Balancing and alignment are two different jobs that people often mix up. Balancing fixes vibration by evening out the weight around a wheel and tyre; alignment fixes pulling and uneven wear by adjusting the angles the wheels sit at. New tyres always need balancing; alignment is checked separately.
What wheel balancing does
No tyre and wheel are perfectly even in weight. Spun at speed, a small heavy spot causes vibration, usually felt through the steering wheel at certain speeds. A balancing machine spins the wheel, finds the imbalance, and small weights are clipped or stuck to the rim to cancel it out. Every new tyre we fit is balanced.
What alignment does
Alignment sets the angles (toe, camber, caster) at which the wheels meet the road. Correct angles mean the car tracks straight and tyres wear evenly. It's a suspension adjustment, not a wheel-and-tyre job.
How to tell which you need
| Symptom | Likely fix |
|---|---|
| Vibration at speed | Balancing |
| Car pulls to one side | Alignment |
| One-edge tyre wear | Alignment |
| Patchy/cupped wear | Balancing or suspension |
| Off-centre steering wheel | Alignment |
When to have them done
Balance whenever a tyre is fitted or if you feel new vibration. Check alignment after kerb or pothole impacts, or if you see uneven wear. We balance every tyre we fit, at your location across London and Birmingham. Book a fit.
