Proper tire / wheel balance is critical to safe vehicle operation and performance, not to mention driving comfort. In order to balance a wheel you need a special piece of automotive repair shop equipment called a wheel balancer. The top of the line balancers are made by Corghi. Wheel Products by McCourt also make wheel balancers and tire changer tools. Some popular models are the Corghi CORET66MWL140, which has the built-in wheel lift, the CORHD600 for Heavy Duty Truck, and the COREM8540.
Wheel balancing is done at tire changes and is also recommended throughout the life of the tires. This can vary by manufacturer. For instance, BMW and Mercedes-Benz may have slightly different mileage requirements for balancing wheels than Ford or GMC trucks, and even heavy duty trucks like Freightliner or Mack or Peterbilt. Some people find it convenient to have their wheels rotated and balanced at every other oil change.
A typical experience involves jacking the vehicle and removing the wheels. Then the wheels are put on the wheel balancer machine. The wheels are rotated very quickly and the computer in the machine indicates the position and the weight required. The mechanic or technician then installs a balance weight to the wheel and repeats the process until the wheel is properly balanced. Then the wheel is installed on the vehicle.
Normally this procedure is done at a tire specialty shop but most repair shops will have a wheel balance and tire changer machine. The COREM43 or the WPM-S210 wheel balancers are great economy models for the smaller automotive repair shops, and the WPM-S110 and the CORA9220TI are excellent tire changers. Specialty tire shops normally prefer the CORAG52L, CORET66MWL140 professional high quality machines.
