Bridgestone Team

When it comes to the performance and safety of your tires, concentric mounting is essential. It minimizes vibrations for a smoother ride and extended tire life, while enhancing fuel efficiency.  In simple terms, the tire mounting meaning refers to the process of ensuring that the center of the tire is precisely aligned with the center of the wheel for optimal performance.

In terms of tire mounting, “concentric” simply means that the center of the wheel or rim is in the exact same place as the center of the tire mounted on it. If you’ve ever wondered what does mounting a tire mean, it’s all about accurately placing the tire onto the rim so they rotate true together with minimal vibration or imbalance.

The Physics of Imbalance

If mounting is not concentric, two types of runout may occur:

• Radial Runout: The tire moves up and down as it rotates, causing vibration and irregular wear.

• Lateral Runout: The tire wobbles side-to-side, contributing to steering pull and poor handling.

Centrifugal force amplifies these imbalances at highway speeds, making it even more crucial to achieve precision during mounting for commercial vehicles.

Industry Tolerances

According to TMC RP 214, SAE J1811, and ISO 13342 standards, the acceptable radial runout for commercial wheels and tires is typically ≤0.060" (1.52mm). Lateral runout should generally not exceed 0.080" (2.03mm) for most 22.5" wheels.

Depending on how non-concentric the assembly is, drivers may or may not feel ride disturbances. If the mounting is bad enough, ride disturbance will be evident immediately. More subtle mis-mounting may not be noticeable at first, but can lead to irregular wear initiation and, as irregular wear progresses, it can lead to ride disturbance.

In terms of tire mounting, “concentric” simply means that the center of the wheel or rim is in the exact same place as the center of the tire mounted on it. Frequent attention to correct air pressure sustains the tire mounting meaning: aligning the tire and wheel to maximize lifetime performance.

It’s a simple four-step process. Just remember “Clean, Lube, Align, Check.” Or memorize the nonsense word “CLAC” – made from the first letters of each step.

Clean:

• Use a wire brush and non-corrosive cleaner to remove all dirt, debris, and rust from wheel and bead areas.
• Apply rust inhibitor after cleaning as needed.
• Wear safety gloves and eye protection during the process.

Lube:

• Choose a high-quality, vegetable oil–based lubricant for performance.
• Compare spray (even coverage, fast drying), paste (mess control, lower drip risk), and gel (extended coverage, high-temp suitability) on cost and storage needs.
• Apply only to bead heel area, avoiding tire sidewalls or inner liners.
• Store lubricants in sealed, climate-controlled spaces. Dispose according to local environmental regulations.

Align:

• Match tire red/yellow dots with wheel’s valve or low/high spots as marked.
• Use chalk and a runout gauge to identify high/low points for dual-match mounting.
• Follow dual-match alignment to further reduce vibration in tandem wheelsets.

Check:

• Inflate tire slowly to proper operating pressure and make sure beads seat evenly.
• Verify radial and lateral runout with dial indicator: ≤0.060" and ≤0.080" respectively for 22.5" wheels.
• Retorque all lug nuts to manufacturer recommendation (often 450–500 ft-lbs for most applications). 

* Always verify with the manufacturer's manual for the specific vehicle or service manual in use, as there can be variations based on the type of vehicle, the wheel, and the lug nut specifications.

On wheels, bent or dented flanges, rust build-up, dirt or damage can make it tough for the tire’s bead to seat properly. If the bead can’t seat right on the flange, the mount will likely be non-concentric. Damage or debris can cause the same problem, so always check the tire, too. That’s why you should always clean and inspect wheels and tires thoroughly before mounting.

Proper lubrication can reduce bead damage, makes mounting easier, and helps the tire’s bead fit easily into the proper place on the rim flange. Be sure to lubricate both the wheel and tire bead. And remember, avoid both water-based and petroleum- based lubricants. Water-based lubricants can cause both wheels and steel tire cord to rust, while petroleum-based lubricants can destroy rubber over time. We recommend using only a high-quality, vegetable oil-based lubricant for truck tire mounting. Your mounting supplies dealer should be able to provide you with an appropriate lubricant.

Use the red and yellow dots you find on Bridgestone tires to help minimize radial runout and aid in initial static balance. Be sure to align any dots correctly. Then,  follow all OSHA, RMA, tire manufacturer and shop procedures, proceed to seat the beads.

Use the small ring molded into the tire near the bead to check its distance from the edge of the bead flange. Check this at least four locations, 90 degrees apart, on both sides of the tire. The ring should sit at the same distance from the flange everywhere. If you see a difference, the tire is not concentrically mounted.

Find the right tire

There are many tires to choose from, but finding the right tire for your needs is simple with our Tire Selector tool.