About Road Force Balancing

Most of todays's premium vehicles are equipped with state of the art low profile radial tires, mounted on 17,18,19 and even 20 inch alloy wheels that are easily damaged by road imperfections, curbs and potholes, resulting in high speed vibration problems that are not easily repaired with conventional wheel balancing techniques.

Parker Auto Care Ltd. is equipped with two Hunter Road Force Wheel Balancers, the most state of the art method of detecting wheel and tire imperfections and defects that result in high speed driveability and vibration problems. The GSP 9700 Balancer is also capable of "straight track" diagnosis, identifying tire and wheel assemblies that have a tendancy to roll out, or cause steering pull problems that cannot be associated to alignment angles.

Generally, wheel balance vibrations are vibrations that can be felt at higher speeds only, and are typically felt for a range of speed....for example the vehicle may vibrate from 90-100 kph, but not from 100-110...then vibrate again at a slightly higher range of speed. Balance vibrations do not disappear when you take your foot off the gas, or when you shift the vehicle into neutral. Incorrectly balanced wheels are not noisy, noises are caused by bad wheel bearings or tires with scalloped tread wear. Balancing will not correct these issues. Balancing will also not correct low-speed wobbles...usually caused by a defective tire or very badly bent rim.

How It Works

The Hunter GSP9700 Balancer identifies the light spot in the wheel and the heavier spot in the tire, and prompts the operator to "match mount" the tire on the rim assembly so the entire assembly takes the least amount of weight to balance it properly. It also identifies the amount of "road force" that each assembly exerts under rotation, thus locating potential problem assemblies that may cause high speed driveability issues and rim defects are identified on assemblies that have excessive road force by measuring rim runout. Non repairable damaged or defective tires that do not roll true can also be identified during this process.

Pricing

Regular wheel balancing (up to and including 16 inch wheels ) where match mounting is not required is 15.00 per wheel plus 1.75 per wheel for weights.

Match mounting up to and including 16 inch tires is 20.00 extra per wheel.

Regular balancing without match mounting on 17 inch and larger wheels is 20.00 per wheel plus 1.75 per wheel for weights.

Match mounting on 17 inch and larger wheels is 25.00 extra per wheel.

Appointments are necessary, 4 wheel balancing on a problem car with a road test can take up to 1 1/2 hours in the shop with match mounting. Call or email for an appointment.