You merge onto I-65, speed up to highway speed and suddenly the steering wheel starts to shimmy in your hands. Slow down a little and it fades away. That’s a classic sign that one or more of your tires is out of balance.
No tire and wheel is perfectly even all the way around. When tires are mounted, small weights are attached to the wheel to even out the heavier and lighter spots. Over time, those weights can fall off, the tires wear unevenly or a hard hit on a pothole can shift things. Even a small imbalance becomes noticeable at higher speeds.
If the vibration is mostly in the steering wheel, the problem is usually with the front tires. If you feel it more in your seat or the floor, it’s often the rear tires.
An unbalanced tire does more than make the ride annoying. The constant vibration wears the tires unevenly and puts extra stress on your suspension and steering parts. Over time, that means replacing parts sooner than you should have to.
Balancing is not the same as an alignment. Balancing evens out the weight of the tire and wheel so they spin smoothly. An alignment adjusts the angle of the wheels so they point straight. Both affect how your car drives and how long your tires last, and it’s common to need one without the other.
Not every vibration is a balance problem. A bent wheel, a damaged tire or worn suspension parts can feel similar, so we take a careful look before deciding what’s needed.
If your car has started shaking on the highway, bring it by and we’ll find out why. Call Franklin Automotive at (615) 472-8052 or stop by 307 5th Ave N in downtown Franklin, Monday through Friday from 7 to 5.
