PASSENGER CAR WHEEL WEIGHTS // WHEEL BALANCING 391 The Importance of Wheel Balancing Why Balance? Balancing is an important part of your tire service. Whether you are getting new tires, or having your tires rotated, you should get a rebalance each time your wheel comes off of your vehicle. The main reasons for balancing are comfort and tire wear. WHEEL WEIGHTS: AN OVERVIEW Wheel weights have historically been made of lead. Over the last decade, there has been pressure put on the tire industry to use wheel weights made from materials other than lead. Two materials with very different characteristics have become the most popular alternatives to lead; steel and zinc. • LEAD has historically been used to manufacture wheel weights because it has distinc t characteristics. Lead is very dense, soft, and relatively inexpensive. It is also simple and inexpensive to manufacture using a mold because of its low melting point, and viscosity while in a molten state. Concerns over the dangers of lead have caused some states to ban the use of lead wheel weights. The EPA has already accepted a petition to ban the use of lead wheel weights in the United States, but they have yet to announce a time table or their actual rules. COMFORT Vehicles are being made lighter and lighter. The heavier cars of yesterday actually helped smooth out the ride by dampening many vibrations before the driver could feel them. The softer suspensions also had the same effect. Another factor is tire technology. Generally, more responsive tires with lower profiles (which send more road feedback to the driver) are being used in today’s market. As a result, the slightest imbalance can be felt in most vehicles. For those of you who have larger tires and wheels, balancing is even more critical. TIRE WEAR Over the miles you drive, turning, hitting bumps and holes, and driving down uneven road surfaces have led to uneven tread wear on your tires. Perhaps a pothole has knocked-out your vehicle’s alignment which creates uneven tire wear. Besides rotating the tires and getting an alignment to set things right, you should also rebalance the tires. Even if you can’t feel vibrations, they are present. The uneven tread wear has created an imbalance that generates excessive heat and wear on your tires. Considering the hundreds of dollars you spent on your tires, a rebalance will extend the life of your tires. • LEAD-FREE weights are more rigid and less dense than the lead weights we are used to. This results in the necessity more than ever to use the proper application at all times rather than only one or two styles. Please ask your representative for a rim gauge or application chart. • STEEL has become the replacement material of choice for almost all of the OEM’s and national tire retailers. Steel has proven itself to be non-toxic, 100% recyclable, and the most prevalent material in the automotive industry. • ZINC has also become a viable replacement to lead wheel weights. A zinc wheel weight is manufactured in a similar process to lead weights. Although a zinc weight has an appearance similar to that of lead, it is important to use the entire range of series for successful balancing. There are also new emerging technologies such as PlaSteel which combine the benefits of both lead-free alternatives to provide a more user friendly alternative to lead. WARNING: For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov. SUPPLY CORPORATION ASCOT SUPPLY CORPORATION BUYER'S GUIDE WHEEL BALANCING // PASSENGER CAR WHEEL WEIGHTS
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