When is Wheel Balancing Required for Commercial Truck Tires?

We know that underinflation of commercial truck tires is one of the leading causes of fuel inefficiency within the modern fleet. But what about the impact of wheel balancing? Within this latest post, we’ll highlight the topic of wheel balancing and pinpoint the right time to initiate the wheel balancing process, as well as its importance to your fleet.

Some reluctance due to the time constraints

Some operators are reluctant to commit to wheel balancing because it can add 10-to-15 minutes to the installation time for each tire. But, slowly, the industry is now realizing that wheel balancing can have a number of significant benefits for both the vehicle and the entire fleet.

Balance means control

Many drivers have noticed that, once their truck’s tires have been balanced, they are able to maintain greater control over the vehicle. Imbalances can contribute to sub-optimal steering performance, and so regaining the balance is the best way to assure complete control over the vehicle on the road.

Balancing reduces maintenance requirements

Another clear advantage of undertaking wheel balancing on a fleet-wide basis is that it helps to reduce the maintenance requirements for the fleet vehicles. When the vehicle is unbalanced, the vibration can cause damage to lights, bearings, u-joints, and other suspension parts. And this can mean that operators have to undertake significant repair work over time.

Data shows the value in balancing tires

The data show that by focusing on only the obvious maintenance issues such as tire pressure, worn suspension components, and incorrectly torqued bearings, operators could be missing one of the hidden keys to longer lasting tires. Not balancing tires has been shown to cause tires to wear 25% faster, leading to operators spending money sooner than necessary on new tires for their vehicles.

Lowering operating costs brings focus onto commercial truck tires

The focus on achieving ever-lower operating costs means more operators are now, more than ever, concentrating on the performance of their commercial truck tires. And wheel balancing has been shown to not only improve lifetime performance, but also improve vehicle efficiency by as much as 2%. It’s important to consult with experts for the latest commercial truck tires to discover more about the value of the balancing process.

Our trusted team at STTC has decades of experience in the tire sales and maintenance industry. To discover more about our services, call us today.