Aftermarket wheels need a closer look
A new set of wheels is one of the most common upgrades on a pickup or an SUV, and it is also one of the most common sources of a vibration that will not go away no matter how many times the tires are balanced.
The reason is usually how the wheel locates on the vehicle. Factory wheels are made to fit snugly over the center hub, which holds them exactly centered. Many aftermarket wheels are made with a larger center hole so that one design fits many vehicles. Without the right adapter ring filling the gap, the wheel is centered only by the lug nuts, and it can end up very slightly off center when it is tightened.
A wheel a fraction off center behaves like a wheel out of balance. The balancer says it is perfect, because on the machine it is. Bolted to the vehicle, it shakes.
What to check if it shakes
- Whether the wheels are aftermarket, and whether centering rings were fitted.
- Whether the shake started straight after new wheels or new tires went on.
- Whether the lug nuts were tightened in a star pattern to the correct torque, rather than run on with an impact wrench in a circle.
Mention any of that when you book. It changes what gets checked first.
Other occasions for a balance
Every new tire fitting is balanced. A rotation, a tire repair or a lost weight are good reasons too, and a vibration that appears at one particular speed is the classic sign.
A vibration with a pull, or at every speed, is often alignment or a worn part. A bent wheel that will not balance out is wheel refurbishing. Both are at this store. The national tire and wheel balancing page covers when balancing is worth asking for.
Other stores nearby
The Salt Lake City Truck Tire Center and Ogden also balance tires and wheels.
About this store
This is the Salt Lake City Commercial & Consumer store, carrying all nine Purcell tire categories and managed by Brian Morris. See the Salt Lake City page for the other listings.
See the national tire and wheel balancing page for all 51 locations.