Generally, people are confused with similar meaning terms and they consider it the same thing. Two such commonly known terms of misconception are Tyre Balancing and Tyre Alignment. Both of them are the two most important practises of tyre maintenance. However, both of their services differ. For many people, it sounds the same thing but they are different in terms of functionality and ensure to build up optimum tyre performance.
Tyre balancing is all about weight distribution around the tyres whereas tyre alignment refers to the correct tyre position in respect to the road and each other. If you are looking for expert tyre fitters in the UK, then Tyres Sherburn is the best go-to choice.
Tyre Balancing
When a tyre is newly fitted to a car or vehicle, it is important to ensure that the tyre is perfectly balanced. Over time, the complete weight on the vehicle causes uneven weight distribution on the tyres. Inline, the contact area between the tyre and the road also varies. The purpose of tyre balancing is to level the overall weight equally and ensure even rotation of the tyres. To achieve a balanced state, small balance weights are added to maintain consistency in the total weight.
To understand the process of tyre balancing, let’s consider an example. If you add weight to one side of the balancing scale then it will get unbalanced. Gradually, when you start adding lighter items to the remaining side, the scale will counterbalance. Likewise, if one side of the tyre is imbalanced then the process requires adding weight to the other side. This way the distribution becomes equal and even.
When Tyre Needs Tyre Balancing?
If your vehicle moves on unbalanced tyres, it will cause vibrations in the steering tyre. Those vibrations are at very high speeds usually above 50mph. Mostly, the front tyres of your vehicle are in an unbalanced state. In addition, the floor and seats of the vehicle encounter vibrations due to unbalanced rear tyres. Unbalanced tyres even cause wear and tear to your tyres, steering parts, and other components which can charge you a sum of money in the long run. So, always opt for tyre balancing whenever you take your vehicle for service.
Tyre Alignment
Tyre alignment is also referred to as tracking in some countries. This involves thorough checking of the tyre’s direction and angle. Ideally, they should be perpendicular to the road surface and parallel to each other. Generally, you have two options to choose from, either 2 tyre alignments for the front axle or 4 tyre alignments for both front and rear axles.
When you go for a service, the technician will check the camber, toe, and caster. Camber is the pitch of the tyre, both inwards and outwards. While the toe is the direction of the tyre in regards to each other. Caster is the side angle of the steering pivot. Once the tyre assessment is completed, tie rods and control arms are adjusted to give a correct alignment and optimal tyre position.
When Tyre Needs Tyre Alignment?
Every people now and then know the actual condition of the roads in the UK. The poor and damaged roads are one of the prime reasons for the misaligned tyres. Moving the vehicle over small potholes or driving at high-speed bumps impacts the kerb directly and therefore leads to incorrect positioning of the tyres.
If you notice that the vehicle has started to drift at one side even on a straight road, it means that the tyres have become misaligned. Similarly, you may find the steering tyre becomes off-centre when you are driving straight. Consequently, incorrect tyre alignment is also a big cause of uneven tyre wear, high fuel consumption, and uneven system braking. So, it is always recommended to conduct tyre alignment at least once a year. Tyre alignment is especially important if your vehicle constitutes any Advanced Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS) like Lane Keep Assist or Adaptive Cruise Control. Further, if you are looking for any tyre correction services then Tyres Pickering is the best place to meet all your service requirements.
