# Tire Balancing



## romasutherland (Jul 8, 2004)

It appears there is no tire balancing completed on our new outback.

Should tire balancing be completed and if so, at what intervals?


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## j1mfrog (Jun 6, 2004)

All tires should be balanced.

It should have been done when they installed them on your new Outback (actually when they installed the wheels on the rims of your new outback). I think you can safely assumes it's done. After that I never balance unless I do something to throw the balance off. An example would be putting on some heavy valve caps. If you have reason to believe they are out of balance, then re-balance them. I'm not sure, but I think an out of balance wheel will feel like a wobble. Some of the smart guys out there can clarify.

New tires should always be balanced when they are installed.


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## kjp1969 (Apr 25, 2004)

(Caveat: All my experience is with car tires.) 
Wheels and tires both have heavy and light spots- quality tires have a dot about the size of a pencil eraser on the sidewall. The installer is *supposed* to match this up with the part of the wheel that has the valve stem, which is theoretically the heavy spot on the wheel (or 180 degrees from it, depending on whether its the heavy or light spot.) Often, its possible to balance the wheel and tire without using lead weights, if only the installer cares enough to take the time to do it this way.

I would think trailer tires should be balanced just like car tires. But since nobody rides in trailers, the vibration of an out-of-balance wheel won't be felt, and installers may not bother doing it. The result will be irregular tire and bearing wear. Just my $.02

Kevin P.


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## aplvlykat (Jan 25, 2004)

From what I have read TT tires have to be balenced from the lug nut holes and not from the center large hole as some are not centered. Make sure the place can do them this way.. Kirk


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## fixjet (Jan 19, 2004)

Balance them. They are not balanced from the factory. My 2001 24ft. Cargo Mate and My Outback were not balanced. If you have a badly unbalanced tire it will increase towing resistance and induce vibrations into the unit to with can loosen up many of the structures, cabinets, pumping etc.


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## Coast_Guard_Family (Jul 13, 2004)

I was feeling a vibration in the back of my TT and it turned out to be... Two tires out of balance (same side), I don't think they were ever balanced.


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