Wheel Balancing vs. Wheel Alignment

Keeping your car’s wheels in good shape is crucial to its safety and reliability. Wheel balancing and alignment are two essential services that certified technicians perform to ensure your car is operating as it should. While they sound similar, these two services are actually quite different. Below, we compare wheel balancing vs. wheel alignment to give you a better idea of what both services entail.

What is Wheel Balancing Service?

Wheels lose their balance over time, so it’s important to complete regular wheel balancing service. If wheels aren’t balanced, it can negatively affect the steering of your car, causing it to shake or vibrate. This can make for a bumpy ride and cause issues with uneven tire wear because the tiers are unbalanced.

Getting your wheels balanced routinely minimizes tire bouncing as you cruise around Houston and gives you more tractional control. It can also help lengthen the life of your tires. When you get your tires rotated, which should be every 5,000 to 6,000 miles, you should also have your wheels balanced.

What is Wheel Alignment Service?

Wheel alignment doesn’t need to be part of your regular service schedule, and instead should be completed as needed. Wheel alignment is often called “front-end alignment” and involves making sure the tires are perpendicular to the road and parallel to one another. If a wheel is out of alignment, it can cause some of the same issues as an unbalanced wheel, such as steering problems and uneven tire tread.

The main difference is that unbalanced wheels happen naturally over time. Unaligned wheels usually happen when one of your tires hits a pothole or bumps into a curb. It can also happen due to poor shocks or struts, which also require a service appointment to address.

Wheel Balancing & Wheel Alignment Cost

Price-wise, these two services can be similar, depending on the complexity of the service. Depending on your vehicle, you can expect to pay around $30-$100 for a wheel balancing service. Keep in mind that’s a general ballpark figure and can vary depending on where you go for service. Wheel alignment can cost more — usually around $50-$100, but it can be higher if all four wheels need to be aligned.

Schedule Wheel Service at Texan GMC Buick Today!

If you have additional questions about wheel balancing vs. wheel alignment, the service team at Texan GMC Buick is here to help. Schedule service online or call us at (281) 393-7915 to learn more about our tire and wheel repair prices. Before you schedule, browse our service specials for more exciting offers.