Wheel Balancing Service Video

Wheel balancing evens out the weight around each tire and wheel so they spin smoothly at road speed. Small weight differences you cannot see are the cause of most vibration. At highway speed, they turn into a shimmy in the steering wheel or a buzz through the seat.

This video shows what happens on the balancer and why a wheel that looks fine can still be off by half an ounce. It also explains how road force balancing finds stiff spots in a tire that a standard spin balance can miss.

The clearest sign is a vibration that shows up at a certain speed and fades above or below it. A shimmy in the steering wheel usually points to a front wheel, while a vibration through the seat points to the rear.

Cupped or scalloped spots on the tread are a quieter warning that a tire has been hopping instead of rolling. Our technicians remove old weights, clean the mounting surface, and spin each wheel to find its imbalance. The full process is covered by our suspension, steering, and wheel service.

Each freeze-thaw season leaves broken pavement on Frederick County's back roads, and a hard hit there can knock a stick-on weight loose overnight. Drivers from Walkersville and Mount Airy often notice a new shimmy right after pothole season.

If your steering wheel shakes at highway speed, call Spectra Auto Services at (301) 695-5990, or visit your trusted mechanic in Frederick, MD to have your wheels balanced.