When you are shopping for tires, you might sometimes see that there are red dots or yellow dots that mark the sidewalls. You might even wonder if it means that the tires are no good or are at least defective in some way or another.
Nothing could be further from the truth but it’s still a good idea for you to understand why the dots are there. It has to do with irregularities that sometimes occur in the tires, and it happens more often than you would think.
The manufacturer will mark the irregularity in the tire with a dot of paint. When the tires are being installed, having the dot of paint will help the technician to balance and install the tire properly. This will make it much easier for you to drive and it makes it much safer as well.
Yellow Dots: If you see a yellow dot on a tire, it means that it is where the tire weighs the least. Identifying the lightest point on a tire is important and it should, in a perfect world, be at the point of the wheel with the valve stem.
Red Dots: There are areas where the tire is flat and the red dot points out this low point on the tire. It is typically the opposite from the highest point of the wheel, which is usually indicated by a notch in the wheel or a colored dot.
If a tire has a red and yellow dot, the red dot is the most important when balancing the tire.
These dots on the tire don’t mean that the construction of the tire was not up to par. It just means that there were inconsistencies in the weight and construction of the tire that may cause them to vibrate when spinning. In turn, this can make the ride less comfortable.
Wheel balancing can either be match or dynamic. The dynamic balancing uses wheel weights to counteract the imbalance in the tire and to reduce the possibility of ‘tire hop’. Match-balancing matches the low point of the tire to the high point so you get a smooth ride.
Having your tires mounted and balanced properly can extend their life significantly and reduce wear and tear. That is why you should always discuss the balancing and installation of the tires Lahore having it done so that you know for sure they are able to care for it properly.
One other question you may have is why tires are unbalanced in the first place. There are many reasons, including the following:
* Tire/wheel assembly becomes lighter as tires wear.
* Tires are over or under-inflated.
* Improper alignment results in abnormal tire wear.
* A wheel weight has fallen off.
* An improper wheel or tire repair.
* Leaky valve stem replacement.
* Cold mornings cause “flat-spots.”
* The car has been sitting in one place too long.
* The wheel is damaged from hitting a pothole or bouncing into a
curb.