I finally rolled over the 10k miles on my z's new tires... How important is it to have the wheels balanced now that there has been 10k miles on them? Am I really getting anything positive out of it by paying somone 100 and something dollars to possible scratch a rim? (And the $100 was a random guess, I haven't called around to the local shops for quote yet).

Thanks in advance, - Mitch

 

Nope, I wouldn’t do it I see no reason.

 

Balanced tires will last longer and ride better. There is no danger to the rim in just balancing; you should have it done every other oil change or every 5-6k miles. A basic balance at Discount Tire should only cost you around $20 and even if you opt for Road Force balancing on a Hunter 9700, it should only be about $30. Deffinitely worth it. Plus, if you bought the tires at Discount Tire, it typically includes free balancings for the life of the tire.

 

Balance or rotate? Balance is unnecessary. If your tires are wearing evenly, rotation is unnecessary.

 

I have no vibrations, but I do want my tires to last as long as possible, so I guess i'll opt for a balance... Hopefully i'll have no problem finding someone to do it for around $20... Thanks guys.

Oh, and a hunter 9700? I guess thats some type of balancing machine? I don't really need to look for this guy at the shop do I?

 

Yes, it is a type of balancing machine. On OEM tires that only last 12k miles, I'd agree that balancing is pointless, but if you've invested in some decent rubber that you will be running for 25K miles or so, it's not a bad idea at all to have them balanced once in a while. It can only help.

 

Never heard of anyone balancing tires after initial install unless they get some weird vibration or threw a weight