How Much Does it Cost to Get Tires Balanced? Get the Best Prices

There’s a long “to do” list that you need to verify when setting out for a new off-road adventure, and getting the tires balanced is at the top of the priorities. Whether you are a quad or dirt bike rider, proper maintenance is essential if you want to have fun trail riding and don’t end up with a flat tire. Are you wondering how much does it cost to get tires balanced? We have the answer for you!

The average cost to balance tires is $15. The price will go higher if you choose to have them aligned as well. Walmart charges $12 per tire. This includes balancing for all 4 tires. If you don’t want to keep on balancing ATV, car, or dirt bike tires, there are special beads on the market that will keep the wheels balanced for the entire lifetime of the tire. It’s also important to mention that auto shops categorize balancing tires as labor work. As a result, each shop charges a different price to balance ATV, dirt bikes, or regular car tires.

If you are looking for the best prices to get tires balanced or for a guide that teaches you how to balance ATV tires, you should keep reading.

How Much Does It Cost to Get Tires Balanced?

The average price to balance tires is $15. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t get a better deal. Walmart offers tire balancing for $12 (per tire). If you go to your local mechanic, you shouldn’t be surprised to find out that they charge only $10 per wheel. Another useful tip to know is that when you purchase a new mount and balance service from an auto shop, this includes a free re-balancing.

Since you are thinking about getting your tires balanced, its’ always a good idea to get them aligned as well. The price for wheel alignment ranges between $65 to $100. There is also front-end alignment (only for the front two wheels) that costs $50 to $75. On the bright side of things, the alignment service may also include free re-balancing. Through research, I found out that some auto shops offer lifetime packages for $200 that make getting your tires aligned super affordable.

Can You Drive with Unbalanced Tires?

While you can drive with unbalanced tires, this will lead to long-term damages to your vehicle. The tires will wear faster, and you will need to buy a new set sooner than usual. The uneven tires will also cause stress to the vehicle’s bearings, shocks, and wheel assembly. That’s not all. The vehicle’s fuel economy will go higher, and you will end saving more money by paying $15 to get a tire balanced than to wait.

Does Tire Rotation Include Balance?

While this is not a rule that all auto shops follow, the large majority offer free balancing when you get your tires rotated. Those who are unfamiliar with what rotation means should know that rotating your tires means moving them from their current position. People move them from the front side to the backside. They do this because, on front-wheel drive vehicles, the front 2 tires get worn out faster.

Should You Balance ATV Tires?

The maintenance work you do for off-road vehicles is different from what you would regularly do for normal vehicles. This is why it’s optional to do balance ATV tires. Since you will be riding at lower speeds, you are not required to get the tires balanced every couple of months. In fact, tires that are multi-threaded (to improve their grip) are a nightmare to balance.

The reason why people balance their tires is to reduce the vibration that is caused by the damaged rim or tire. This will not be a problem when riding an ATV because you will more than likely be off-road where vibrations are part of the fun. If you feel like your ATV needs to get balanced, you can always do it at a professional auto shop. This is only possible if the ATV tire has a removable center cap.

When to Get Tire Balancing:

Here is a list that shows when you should get the tires balanced:

• When you can see uneven tire wear;
• When you buy new tires;
• When you start feeling vibrations in the steering wheel/handlebars;
• When you get a flat tire and want to repair/replace it;
• When you get the tires rotated (you should do it every 5,000 miles).

How Do I Know If My Tires Need to be Balanced?

Generally, you will be able to tell if your tires need to be balanced when they feel uneven. That’s not all. The other common symptoms of unbalanced tires are faster tread wear, vibration in the steering wheel or handlebars. You will also notice the vehicle’s fuel economy is getting worse.

The reason why so many bad things happen when the tires are unbalanced is that when the wheels are all equal in weight, they will roll smoothly. Thanks to this, the tires will wear evenly, and this will increase how much they last. Since the tires run smoother, this will also make driving more comfortable because you don’t have to deal with vibration in the steering wheel or the handlebars.

Do All 4 Tires Need Balancing?

The short answer is yes. For all types of four-wheeled vehicles, it’s essential to get balancing on all tires. The tires need to be the same size/model and close in wear. If you do equip your vehicle with mixed-size tires, you will have to deal with “torque bind.” This is why you need to make sure that all tires are balanced.

How Long Does a Tire Balance Take?

Are you worried that you will spend a lot of time at the mechanic shop when you go to get your tires balanced? If that is the case, you should be pleased to know that the tires will be balanced in 45 minutes to a maximum of two hours. However, I do need to mention that not all mechanics work at the same pace. This is why you should be ready to take a coffee or lunch break while your vehicle’s tires are getting balanced so that you don’t get bored.

How Does an Unbalanced Tire Sound Like?

The characteristic sound that you will hear when you have an unbalanced tire is a rhythmic thump. You will be able to hear it at highway speeds. Lower the music in your vehicle and take a ride on the highway while paying attention to the tires and the vibrations in the wheel.

The second characteristic sounds for unbalanced tires is a hum. If you hear a humming sound when changing lanes, one of your tires is probably unbalanced. You can test for this sound by slowly changing lanes when you see an empty road. However, I need to mention that hearing a humming sound when swerving or changing lanes could indicate that you have diminished steering control.

How Do You Balance ATV tires?

Balancing ATV tires is not as simple as balancing regular tires because of the aggressive multi-threads, but this doesn’t mean it’s impossible. You can balance ATV tires from the comfort of your own garage, and I will show you how.

#1 Sticky or Clip-On Weights

There are multiple ways to balance ATV tires, and the easiest one is to use sticky or clip-on weights. This is actually the traditional way of balancing car ties, and it’s called static balancing. Depending on what kind of weights you are using, they can be stuck (self-adhesive) or clamped to the rim bead. However, using sticky or clip-on weights is not actually a good idea for ATVs. The reason behind this is that you will more than likely ride off-road, and the chances of the weights falling off are high.

#2 Tire Slime

Another popular method to balance ATV wheels is to use tire slime. The process is called “hydrodynamically balancing.” The way this process works is by placing slime instead of ceramic weights. Although, my advice is to avoid using tire slime if possible. Since the slime is a liquid, it will eventually fall off. It might take one year or two, but it will happen.

#3 Ceramic Tire Balancing Beads

Right from the start, I want to mention that using fixed weights is regarded as the best option when balancing tires. Nonetheless, this doesn’t mean that you can’t sure ceramic tire balancing beads. They will do a good job of balancing the ATV, but the problem is that the pellets will spread inside the tire if you keep riding on off-road trails. This is why my advice is to use clip-on weights if possible.

ATV Tire Balancing Guide

If you are ready to balance your ATV’s tires but are not sure how to do it, you don’t need to worry about it because I have your back. I will present the process step by step so that it’s easy to follow. Since watching videos is usually the fastest way to learn a new skill, I also searched for the best ATV tire balancing guide on YouTube. You can find the video below.

First Step

Start by placing the balancer on a level work surface. You need to make sure that the air bubble is fixed right inside the dot. My advice is to read the owner’s manual because it will have a dedicated page that explains how to adjust the balancer head. This will make it much easier for you to center the bubble.

In case you purchased a used ATV and don’t have access to the owner’s manual, you can try placing small shims as washers under the base of the balance. This will help center the bubble.

Second Step

Use the screwdriver to remove any wheel weights that are already on the wheel assembly. Make sure to inspect the tire that is properly balanced.

Third Step

After ensuring that the bubble is center, you can go ahead and place the wheel and tire assembly on the balancer. The wheel’s hole needs to be centered onto the balance head. Now, you can go ahead and start pushing up and down slightly on the wheel until the wheel is seated safely on the balancer.

Fourth Step

Check the position of the bubble and start adding wheel weights opposite the heavy area. You will be able to determine the location where you need to add weights because it will be on the side that the bubble is resting.

If you are required to use multiple grams, it’s best to add the weights on the outer and inner sides of the wheel. You can use the hammer to tap gently on the weights after position them. Doing this will make sure that they won’t fall at the first bump. In case you are using stick-on weights, do it on a surface that is clean and dry.

YouTube Video Guide:

Final Words

I went over everything you should ever know about getting your tires balanced. Whether you are riding an ATV, dirt bike, or driving a regular vehicle, the average price that you will pay to get a tire balanced is $15. My advice is that whenever you notice strong vibrations in the wheel or uneven wear on the tires, you should make it a priority to get the tires balanced ASAP. Otherwise, they will increase the fuel consumption of your vehicle and might even cause an explosion.