I have a 2009 XF luxury premium. At 18,000 miles I have two bad tires on the right side, so I think I am going to buy 2 used tires with 90% tread and put them on the rear, putting the other two on the front. The two new tires will need to be balanced and I am wondering if the "road balancing" is done at my local tire dealer or is that something I will only get from my dealer? Is there a particular machine or technique I should ask to make sure they are using?

 

Harly,

Road force balancing (RFB) is available from most quality tire dealers. If they do not have the equipment to do RFB I would go someplace else. Just ask the tire dealer. If they try to give you a story why RFB is not important, keep on walking. It is true that most tire manufactures do not recognize RFB, in order to get fewer returns IMO.

Given how sensitive Jags are to out of bal tires and bent wheels it's the only way to go and it doesn't cost you a penny more. Strike a deal with your tire store in advance on how much weight you will allow to be placed on the wheel to get a ballance. I allow no more than 10 to 12 ounces. A good tire store may remount the tire 180 degrees to get the bal weight down to less than 10 Oz. If that doesn't get the weight down to manageable levels you don't want the tire anyway. O yes, be sure the bal tech checks for bent wheels in the proces or you will be chasing a ghost forever.

I have no scientific or authoritive back up for the above, just an OCD re a smoothe ride from my car and lot of experience in getting it.

 

Your two left side tyres will be uni-directional rotation type, so one of them is going to end up on the right side, whereas now it is on the left, so it will have to be removed, and refitted the other way round. Apart from that, you will then probably need precision balancing as state here, especially if your wheels are over 18"

 

Wow! 10 - 12 oz!

I would start rotating the tire on the wheel with any more than 2-3 oz.

Two bad tires on the right? Road damage? Alignment?

 

keep in mind that your dealer is on a specific tire program that requires tire/alignment equipment to be calibrated every 3 months or so,ask your local tire shop to see when they calibrated the equipment last.