any place to go to check if tires are balanced?

[apollo18]

hey all, just curious what shops will check if tires are balanced for a low price or free? i don't mind paying to get them balanced ofc but i don't want to pay for a balancing package if the tires are balanced and or if some are already in balance

any recommendations?

thx

 

[GMBoy]

Your local mom and pop tire shop is probably your best bet for a simple check and balance.

 

[dishdude]

Good luck with that.

 

[BornSlippy]

To check the balance is 99% of they way to actually balance the tires.

 

[FowVay]

Most places will charge you $20 each for a balance. They'll rotate them for free. If the wheel is off the vehicle and put on the balance machine and spun then they're going to charge you for the balance whether it needed weights or not. My policy is to remove all weights before I put a tire on the machine regardless.

If you are having a shimmy then get them balanced. If it's just a curiosity thing then pay the people for their time.

 

[Exhaustgases]

Easy, just go to harbor freight and buy a bubble balancer, and you can check them yourself.

 

[SatinSilver]

A few years ago Discount Tire balanced 4 tires on the Camry for $36. Glad I had it done since there was a slight vibration on the highway that went away afterwards. If the tires were bought there I think it would have been free.

 

[55hambone]

Discount Tire and America's Tire do free rotations and balance.

 

[spasm3]

Go wherever you bought the tires.

 

[levi]

I'm sure some place out there would "check" the balance of your tires, but imagine most places are simply going to charge you for balancing regardless.

 

[atikovi]

If they have weights on the wheels, they have been balanced. If they don't, there is still a small chance they were. Are you feeling some shake or vibration?

 

[Starman2112]

All the tire stores that I know of will rotate and balance for free if you bought the tires there.

 

[hrv]

Easy to do....Go on the highway at 55 to 65...If it is smooth in the steering wheel and the seat of your pants...you are fine ..If not..you need a balance...

 

[eljefino]

If they have weights on the wheels, they have been balanced. If they don't, there is still a small chance they were. Are you feeling some shake or vibration?

One can "chuck" a weight yet still have weights remaining and look balanced.

Sometimes you see a "shadow" of grime or corrosion where weights used to be.

OP can rotate their tires front-to-back in a pattern to see if they can narrow it down to one or two tires. Walmart used to, might still, do a one time balance for five bucks.

 

[hrv]

One can "chuck" a weight yet still have weights remaining and look balanced.

Sometimes you see a "shadow" of grime or corrosion where weights used to be.

OP can rotate their tires front-to-back in a pattern to see if they can narrow it down to one or two tires. Walmart used to, might still, do a one time balance for five bucks.

Like I posted above.. If you feel it in the steering wheel it is one of the front tires. If you feel it in the seat of your pants or your door rest...it is one of the rear tires...

 

[Astro14]

hey all, just curious what shops will check if tires are balanced for a low price or free? i don't mind paying to get them balanced ofc but i don't want to pay for a balancing package if the tires are balanced and or if some are already in balance

any recommendations?

thx

My recommendation - just get them balanced. Sometimes as they wear, they get a bit out of balance. Maybe they tossed a weight, I don’t know, but a rebalance can smooth them out.

It would help to know why you think they need the balance checked. What are you feeling?

 

[Kira]

just curious what shops will check if tires are balanced for a low price or free?

Darn few of them.

HURTS: There was a garage near me which had a balancer which featured a crank the tech turned to set to the rims' width.
He's measure the width at the beads with a caliper.
Perfect results every time.
$5 per.

The old garage sold out and a new, slick service station with huge tanks, EZ truck turning radii, focused food and outdoor CLOTHING offerings was built in its place.

 

[GSCJR]

My recommendation - just get them balanced. Sometimes as they wear, they get a bit out of balance. Maybe they tossed a weight, I don’t know, but a rebalance can smooth them out.

Exactly. 9 out of 10 tires are out of balance.