We balance wheels where the car is parked, on the balancer carried in the van. Northampton is about 54 miles in a straight line from our only base at Brent Cross, NW2 (further by road). We have no base or van stationed nearby. Call and we will tell you straight away whether we can take the job; if we can, the arrival time is given on the call.
A wheel that is out of balance can cause vibration through the steering wheel or the seat, often at higher speeds, and uneven tyre wear. We balance the wheels at the car: each wheel is taken off, spun on the balancing machine in the van, and small weights are fixed to the rim to even it out. Balancing is done whenever we fit a new tyre, and it can be booked on its own.
It is not the same as wheel alignment, which sets the angles of the wheels. We do not do alignment, so if the car pulls to one side, a garage with an alignment rig is the place for that. Our main wheel balancing page, linked below, has more detail.
The car can be on a drive, a residential street or a car park whose owner allows the work, on firm, fairly level ground. Industrial estates and retail parks such as Brackmills, Riverside Retail Park or Tungsten Business Park are private ground, so the owner's permission comes first. We never work on the carriageway of a motorway or main road, on a hard shoulder, in a smart motorway emergency area or on a slip road. The car needs to be off the motorway and parked legally first.
At about 54 miles, a balancing-only visit is a long trip for the van, and it makes most sense alongside new tyres for the same car. Tell us where the car is, how many wheels you want balanced and where the locking wheel nut key is if the car has one.
The price depends on how many wheels need balancing, and we confirm it on the call before anyone sets off. The price is the same at any hour.
Balancing is part of every new tyre we fit. On its own, it is worth booking when a vibration has appeared after a kerb strike or a pothole, when a balance weight is missing from the rim, or when winter and summer wheels are swapped over and have not been balanced for a while.
Look at the tyre first if the shake started suddenly after an impact: a bulge on the sidewall means the tyre needs replacing, and balancing will not fix it.
Most tyres have small raised bars in the main grooves, called tread wear indicators. When the tread is worn level with them, the tyre is at the legal limit. A 20p coin is a rough check: if the outer band of the coin shows when it is pushed into the main grooves, the tread may be close to the limit.
Grip in the wet falls away well before the limit, so many drivers replace tyres at around 3 mm. Age matters too: cracking in the sidewall or between the tread blocks means the rubber is perishing, even on a tyre with plenty of tread left.
Tell us when the shaking starts and where you feel it: through the steering wheel, the seat or the floor.
You hear what the job involves and the options for your car. Nothing is booked until you say yes.
The fitter comes to your home, your workplace or a safe place to park, raises the car on a jack and does the job beside it.
Before the fitter leaves, the wheel is checked for security and the tyre pressure is set to the maker's figure.
Leave the locking wheel nut key somewhere easy to find, such as the driver's seat or the glovebox, and tell us if the car will be at work rather than at home.
You do not need to stay with the car for the whole job, but someone needs to hand over the keys and agree the work. If the car is in a residents' bay or a work car park, check the fitter can park close to it.
“Good communication, excellent work and takes the initiative. Happy to go the extra mile, highly recommended if you're in a tyre-related bit of bother!”
“A pleasure having them come down and save me. Big shout out to Hiwad, really responsive, recommend him to anybody.”
“Good and reliable service in all conditions.”
These are the neighbourhoods, postcode districts and main roads on record for this area. Whether we can take a particular job depends on the diary and the distance from our base, so the call always decides.
Wheel balancing vs alignment: what's the difference?
Balancing and alignment are often confused but are two different jobs. Here's what each does, how to tell which you need, and when to have them done.
Steering wheel vibration at speed: causes and fixes
A vibrating steering wheel usually points to wheel balance or a tyre problem. Here's how to tell the cause from the speed it happens, and how to fix it.
Bald edges, a worn centre or feathered tread each tell a story. Here's how to read uneven tyre wear patterns and fix the cause before it ruins the next set.
Describe the vibration and when it starts, and the wheels are balanced at the car. The price is given on the call.
