A stone between the duals
A truck that has been on gravel or a job site and comes back with a new vibration may not have a balance problem at all. On dual wheels, the first thing to look for is a stone wedged between the two tires.
Rocks get picked up and trapped in the gap between duals on unpaved ground. A large one changes the balance of the assembly, which shows up as a shake at speed. Worse, a trapped stone grinds into both sidewalls with every turn, and a stone left there long enough can cut through to the cords and end two tires.
Checking takes a minute. Walk round the truck and look into the gap on every dual set, especially after site work. Remove anything lodged there with a proper tool, and look at both sidewalls where it sat.
When it really is balance
If the gaps are clear and the vibration remains, the assembly is worth balancing. A few situations call for it regardless:
- New tires. Every new fitting is balanced.
- A tire repaired or remounted. The weights may no longer sit where they were set.
- A missing weight. A clean patch on the wheel where a weight used to be.
Set pressures cold against the specification before concluding anything, since a low tire on a dual set changes how both behave.
When it is something else
A pull, or wear on one edge, is alignment, and heavy-duty truck alignment is at this store. A vibration that survives a balance is often the wheel, and wheel refurbishing is here too. The national tire and wheel balancing page covers the other occasions worth asking for it.
Other stores nearby
Willcox and Casa Grande also balance tires and wheels.
About this store
The Tucson store carries all nine Purcell tire categories and is managed by Mark Laster.
See the national tire and wheel balancing page for all 51 locations.