# Do they balance the wheel or the tire? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [May 12, 2013, 10:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-they-balance-the-wheel-or-the-tire/79269 "2013-05-12T22:48:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![UsedEconobox\_2\_UsedBMW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/8491ac/32.png) [@UsedEconobox\_2\_UsedBMW](https://community.cartalk.com/u/UsedEconobox_2_UsedBMW)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 10:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-they-balance-the-wheel-or-the-tire/79269/1 "2013-05-12T22:48:22Z")
I had a new tire recently balanced. Then it popped a few days later, so I get a used one. They forgot to balance that 2nd tire. But, I get no wobble, so I assume the 2nd tire is balanced. Did the first balance address the rim itself or the rubber tire? Does changing a tire immediately after a balance require a new balance? ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2013, 10:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-they-balance-the-wheel-or-the-tire/79269/2 "2013-05-12T22:57:36Z")
Both. Supposedly the weights on the rim balance imperfections in both the rim and the tire. The weights are removed from the rim with the tire. All competent mechanics will rebalance. Perhaps the weights were such that you did not see them and maybe on the inside. ---
**Author:** ![Wha-Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9f8e36/32.png) [@Wha-Who](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Wha-Who)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2013, 12:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-they-balance-the-wheel-or-the-tire/79269/3 "2013-05-13T00:37:48Z")
You can be lucky occasionally to find a tire that needs no balance weight. Consider too that a wheel alone could be imbalanced and with some luck an imbalanced tire could correct it. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2013, 4:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-they-balance-the-wheel-or-the-tire/79269/4 "2013-05-13T04:08:17Z")
Usually the wheel would be rebalanced when the tire is changed. But if you got no problem, don’t worry, be happy. ---
**Author:** ![keith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/keith/32/5518_2.png) [@keith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/keith)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2013, 8:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-they-balance-the-wheel-or-the-tire/79269/5 "2013-05-13T20:17:13Z")
The tire popped? I’d like to hear that story. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2013, 8:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-they-balance-the-wheel-or-the-tire/79269/6 "2013-05-13T20:21:34Z")
Get the replacement balanced, you may or may not feel a wobble, but for a few dollars I’d want it balanced. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2013, 8:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-they-balance-the-wheel-or-the-tire/79269/7 "2013-05-13T20:57:35Z")
I’m with Texases on this one. If it begins to develop an erratic wear pattern it’ll be too late to correct it. ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2013, 4:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-they-balance-the-wheel-or-the-tire/79269/8 "2013-05-14T04:25:42Z")
Sometimes you get lucky [http://www.bridgestonetrucktires.com/us\_eng/real/magazines/ra\_v13\_i1/PDF/ra\_v13i1%20ask%20doc.pdf](http://www.bridgestonetrucktires.com/us_eng/real/magazines/ra_v13_i1/PDF/ra_v13i1%20ask%20doc.pdf) But the tire companies help you all that they can. ---
**Author:** ![CapriRacer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/capriracer/32/22_2.png) [@CapriRacer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/CapriRacer)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2013, 4:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-they-balance-the-wheel-or-the-tire/79269/9 "2013-05-14T16:21:32Z")
Just an FYI: The Bridgestone article is about truck tires - 18 wheeler variety. What they say there is true for THEM! But is not necessarily true for other tire manufacturers. This is particularly true in passenger car tires - where the markings are far less standardized (more manufacturers of tires and wheels, so more variations). So do not expect your tires to have marks on them, but if they do, matching up the dots may be helpful.