Guideline on Buying Tires Wheel Balancing and the Performance of Your Car | Page 7

However, depending on your style of driving and road surfaces/conditions, you might find that
you need the procedure done much sooner. If you are experiencing any or a combination of
these symptoms, your wheels need balancing:
 Your steering wheel vibrates at highway speeds
 Your seats or floorboard vibrate at highway speed
 Your tires display scalloped/cupped wear patterns
Unnecessarily delaying tire repair procedures like wheel alignment and balancing can lead to
an undesirable spiral effect of negative consequences. Here are the main benefits of wheel
alignment and balancing especially in relation to your car performance:
1. Better fuel efficiency
When your wheels are no properly aligned or balanced, your car has uneven traction which
causes the engine to work harder thus consuming more fuel. TMC's S.11 Energy Conservation
Study Group has published an updated RP1111 that outlines the relationship between
truck/trailer components and fuel economy. The report says that properly balanced tires can
save as much as 2.2% SAE J1326/RP 1102 Type II fuel.