Ask the Expert: I’ve balanced my tire and wheel assembly, so why do I still have vibration and tire wear?

Question: I’ve balanced my tire and wheel assembly, so why do I still have vibration and tire wear?

Answer: 

Over time, on hub-piloted wheel assemblies, the pads on the hub can lose tolerances originally intended from the factory, allowing for an offset between the wheel and the hub bearing. This results in the wheel assembly not being centered on the hub, which causes the vibration and excessive and unusual wear to the tire. Placing a Polyamide Wheel Centering Pilot Sleeve on the stud between the wheel and the stud takes up the gap between the 22mm stud and the 26mm wheel opening, and re-centers the wheel on the hub. The vibration will subside, and the excessive wheel wear will be diminished. Typically, three equally spaced Pilot Sleeves are used per wheel assembly.  

Information provided by Ken-Tool