what does it mean to balance tires

Tire balancing, also known as wheel balancing, is the process of correcting the uneven distribution of weight in the wheels of a vehicle. Imbalanced wheels can lead to vibration, excessive tire wear, damage to the suspension, and other problems. During a tire balance service, the tires and wheels are mounted onto a tire balancing machine, which spins the tire and wheel assembly to measure the imbalance. A technician then installs the correct tire weights to achieve a properly balanced wheel and tire assembly. Tires may need to be rebalanced if the driver perceives excessive vibration or if they become out of balance due to uneven tire wear or the loss of a wheel weight because a rim hits a curb or pothole. Tire balancing is distinct from wheel alignment, which refers to the adjustment of a vehicles suspension system to keep it from veering to the right or left.