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Generally speaking, unbalanced tires are perceived to be a risk. However, everyone can’t get them fixed as soon as possible.
This brings up the fundamental question of how long can you drive on unbalanced tires? Today, we will share with you the answer to this question and also justify it below.
How long can you drive on unbalanced tires? You can drive on unbalanced tires for a few months. Indeed, you shouldn’t stretch it a few years. The reason for the same is because driving on unbalanced tires is not a danger. However, the problems which it causes can be dangerous. Keeping this factor in mind, it is okay if you aren’t fixing the unbalanced tires right away, but you can only extract a few months of proper performance from your vehicle if the tires are unbalanced.
What happens if you drive on unbalanced tires?
The problems or the dangers which you can face when you’re driving on unbalanced tires are:
1. Extensive tire wear and tear
Unbalanced tires result in a lot of pressure on the tires themselves. That is why the axle wear and tear and the tire wear and tear gets accelerated. When that happens, you will be forced to replace the tires sooner than later, which is much more expensive than getting them balanced.
2. Consistent vibration
When you’re driving on unbalanced wheels, you will experience consistent vibration. The vibration is visible inside the vehicle as well. That is why sooner than later, it will impact the comfort of your vehicle.
3. Low fuel economy
Unbalanced tires ensure that the vehicle is not able to move smoothly on the road. Even when you’re driving on the highways, the movement of the vehicle gets hampered. It means that to cover the same distance, more power will be required. More power means that the amount of fuel used will also be on the higher side.
It means that when driving your vehicle on unbalanced tires, your fuel economy will decrease. It means that the more you drive your vehicle, the more will be the fuel cost.
4. Impact on suspension system
The job of the suspension system is to reduce the vibrations of the vehicle and provide you with a comfortable ride. Since the vibrations will progressively increase due to the unbalanced tires, the pressure on the suspension system will also increase.
When that happens, another part of your vehicle will get impacted. Sooner than later, this will result in extensive wear and tear for the suspension system. Also, the cost of fixing the suspension system is much higher. That is why; the amount of damage to your vehicle will keep on increasing.
5. More noise
The impact of the unbalanced tires is not just limited to vibrations. If you continue driving on unbalanced tires, soon, your vehicle will start producing noise as well. This is especially true for speed breakers or over potholes.
It means that you will experience more noise inside the car as well. The noise progressively goes on increasing, and therefore, your ride will no longer be comfortable.
These are the problems that you can encounter if you continue to drive on unbalanced tires. That is why, while you need not fix the problem immediately but sooner than later, you will have to.
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- Driving on under-inflated tires: What happens if you keep driving?
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it okay to drive a car with unbalanced tires?
It is okay to drive a car on unbalanced tires for a couple of months or so. However, that should be the max you drive on such wheels, and after that, it is a good idea to fix the problem.
What happens if you don’t get your tires balanced?
When you drive with unbalanced tires, the wear and tear increases and results in vibration and noise.
Will unbalanced tires fix themselves?
No, unbalanced tires seldom fix themselves. You might have to add the weights to the tires or hire a professional mechanic to fix the problem.
Do you balance all four tires?
Most manufacturers will advise you to fix all four wheels if you have covered a distance of 7000 miles or more.
Conclusion
So, you can drive on unbalanced wheels for a couple of months at max. After that, the problems will increase progressively, and the damage to your vehicle will increase as well. To avoid all this trouble, it is good to get them fixed within the 1st two months of noticing the problem.
If this has happened to you, and you are in need of replacing your tires, this guide of best tires for your pickup might be a good read.
