GM Service Manual Online
For 1990-2009 cars only
Makes 🢒 Cadillac 🢒 2008 🢒 SLS 🢒 General Information 🢒 Vibration Diagnosis and Correction 🢒 Tire and Wheel Assembly Runout Measurement - Off Vehicle
  1. Raise and support the vehicle. Refer to Lifting and Jacking the Vehicle.
  2. Mark the relative location of the wheels to the wheel studs and mark the specific vehicle position on each tire and wheel - LF, LR, RF, RR.
  3. Remove the tire and tire assembly from the vehicle. See Tire and Wheel Removal and Installation.
  4. Closely inspect each tire for proper and even bead seating.
  5. If any of the tire beads were not properly or evenly seated, reseat the tire bead, then go to step 6. See Tire Dismounting and Mounting.
  6. Mount a tire and wheel assembly on a spin-type wheel balancer.

    7. Locate the tire and wheel assembly on the banker with a cone through the back side of the center pilot hole.


    Object Number: 176957 Size: SH
  7. Wrap the outer circumference of each tire with tape (1) in the center tread area.

    8. Wrapping the tread with tape allows for a smooth and accurate reading of radial runout to be obtained.

  8. Position the dial indicator on the taped portion of the tire tread such that the dial indicator is perpendicular to the tire tread surface.
  9. Slowly rotate the tire and wheel assembly one complete revolution to find the low spot.
  10. Set the dial indicator to zero at the low spot.
  11. Slowly rotate the tire and wheel assembly one more complete revolution and measure the total amount of radial runout.

    12. Specification
    Maximum Tire and Wheel Assembly Radial Runout - off-vehicle Measurement : 1.27 mm (0.050 in)


    Object Number: 176958 Size: SH
  12. Position the dial indicator on a smooth portion of the tire sidewall, as close to the tread as possible, such that the dial indicator is perpendicular to the tire sidewall surface.
  13. Slowly rotate the tire and wheel assembly one complete revolution to find the low spot. Ignore any jumps or dips due to sidewall splices.
  14. Set the dial indicator to zero at the low spot.
  15. Slowly rotate the tire and wheel assembly one more complete revolution and measure the total amount of lateral runout. Ignore any jumps or dips due to sidewall splices and attain an average runout measurement.

    16. Specification
    Maximum Tire and Wheel Assembly Lateral Runout -off-vehicle measurement : 1.27 mm (0.050 in)

  16. Repeat steps 6 to 15 until all the tires and wheel assemblies radial and lateral runout measurements have been taken.
  17. If ANY of the tire and wheel assembly runout measurements were NOT within specifications, proceed to step 19.
  18. If ALL the tire and wheel assembly runout measurements WERE within specifications, then the off-vehicle tire and wheel assembly runout is considered acceptable.

    19. Object Number: 176966 Size: SH
  19. Position the dial indicator on the horizontal outer surface of the wheel rim flange - with the tire still mounted - such that the dial indicator is perpendicular to the rim flange surface.

    20. Wheel runout should be measured on both the inboard and outboard rim flanges, unless wheel design not permitting. Ignore any jumps or dips due to paint drips, chips, or welds.

  20. Slowly rotate the tire and wheel assembly one complete revolution to find the low spot.
  21. Set the dial indicator to zero at the low spot.
  22. Slowly rotate the tire and wheel assembly one more complete revolution and measure the total amount of radial runout.

    23. Specification
    Maximum aluminum wheel radial runout - measured off-vehicle, tire mounted: 0.76 mm (0.030 in)


    Object Number: 176968 Size: SH
  23. Position the dial indicator on the vertical outer surface of the wheel rim flange - with the tire still mounted - such that the dial indicator is perpendicular to the rim flange surface.

    24. Wheel runout should be measured on both the inboard and outboard rim flanges, unless wheel design not permitting. Ignore any jumps or dips due to paint drips, chips, or welds.

  24. Slowly rotate the tire and wheel assembly one complete revolution to find the low spot.
  25. Set the dial indicator to zero at the low spot.
  26. Slowly rotate the tire and wheel assembly one more complete revolution and measure the total amount of lateral runout.

    27. Specification
    Maximum aluminum wheel lateral runout - measured off-vehicle, tire mounted: 0.76 mm (0.030 in)

  27. Repeat steps 19 to 26 until the wheel radial and lateral runout measurements have been taken on all tires and wheel assemblies with runout measurements NOT within specifications.
  28. If any of the wheel runout measurements were NOT within specifications, go to Measuring Wheel Runout - Tire Dismounted.
  29. For any of the wheel runout measurements which WERE within specifications, while the tire and wheel runout measurements were NOT within specifications, replace the tire then balance the tire and wheel assembly. Refer to Tire and Wheel Assembly Balancing - Off Vehicle .
  30. After replacing the tires, be sure to re-measure the runout of the corresponding tire and wheel assembly.
  31. Using the matchmarks made prior to removal, install the tire and wheel assemblies to the vehicle. Refer to Tire and Wheel Removal and Installation.
  32. Lower the vehicle.

Wheel Runout Measurement - Tire Dismounted
  1. Mark relative location of the tire and wheel on the tire and wheel assembly, with wheel runout measurements (tire mounted) are NOT within specifications.
  2. Dismount the tire from the wheel. See Tire Dismounting and Mounting.
  3. Mount the wheel on a spin-type wheel balancer.
  4. Locate the wheel on the banker with a cone through the back side of the center pilot hole.

    5. Object Number: 176960 Size: SH
  5. Position the dial indicator on the horizontal inner surface of the wheel rim flange - with the tire dismounted - such that the dial indicator is perpendicular to the rim flange surface.

    6. Wheel runout should be measured on both inboard and outboard rim flanges. Ignore any jumps or dips due to paint drips, chips, or welds.

  6. Slowly rotate the wheel one complete revolution to find the low spot.
  7. Set the dial indicator to zero at the low spot.
  8. Slowly rotate the wheel one more complete revolution and measure the total amount of radial runout.

    9. Specification
    Maximum aluminum wheel radial runout - measured off-vehicle, tire dismounted: 0.76 mm (0.030 in)


    Object Number: 176964 Size: SH
  9. Position the dial indicator on the vertical inner surface of the wheel rim flange - with the tire dismounted - such that the dial indicator is perpendicular to the rim flange surface.

    10. Wheel runout should be measured on both inboard and outboard rim flanges. Ignore any jumps or dips due to paint drips, chips, or welds.

  10. Slowly rotate the wheel one complete revolution to find the low spot.
  11. Set the dial indicator to zero at the low spot.
  12. Slowly rotate the wheel one more complete revolution and measure the total amount of lateral runout.

    13. Specification
    Maximum aluminum wheel lateral runout - measured off-vehicle, tire dismounted: 0.76 mm (0.030 in)

  13. Repeat steps 2 to 12 until all wheel radial and lateral runout measurements (tire dismounted) have been taken on all wheel assemblies with runout measurements (tire mounted) NOT within specifications.
  14. If any of the wheel runout measurements (tire dismounted) were NOT within specifications, replace the wheel.

    15. Always measure the runout of any replacement wheels.

  15. For any of the wheel runout measurements which WERE within specifications, while the tire and wheel runout measurements were NOT within specifications, replace the tire then balance the tire and wheel assembly. Refer to Tire and Wheel Assembly Balancing - Off Vehicle.
  16. Using the matchmarks made prior to dismounting the tire to mount the tire to the wheel then balance the assembly. Refer to Tire and Wheel Assembly Balancing - Off Vehicle.

    17. Always measure the runout of tire and wheel assemblies which had the tires dismounted and mounted.

  17. Using the matchmarks made prior to removal, install the tire and wheel assemblies to the vehicle. See Tire and Wheel Removal and Installation.
  18. Lower the vehicle.