Back to all

Wheel Balancing at Tuffy St. Johns

July 14, 2019

So you love your job, and your family life is great. Congratulations! You have achieved balance. But can you say the same for your wheels? St. Johns drivers can tell if their tires are out of balance by vibrations at higher speeds on Florida roads. If one of the front tires is out, you feel the vibration in the steering wheel. If it's a back tire, you'll feel the vibration in your seat.

Tires and wheels are pretty heavy. When a tire is mounted on a wheel at Tuffy St. Johns, it is usually not perfectly balanced. So the technician will spin the tire on a machine to determine where it's too heavy. He will then place weights on the wheels in strategic locations to balance it out. When a tire is out of balance, it actually bounces down the road instead of rolling smoothly. Since the average size tire rotates at about 850 revolutions per minute at 60 mph/97 kph, it is actually slamming into the pavement 14 times a second. That's where you get your vibration.

Most people in St. Johns are surprised at how smoothly their car rides after balancing all four wheels.

Most high-quality tires sold in St. Johns hold their balance pretty well. They just get out of balance gradually with normal wear and tear. If you suddenly feel a vibration, it is probably because you lost a wheel balancing weight along the way. Definitely get a balance at Tuffy St. Johns in St. Johns if you feel a vibration, change your rims or have a flat repaired. Putting off a needed balance job leads to excessive and tire wear, wear to your shocks, struts, steering and suspension parts. Wheel balancing not only improves your ride and handling, but also can save you some repair bills and possibly an accident. Additionally, you will get better fuel economy.

Some St. Johns area drivers have their tires balanced at every rotation. Others do it every other time. Check your owner's manual for your requirements, or ask your friendly service advisor at Tuffy St. Johns. Doing this will put you on the path to mechanical wheel balance.

Tuffy St. Johns
2770 Racetrack Rd.
St. Johns , Florida 32259
904.230.3363

 

More articles from Tuffy St. Johns

Don't Blow a Gasket! (Valve Cover Gasket Replacement)

May 12, 2024

When you head out to your vehicle after it's been parked and notice oil leaking underneath it, that's something to have looked at right away. Oil leaks mean your oil level is probably low and running a vehicle in that condition can lead to expensive repairs. While there are many reasons oil leak... More

Read a Good Tire Lately? (Tire Wear)

May 5, 2024

There's lots of good information to read in books and online. You might not know that you can also "read" your tires and learn a lot about what shape they're in and if they are in need of attention. It's important to know how your tires are doing because a tire failure can be very dangerous to y... More

The Last Gas (Fuel Pump Replacement).

April 28, 2024

You're heading down the road and you notice your vehicle is sputtering, like it's running out of gas. But the gauge show's it's still got a quarter of a tank. So what gives? It could be that your fuel pump is failing, meaning your engine is not getting enough gas to run properly. While fuel pu... More