No, wheel/tire alignment and tire balancing are two different services. A car alignment ensures that all four wheels are in alignment with the road surface and each other. Alternatively, a tire rebalancing service ensures that the weight is distributed evenly around each wheel/tire assembly.
Even though your tires are round, there will sometimes be manufacturing imperfections that create areas that are heavier or lighter than others. So, when tires are rebalanced, a technician will put each wheel and tire unit individually on a balancing machine that spins the unit, taking weight measurements around the diameter of the wheel and pinpointing where any weight imbalances may be. The technician will then attach small weights, weighing just fractions of an ounce, to the wheel in precise locations to even the weight and compensate for any differences.
As your wheels lose balance over time, a rebalancing service is usually needed more frequently than a wheel alignment will be and is often done at the same time as your tire rotation service.
Whether you need an alignment or tire balancing service done, the ASE-certified technicians at each of the convenient Gaynor’s Automotive locations can help.