6 Bay Store - NO WAITING!
ASE Certified Technicians
Your Neighborhood Full Service Repair Facility
Tuffy Sells Tires
Family Owned & Operated
June 6, 2016
Our vehicles are not massage chairs. While we may enjoy a good vibration in an overstuffed recliner, we generally want as smooth a ride as possible in our vehicles. One way to achieve this is to keep a vehicle's wheels in balance.
When a tire is mounted onto a wheel, it is usually out of balance. This means that as the wheel spins, there is a slight wobble to the path of the tire. For best handling performance and safety on the road, Joliet drivers want to minimize this wobble as much as possible. So we balance our tires. To balance a tire, your technician at Tuffy Joliet (South Plainfield) spins it on a machine or drum to determine where it is off-balance. He then attaches weights that counter-balance the uneven weight. Most people in Joliet are surprised at how much balancing improves the smoothness of their ride.
High-quality tires generally hold their balance well. But over time, wear and tear take their toll and tires can become unbalanced. Joliet drivers can tell when a front tire is unbalanced if they feel a vibration in the steering wheel. If a back tire is unbalanced, you'll feel a vibration in your seat. You may not notice these vibrations until they get fairly serious — or until someone else drives your vehicle — because they usually develop slowly. If a vibration starts abruptly, it usually means you've lost a balancing weight.
The average tire rotates at about 850 revolutions per minute at 60 mph/97 kmh. When a tire is out of balance, it actually hops down the road, rather than rolling. So at 60 mph/97 kph, it is slamming into the pavement 14 times a second. That's what creates the vibration. When tires are out of balance, they wear out more quickly. The lack of balance also causes extra wear on shocks, struts, steering components and suspension parts.
Getting a balance job at Tuffy Joliet (South Plainfield) in Joliet can prevent repair bills and even an accident. It will improve the safety of your vehicle as well as its handling performance. When you change your rims or get a flat repaired at Tuffy Joliet (South Plainfield), you'll need to get your tires balanced as well. When you rotate your tires, you may want to have them balanced, too.
Some Joliet vehicle owners, however, only balance their wheels every other rotation. You can check your owner's manual to see what is recommended for your vehicle. Balancing your tires is part of preventive maintenance. It keeps your vehicle in good repair and prevents damage to many of its components. So practice good vehicle care and make it a point to keep your tires balanced. It's quality auto advice from Tuffy Joliet (South Plainfield). Massage chairs may vibrate away our worries, but unbalanced tires will just rattle Joliet drivers' nerves.
Tuffy Joliet (South Plainfield)
2031 SR 59
Joliet, Illinois 60586
815-436-1829
November 17, 2024
With hotter weather and brutal heat waves becoming more common, the pressure in your vehicle's tires goes up. After all, heat causes air to expand, and the air in your tires follows the laws of physics. Overinflated tires can reduce your vehicle's traction, cause a hard, punishing ride and make ... More
November 10, 2024
Theres an important part in your vehicle that shields your timing belt, timing chain or cam belt from the debris and gunk that can be kicked up from the road. Its called the timing cover. Its important because the timing belt or chain is what coordinates parts of your engine called the camshaft... More
November 3, 2024
Winter and freezing temperatures present challenges for different parts of your vehicles. For example, winter tires give you better traction on snow. But some parts of your vehicle that may need special attention for winter are your windshield wipers. You may have found yourself in the middle o... More
