Tyre Works Mt Maunganui have invested heavily into top of the line Tyre maintenance and diagnostic equipment. Our investment in the latest technology and equipment means we can offer you a complete tyre & wheel diagnosis that is unique in New Zealand.
We work with a number of the premium European franchise and specialist dealerships in maintaining and diagnosing tyre issues for top of the line premium vehicles.
Both of our stores have:
Premium Hunter Hawkeye Elite Wheel Alignment machines
Hunter Road Force Balancing equipment, the only Road Force Balance machines in the Bay of Plenty area.
Does your vehicle pull to one side, vibrate, shudder and shake? Are you struggling with your steering or handling? If we can't solve your wheel and tyre issues with this equipment - no one can!
Made by Hunter Engineering in the USA, these machines are truly 'State of the Art' and can be used on top European and American vehicles - NZ and Japanese models. In some cases we can have your car driving "Better than new".
Road Force Elite Balancer
- Diagnostic Load Roller - Solves vibration problems, Identifies vehicle pulls, provides "new car ride"
- CenteringCheck® - Ensures proper centering, eliminates setup errors
- Enhanced SmartWeight® -Even better balance, maximum efficiency & more single weight solutions
What is a Road Force balance?
Road force balancers, in addition to performing a traditional spin balance, measure both the wheel and tire by pressing a large roller against the tread of the spinning tire. The roller applies 1,200 to 1,400 pounds of pressure to simulate the weight of the vehicle on the tire as it rolls down the road.
A computer in the machine, along with various sensors, determines variations of tire stiffness, radial runout and anything in the tire’s construction (such as inconsistencies in the belt package) that would prevent the tire from rolling smoothly when it is weighted by the car. By measuring both the wheel and tire, the road force balancer tells the technician where to move the tire around on the wheel until the effective high spot of the tire (when it is rolling on the car) matches the low spot of the wheel – a more sophisticated method of match mounting.
It’s actually more complicated than that, but for practical purposes, that is what a road force balancer does. If necessary, in extreme cases, the road force balancer can be used to run several tires across different wheels to find the best possible wheel and tire combinations.
Use of a road force balancer can provide consumers with the same level of ride comfort previously only available to a OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) .
We have changed from a market dominated by tall tires where the distance from the wheel to the tread was fairly large and relatively flexible. Today, most tires have a much lower profile. The sidewall is stiffer and the distance from the rim to the top of the tread is shorter, often much shorter. This means that minor imperfections will be amplified, and more vibration transmitted into the car.
Who will benefit most from a Road Force Balance?
It can be argued that all drivers can benefit from road force balancing because it is always helpful to “test drive” the tires before the vehicle gets on the road. Road force balancing enables the technician to resolve potential vibrations proactively. But it is especially beneficial for drivers of high-performance vehicles with low-profile tires (45-series and lower).
It can also be a great option when a customer complains about experiencing an annoying vibration at highway speeds or a continuous shimmy in their steering wheel – especially after multiple attempts to correct the problem by tire/wheel rebalancing.
What does it cost, what’s involved?
Our premium package of $179 covers a Premium Wheel Alignment and Road Force Balance. Time allowance for this package is approx. 60-90 mins.
