Car Wheel Balancing

Anybody else have HELL getting wheels balanced every time they go for new tyres?

Is there something about modern cars with bigger wheels and tyres (or something about the quality of new tyres) that means they are impossible to balance up? Or are tyre places just not getting the machines calibrated nowadays? I never used to have this problem, but my last three cars (320d, Mondeo, Vectra) have suffered badly with this. Every time I get new tyres I seem to need three different garage's balancing machines and endless swapping wheels around the car until I get smooth motorway running. Does everyone else just drive around and not notice a vibrating wobbly steering wheel? If I've had this problem every set of tyres on my last three cars, how many other cars on the road must be running around out of balance?

Just got two new Goodyear Eagle NCT5's on the front of the Vectra SRI (215/50/17) and the garage has failed with two attempts to balance them up, I'm going to need to take it somewhere else.

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

Anybody else have HELL getting wheels balanced every time they go for new tyres?

Is there something about modern cars with bigger wheels and tyres (or something about the quality of new tyres) that means they are impossible to balance up? Or are tyre places just not getting the machines calibrated nowadays? I never used to have this problem, but my last three cars (320d, Mondeo, Vectra) have suffered badly with this. Every time I get new tyres I seem to need three different garage's balancing machines and endless swapping wheels around the car until I get smooth motorway running. Does everyone else just drive around and not notice a vibrating wobbly steering wheel? If I've had this problem every set of tyres on my last three cars, how many other cars on the road must be running around out of balance?

Just got two new Goodyear Eagle NCT5's on the front of the Vectra SRI (215/50/17) and the garage has failed with two attempts to balance them up, I'm going to need to take it somewhere else.

Ralph,
I bought a new vw golf from vw (funnily enough) and that had wobble from new, only around 70 mph, at 80 it goes.
Got them to check it, found nothing wrong, when i get round to it im gonna get another garage to have a go, but the tyres have at least 10k left in them so will just have to pay for balance.
Phil

[punyXpress]

Did they fit them with the balance dots level with the valves?

[timwilky]

My vectra SRI is a pig to get right. The lease company insist I use quickfit and they cannot balance them. I took it back after the last set of tyres 3 times and still they put it on the machine change the weights and say it will be ok this time sir.

I just wish they would drive it down a motorway for 5 mins, they would come back with RSI to wrists, shoulders etc.

[flymo]

how can it be so hard to balance a wheel on a machine?

[Sir Trev]

Originally Posted by punyXpress

Did they fit them with the balance dots level with the valves?

Even if they don't the balance machine should compensate for that with weights and their placement.

Never had a problem with my 205/50/17 Mundaneo so it does sound like either quality of machine or operative of same!!

Small plug for Micheldever Tyres in Hampshire for car tyres. Best prices I've ever been quoted and worth a trip out I've often found. Tracking/balancing seems to work fine and I've tried them with several cars now all with different tyre bands and wheel sizes. Do good prices on bike tyres (ride in) too but of course I now use Spannerman for this!

It's been a while since I used a balancer but the last one I used effectively had 2 settings. You would do an initial balance and then you could fine tune it. The only thing I can think is that more places just do a quick initial balance and leave it at that, possibly due to having more work on and most people will live with it. It's also easy to move the tyre off the point where the weight should be if you're not careful

Thanks for the replies folks, keep 'em coming, the more knowledge on this the better IMO, it's a black art to most folk, but everybody needs it done.

Originally Posted by punyXpress

Did they fit them with the balance dots level with the valves?

Originally Posted by Sir Trev

Even if they don't the balance machine should compensate for that with weights and their placement

My wife is away with the car today, so I'll take a torch out and check tonight. I didn't know balance dots existed so I've just googled it. Even if the balance machine should even it out, would I be right in thinking you'd need more weight, and that I'd be easier to balance if the dots were in the right place?

[flymo]

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

Thanks for the replies folks, keep 'em coming, the more knowledge on this the better IMO, it's a black art to most folk, but everybody needs it done.





My wife is away with the car today, so I'll take a torch out and check tonight. I didn't know balance dots existed so I've just googled it. Even if the balance machine should even it out, would I be right in thinking you'd need more weight, and that I'd be easier to balance if the dots were in the right place?

It wouldnt necessarily be easier to balance but as you say it would reduce the amount of weight necessary. You wont be able to check visually, they are either in balance or not, regardless of where the dots are.

They need checking properly on a balance machine.

As has been said, its probably been done in a bit of a hurry. A typical tyre fitter wont be as picky as perhaps you or I might be when balancing.

I fit and balance my own bike tyres, if you go to the trouble of getting them spot on then you feel no vibration at all.

Originally Posted by flymo

IYou wont be able to check visually, they are either in balance or not, regardless of where the dots are.

No I realise that, I just want to check if the dots are indeed in the right place.