Do Trailer Wheel and Tire Combinations Come Balanced

Question:

When buying a tire and wheel combination do you balance the wheel before shipment.

asked by: Merrill D

Expert Reply:

The ST175/80R13 Radial Trailer Tire with 13" Galvanized Wheel # AM31952, is received from our supplier with the tire mounted on the wheel, the supplier does not balance the combination, but when the tire is installed on the wheel they will line the high (heavy) spot on the tire with the low (light) spot on the wheel. This does not completely balance the tire and wheel combination but it does eliminate any excessive out of balance condition.

In most cases this method of lining up the high and low spots will be just fine for any trailer application. If a you feel that further balancing is needed, you would need to take the wheel and tire combination to a competent tire shop that can balance wheels and tires.

expert reply by: Jameson C