GM Service Manual Online
For 1990-2009 cars only
  1. Raise and support the vehicle. Refer to Lifting and Jacking the Vehicle .
  2. Mark the location of the wheels relative to the wheel studs.
  3. Mark the location of the tires relative to the valve stems.
  4. Mark the vehicle position on each tire - LF, LR, RF, RR.
  5. Mark the vehicle position on each wheel - LF, LR, RF, RR.
  6. Remove the tire and wheel assemblies from the vehicle. Refer to Tire and Wheel Removal and Installation .
  7. Closely inspect each tire for proper and even bead seating.
  8. If any of the tire beads were not properly or evenly seated, reseat the tire bead, then proceed to step 9. Refer to Tire Dismounting and Mounting .
  9. Mount a tire and wheel assembly on a spin-type wheel balancer.
  10. Locate the tire and wheel assembly on the balancer with a cone through the back side of the center pilot hole.


    Object Number: 176957  Size: SH
  11. Wrap the outer circumference of each tire with tape (1) in the center tread area.
  12. Wrapping the tread with tape allows for a smooth and accurate reading of radial runout to be obtained.

  13. Position the dial indicator on the taped portion of the tire tread such that the dial indicator is perpendicular to the tire tread surface.
  14. Slowly rotate the tire and wheel assembly one complete revolution in order to find the low spot.
  15. Set the dial indicator to zero at the low spot.
  16. Slowly rotate the tire and wheel assembly one more complete revolution and measure the total amount of radial runout.
  17. Specification
    The maximum tire and wheel assembly radial runout, measured off-vehicle, is 1 mm (0.04 in).


    Object Number: 176958  Size: SH
  18. 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.
  19. Slowly rotate the tire and wheel assembly one complete revolution in order to find the low spot. Ignore any jumps or dips due to sidewall splices.
  20. Set the dial indicator to zero at the low spot.
  21. 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.
  22. Specification
    The maximum tire and wheel assembly lateral runout, measured off-vehicle, is 1 mm (0.04 in).

  23. Repeat steps 9 through 18 until all of the tire and wheel assembly radial and lateral runout measurements have been taken.
  24. If ANY of the tire and wheel assembly runout measurements were NOT within specifications, proceed to step 22.
  25. If ALL of the tire and wheel assembly runout measurements WERE within specifications, then the off-vehicle tire and wheel assembly runout is considered acceptable.

  26. Object Number: 176966  Size: SH
  27. 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.
  28. Wheel runout should be measured on both the inboard and outboard rim flanges, unless wheel design will not permit. Ignore any jumps or dips due to paint drips, chips, or welds.

  29. Slowly rotate the tire and wheel assembly one complete revolution in order to find the low spot.
  30. Set the dial indicator to zero at the low spot.
  31. Slowly rotate the tire and wheel assembly one more complete revolution and measure the total amount of wheel radial runout.
  32. Specification
    The maximum wheel radial runout, measured off-vehicle, with the tire mounted, is 0.8 mm (0.03 in).


    Object Number: 176968  Size: SH
  33. 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.
  34. Wheel runout should be measured on both the inboard and outboard rim flanges, unless wheel design will not permit. Ignore any jumps or dips due to paint drips, chips, or welds.

  35. Slowly rotate the tire and wheel assembly one complete revolution in order to find the low spot.
  36. Set the dial indicator to zero at the low spot.
  37. Slowly rotate the tire and wheel assembly one more complete revolution and measure the total amount of wheel lateral runout.
  38. Specification
    The maximum wheel lateral runout, measured off-vehicle, with the tire mounted, is 1 mm (0.04 in).

  39. Repeat steps 22 through 29 until all of the wheel radial and lateral runout measurements have been taken on each of the - tire and wheel - assemblies with assembly runout measurements which were NOT within specifications.
  40. If any of the wheel runout measurements were NOT within specifications, proceed to Measuring Wheel Runout - Tire Dismounted.
  41. For any of the wheel runout measurements which WERE within specifications, while the - tire and wheel - assembly runout measurements were NOT within specifications, replace the tire, then balance the assembly. Refer to Tire and Wheel Assembly Balancing - Off Vehicle .
  42. After replacement of any tires, always remeasure the runout of the affected tire and wheel assembly, or assemblies.
  43. Using the match marks made prior to removal, install the tire and wheel assemblies to the vehicle. Refer to Tire and Wheel Removal and Installation .
  44. Lower the vehicle.

Wheel Runout Measurement - Tire Dismounted

  1. Remove the tire from the wheel. Refer to Tire Dismounting and Mounting .
  2. Mount the wheel on a spin-type wheel balancer.
  3. Locate the wheel on the balancer with a cone through the back side of the center pilot hole.


    Object Number: 176960  Size: SH
  4. 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.
  5. Wheel runout should be measured on both the 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 in order 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 wheel radial runout.
  9. Specification
    The maximum wheel radial runout, measured off-vehicle, tire dismounted, is 0.8 mm (0.03 in).


    Object Number: 176964  Size: SH
  10. 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.
  11. Wheel runout should be measured on both the inboard and outboard rim flanges. Ignore any jumps or dips due to paint drips, chips, or welds.

  12. Slowly rotate the wheel one complete revolution in order to find the low spot.
  13. Set the dial indicator to zero at the low spot.
  14. Slowly rotate the wheel one more complete revolution and measure the total amount of wheel lateral runout.
  15. Specification
    The maximum wheel lateral runout, measured off-vehicle, tire dismounted, is 1 mm (0.04 in).

  16. Repeat steps 1 through 10 until all of the wheel radial and lateral runout measurements - tire dismounted - have been taken on each wheel with runout measurements - tire mounted - which were NOT within specifications.
  17. If any of the wheel runout measurements - tire dismounted - were NOT within specifications, replace the wheel.
  18. Always measure the runout of any replacement wheel.

  19. For any of the wheel runout measurements which WERE within specifications, while the tire and wheel assembly runout measurements were NOT within specifications, replace the tire, then balance the assembly. Refer to Tire and Wheel Assembly Balancing - Off Vehicle .
  20. Using the match marks made prior to dismounting the tire, or tires, mount the tire, or tires, to the wheel, or wheels, then balance the assembly, or assemblies. Refer to Tire and Wheel Assembly Balancing - Off Vehicle .
  21. Always measure the runout of any of the tire and wheel assemblies which have had the tires dismounted and mounted.

  22. Using the match marks made prior to removal, install the tire and wheel assemblies to the vehicle. Refer to Tire and Wheel Removal and Installation .
  23. Lower the vehicle.