Winter is a time for change

When changing to winter tyres, the correct balance is vital for more comfort, increased safety and reduced wear.

Tests conducted by HOFMANN POWER WEIGHT and leading car manufacturers show that small balance weights have an important job to do on wheel rims. By compensating wheel imbalance, they ensure comfort and safety on the move whilst also preventing excess wear and premature tyre abrasion.

Tyre professionals use them to compensate imbalance by precision-balancing all four wheels every time a tyre is changed.

Thorsten Thom, Global Director of Sales & Marketing, explains why quality is so important where balance weights are concerned. ”To ensure the perfect fit, we worked in close collaboration with car manufacturers when developing HOFMANN POWER WEIGHT balance weights. The strong retaining springs found on knock-on weights and the special adhesive strip associated with adhesive bars can withstand even the most challenging of loads. Regular test runs safeguard consistently high levels of quality and ensure that original parts enjoy a long service life. Motor sports provide an opportunity for the weights to prove their quality under extreme conditions.”

The results of endurance tests clearly show the consequences of failing to weight wheels carefully. Imbalance affects driving comfort, safety and wear.

For the driver, the effect of imbalance is most noticeable by the deterioration in comfort. Vibration can be felt to a greater or lesser extent depending on the degree of imbalance and the type of vehicle.

The steering wheel and the interior can be felt to shake from a speed of approx. 80 km/h. This shaking is accompanied by a monotone rumbling sound. The maximum resonance range is reached at approx. 125 km/h and shaking begins to subside at higher speeds. The effect on the vehicle, however, can be felt in all speed ranges.

As proven by braking tests, the effects on safety are also alarming. Whilst imbalance has no effect on braking distance when driving slowly, the Golf used in the test needed 6 m more to stop when braking from a speed of 140 km/h. This equates to the length of two cars - a distance that could prove decisive in an emergency situation.

In addition, driving with imbalance over a longer period of time has an adverse effect on the wear of various components. For instance, distinct tyre abrasion was already noticeable after just 2000 km, resulting in heel and toe wear. Furthermore, increased wear of wishbones, shock absorbers and bearings that may lead to premature repairs was measured during the endurance test carried out by HOFMANN POWER WEIGHT.

Balancing is important! Therefore, the next time your wheels are changed, make sure they are correctly balanced with original weights.

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