Is this shoddy balancing? Pic Included

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Originally Posted By: SumpChump
I had a tire changed over to a new one (carry in) and I see that they left the old sticky weights on (3/4oz total) and balanced it adding 2oz of new sticky weights about 8inches circumference gap away. Is this bad practice? Shouldn't they have just "started fresh" or was there a reason to leave the old ones? Surely the old ones take all of ten seconds to gouge off.

My local Aerica's Tire always remove old weights when they mount a new tire, they also remove old weights when they re-balance and the first spin shows the tire is off balance.

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Won't the wheel take hammer weights?

Some people prefer their rims not look ugly.

Some newer wheels of the last 10-15 years don't take clamp-on weights.
 
Had a Honda dealer mount and balance a set of tires for my Goldwing, in the same way. They didn't remove the old weights (which were the pinch on style), and then they just added more weight (with the stick on style).

So, to anyone with two working brain cells, it was obvious as to what the bonehead in the shop had done. Two different types of weights... some clean and new, some old and grungy...

Since it was a carry in (I took the wheels off of the bike, and took them to the dealer in the back of the truck), I "helped" them out.

I went and got the service manager. I took him out to my truck, and let him watch me remove every weight from both wheels. Then I had him carry them back in, and re-balance both wheels at no charge.
 
Shoddy. Have them start fresh. Even if it's balanced now, all that weight as the tire ages will cause it to get more unbalanced as time goes on.
 
balancing is a racket. 15 bucks for a minute's worth of work. Many doctors don't even make that kind of money.

I tell them to just skip it on my stuff.
 
2 ounces of weight might seem like a lot, but when using tape weights you have to use quite a bit more because you are further back in the wheel. If the wheel could use a clip on it might only take 1.25 oz. If you where near the center line of the wheel it might take 4 ounces to correct for only 1.25 oz. I have seen factory wheels on new cars with very long strips of weight. And whatever you add when using tape weights, also affects the amount of weights on the backside. Yes, on that wheel I would have removed the 3 weights and started over. I always balance the outer plane first, then do the rear plane. It takes much more time to correctly tape balance a wheel, especially when you spend a few minutes scraping off old adhesive only to end up putting the new weight in the same place. The diameter, and width of the wheel, and tire also makes a big difference in how much weight is needed to balance.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Traction
2 ounces of weight might seem like a lot, but when using tape weights you have to use quite a bit more because you are further back in the wheel. If the wheel could use a clip on it might only take 1.25 oz. If you where near the center line of the wheel it might take 4 ounces to correct for only 1.25 oz. I have seen factory wheels on new cars with very long strips of weight. And whatever you add when using tape weights, also affects the amount of weights on the backside. Yes, on that wheel I would have removed the 3 weights and started over. I always balance the outer plane first, then do the rear plane. It takes much more time to correctly tape balance a wheel, especially when you spend a few minutes scraping off old adhesive only to end up putting the new weight in the same place. The diameter, and width of the wheel, and tire also makes a big difference in how much weight is needed to balance.


UPDATE:
I found now that the inner bead of the rim on this tire (215/55RR17) has what appears to be a new clamp weight of about .5-.75oz. It is about opposite the valve stem (but on inner bead) and about 10unches down the circumference from the last set if iuter bead sticky weights. I hope this helps your visualization and reccomendations. So again the update is that her is ALSO an inner weight.
 
OK, Sump PM'd me and here's what I said:

I do not think that is too much weight - mostly because of its location. It is inboard and that requires more weight than if the weights were on the rim lip. They are also at a smaller diameter = more weight for the same effect.

Yes, it was probably not a good idea for them to have left the weight from before, but it doesn't have much affect on the results.

So if the assembly is not vibrating, you're good to go.

And, NO!, the weight on the inside wheel flange is to be expected and is reasonable.
 
Quote:
Won't the wheel take hammer weights?

Here are weights for alloy wheels with nine different attachment clips, plus two more for steel wheels and three more for certain European wheels:
http://www.alltiresupply.com/c-car_lt_alloy.html

Quote:
the tech didn't match mount

In order to match mount, the mark for minimum radial run-out on the wheel needs to be visible if the tire has a red dot, or the yellow dot placed at the tire valve. If the tire has the dots. A word of reminder to the tire buster can help remind him to put the yellow dot at the valve. My new car came with the run-out match marks still visible on the wheels after the clean-up, and I put a paint mark on the inside of the new wheels for future use.
 
Originally Posted By: Ken2

In order to match mount, the mark for minimum radial run-out on the wheel needs to be visible if the tire has a red dot, or the yellow dot placed at the tire valve. If the tire has the dots. A word of reminder to the tire buster can help remind him to put the yellow dot at the valve. My new car came with the run-out match marks still visible on the wheels after the clean-up, and I put a paint mark on the inside of the new wheels for future use.



The red dot is the useful one, it marks the stiff spot in the tire, you match the stiff part of the tire to the low spot of the wheel for the smoothest ride.... but if you have no low spot marked on the wheel, you can't match it to anything... unless you road-force balance, and determine the wheels low spot first.

Look at a new car lot. You will see the red dot always matched up to green sticker on the wheel, or a dimple or paint mark on the wheel... stiff part of tire matched to low part of wheel. When the sticker gets removed, or the paint mark fades away, you can't match the next set of tires properly. That is why that NEW CAR, smooth ride is sometimes hard to get when the oem tires are replaced.

The yellow dot is the light part of the tire, and by matching it to the valve stem, you MIGHT be able to reduce the needed weight slightly.

Seeing as your yellow dot is on the opposite side from the valve stem, rotating the tire around MIGHT reduce the weight needed.

But 2 oz really isn't alot for stick on weights... if it runs smooth, leave it as is.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Won't the wheel take hammer weights?

Some people prefer their rims not look ugly.




Is this wheel " ugly..." ? Clamp on weight you can barely see...

OlAS1B.jpg
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: geeman789
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Won't the wheel take hammer weights?

Some people prefer their rims not look ugly.




Is this wheel " ugly..." ? Clamp on weight you can barely see...

OlAS1B.jpg




You might also notice that that wheel has a lip that will take hammer on weights. The OP's doesn't.
 
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