Should Wheel Balancing Be Done on Two or Four Wheels?

[VonPaisley]

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.

[WalkerRose]

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.

[ReeseLynn]

I once tried getting only the front wheels balanced, and the car body became noticeably unstable during high-speed cornering. The mechanic explained that unbalanced rear wheels create a lateral swinging torque, just like when a shopping cart has a pebble stuck in one wheel. Now, I always request a full four-wheel balance after every tire repair, as even a weight difference exceeding 10 grams can cause noticeable vibrations. One winter, I noticed the steering wheel shaking at a specific speed, and the inspection revealed frost buildup on the inner side of the rim disrupting the balance. I recommend regular checks during maintenance, especially after long trips, as minor bumps can often loosen the balancing weights.

[SanJosiah]

From a cost perspective, making four wheels is only about 30% more expensive than two, but the safety improvement is more than double. The tire shop owner told me that rear wheel imbalance can cause shock absorbers to age prematurely, and the cost of replacing them is enough to perform dynamic balancing over a dozen times. When switching from summer to winter tires, balancing must be completely redone as changes in rubber material alter the overall weight distribution. Last time, my car's vibration test revealed a 15-gram difference in the rear wheels, which the technician fixed by attaching lead weights to the inner side of the rims. Remember, balancing isn't permanent; it should be checked every 10,000 kilometers.