While the cost of a tyre rotation will vary from mechanic to mechanic, the average cost for a tyre rotation and rebalance is around $60.
Tyre rotation and balancing typically can cost anywhere between $10 to $50 (for all 4 tyres) but if you don't want to spend that money, here are a whole list of tyre workshops that give you free tyre rotation services for life, if you buy your tyres from them of course!
It's not completely necessary to balance tires when rotating, but it is a good idea to do so. When performed by a shop, the balancing procedure is inexpensive, so its usually paired with the rotation. If you're doing a rotation job yourself, it's up to you whether you want to also balance.
Wheel Balancing
A typical wheel balance service costs anywhere from $15–$50 per tire. At Virginia Tire & Auto, we offer two types of tire balancing: standard balancing and Road Force balancing.
When your tires are rotated, the wheels are removed and replaced from front to back, right to left. When they are balanced, a mechanic uses a special machine to check to see if the weight of the tire and wheel is balanced.
Once new tires are put on your vehicle, they need to be balanced to your car, truck, or SUV's wheels. Your wheels are an assembly with many parts. Tire manufacturers balance tires during the production process, but the balancing must be fine-tuned once the tires are placed on the wheels.
When a vehicle rolls off the assembly line, its wheels are parallel with one another and perpendicular to the road. Over time, the suspension may shift, moving the wheels out of alignment. Wheel alignment prices in Australia range from $50 for smaller vehicles to $150 for large ones.
The common symptoms of an out-of-balance wheel-tire assembly are uneven and faster tread wear, poor fuel economy, or vibration in the steering wheel and/or floorboard that gets worse at faster speeds. When all areas of the wheel-tire assembly are as equal in weight as possible, the tire will roll smoothly.
On average, how you know when to rotate tires depends on vehicle mileage. Namely, it's a best practice to rotate tires every 5,000 to 7,500 miles or so. This is a rule of thumb, however, and you'll want to double-check with your vehicle's owner's manual for more specific information.
Over time, these tiny shifts in weight add up to a meaningful imbalance. Even a quarter of an ounce of imbalance can put uneven pressure on the treads, causing uneven tread wear and excess heat that shorten the life of the tire. Tire imbalance can also strain the wheel bearings and suspension system.
How Long Does Tire Balancing Take? Tire balancing typically takes 45 minutes to two hours. The appointment may be shorter if your tires are newer, for instance, and may last longer if tire balancing is needed after your car hits a pothole.
Uneven wear on your tires makes your vehicle less safe, reliable, and efficient on the road. So what can you do to fix the unavoidable uneven wear? Regular tire rotation and balancing will help your tires experience wear more evenly and keep you safer as you drive.
Tire rotation
During rotation, each tire and wheel is removed from your vehicle and moved to a different position to ensure that all tires wear evenly and last longer. Tires should be rotated every six months or 10,000 to 13,000 kilometers.
Driving with unbalanced tires can be dangerous and cause significant wear and tear on the vehicle's suspension system, such as vibrations in the steering wheel and seat, poor handling and stability, uneven tire wear, and increased road noise.
Unbalanced car tires can cause damage to different parts of your vehicle. For example, driving with tires that aren't properly balanced puts undue stress on your shocks, bearings, and wheel assembly. Increased fuel costs. Driving on tires out of balance may cause your fuel costs to rise.
Many skilled repairmen say that you can still ride with unbalanced tires for a few months (2-3 months) without problems if you pay attention to safety. This article will provide detailed information on this topic.
Even though tire/wheel balancing and alignment services complement each other to provide a smoother, safer ride, they are technically separate services. They can be performed individually, but most repair shops will perform both services at the same time to ensure customer satisfaction.
In the simplest terms, tire balancing uses weights on your wheels to keep your vehicle from vibrating, while an alignment keeps all of your wheels pointing in the same direction for safety and performance. Here's a quick look at which service you might need for your vehicle.
Balancing is generally performed in conjunction with a wheel alignment, at about every 10,000 kilometers or when you take your car in for a scheduled service. Wheel alignment and balancing are also done when you buy new tires.
You can also think of it like this- a tire rotation moves your tires around to even out the wear, while a wheel alignment adjusts the angles of your tires to keep them aligned properly. Both of these services are important to the longevity of your tires and the overall performance of your vehicle.
Wheel alignment info
Getting a wheel alignment is relatively quick and inexpensive. A skilled mechanic can do it in 30 to 60 minutes. There are some situations that take longer. For example, all-wheel drive and 4×4 vehicles are more work than two-wheel drive vehicles.
Do all 4 wheels need to be balanced? Yes, all 4 wheels will need to be balanced, otherwise, you will compromise your safety, experience an uncomfortable ride and your tyres will wear unevenly and will need to be replaced prematurely.