maintenance purposes, it's recommended to check new vehicles after 3 months of driving, then every six months or 10,000 kilometers thereafter. Benefits of proper wheel balancing: 1. Reduced fuel consumption. 2. Extended tire service life. 3. Decreased chassis wear. 4. Improved driving safety.
From my own experience, it's best to perform dynamic balancing on all four wheels of the car. Although many people think only the drive wheels need balancing, every wheel undergoes centrifugal motion during driving, and any uneven weight distribution will cause vibration. Just last week, I saw a car that only had its front wheels balanced, and when it reached 80 km/h, the rear seats were shaking so badly that passengers thought it was an earthquake. Doing all four wheels doesn't cost much more in labor compared to just two wheels, but the difference in effect is huge. Especially after changing tires or repairing punctures, the position of the metal balancing weights changes and needs recalibration. A steering wheel that doesn't shake doesn't mean the whole car is balanced, and uneven tire wear often starts with subtle vibrations.
