Where you feel it tells you which end
A vibration at highway speed is one of the most common reasons people ask for a balance. Before booking, it is worth paying attention to one thing that saves time on the day: where in the vehicle you feel it.
In the steering wheel. A shake that comes through your hands usually starts at the front. The front wheels are connected to the steering, so an imbalance there travels straight up the column.
In the seat or the floor. A vibration you feel through your body rather than your hands more often starts at the rear, since the back wheels have no direct connection to the steering.
Both. That can mean more than one wheel is out, or that the cause is something other than balance.
None of this replaces a proper check, but it points the work in the right direction and helps confirm afterward that the right wheel was dealt with.
Note the speed, too
Imbalance usually shows up in a band of speed, often appearing somewhere on the highway and easing either side of it. A vibration that is present at every speed, or that changes when you brake or turn, points elsewhere: suspension, brakes, or a damaged tire.
When balancing is due
Every new tire fitting is balanced. Beyond that, a lost wheel weight, a tire repair, or a vibration that has appeared since the last visit are all reasons to have it checked. A wheel that will not balance properly, or a vibration that returns quickly, can be the wheel itself, and wheel refurbishing is at this store. The national tire and wheel balancing page lists the other occasions worth asking for it.
Nearby stores
Fenton and Washington also balance tires and wheels.
About this store
The De Soto store carries all nine Purcell tire categories and is managed by Cathy Bequette.
See the national tire and wheel balancing page for all 51 locations.