Wheel alignment and wheel balancing are two totally different things; however, many people get them confused. Many people come to us thinking that their steering wheel is vibrating because of an alignment issue. What many people don’t realize is that a vibrating steering wheel is more than likely the cause of a wheel that is out of balance.

Symptoms of a car that is out of alignment:

• Uneven or rapid tire wear
• Pulling or drifting
• Wandering on a straight level road

Symptoms of a wheel that of out of balance:

• Vibration in the seat or floorboard at certain highway speeds
• Steering wheel vibration
• Scalloped or cupped wear pattern on the tires

Your tire can become out of balance from a number of things. Tires take a beating from hitting potholes, curbs, and bridge expansion joints. Hitting any of these objects can knock off the wheel weight, causing the tire to become out of balance.

If you think that your car falls under any of these conditions, bring your car to your local automotive shop in Kennesaw, GA to have it looked at and cared for.