Wheel balance weights
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Racer
Joined: May 2014
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From: Gering Nebraska
Wheel balance weights
When I had my tires mounted and balanced they put the weights to the outside of the barrel. Can the weights be put to the back of the wheel barrel or does this effect the balance??
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Yes, the weights can be put to the inside of the face of the wheel. That is how my wheels are balanced and there is not a trace of vibration. A good shop can set you up.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
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From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
With the beautiful wheels, and their costs, that are out today, I don't know why any shop would install weights on the outside as they will damage the wheel.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2011
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From: Columbia SC
Because that provides the best balance. If you want something else you need to specify.
Of course, if you go to a professional shop they would ask you how you want them balanced. Of course, if you are smart enough to do that you will be telling them before you get asked.
Of course, if you go to a professional shop they would ask you how you want them balanced. Of course, if you are smart enough to do that you will be telling them before you get asked.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 10,560
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From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
Because that provides the best balance. If you want something else you need to specify.
Of course, if you go to a professional shop they would ask you how you want them balanced. Of course, if you are smart enough to do that you will be telling them before you get asked.
Of course, if you go to a professional shop they would ask you how you want them balanced. Of course, if you are smart enough to do that you will be telling them before you get asked.
Last edited by Jud Chapin; Mar 9, 2015 at 09:10 AM.
Racer
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From: Ft. Collins Colorado
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Racer
Joined: Nov 2014
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From: Cypress TX
It will definitely be the best way to balance them. Doesn't mean that putting weights on the inside will yield bad results, just a higher percentage that the vehicle will balance out better with them outside. A static balance will only have weights in the center of the barrel,(not the best of balancing procedures) and is usually done to vehicles with old school wheels with very low offsets. A dynamic(weights on both sides of wheel) can be done with the weights on the inside but just because the machine reads "0" or "good" or whatever is acceptable to the machine, doesn't mean the car will ride smooth at all speeds. I remember when BMW had weights on the OUTSIDE of the wheels on even all their high end BBS wheels. Looked pretty crappy but got the job done.
Again, you can ask the shop to put the weight on the inside and it may ride smooth, but YMMV.
Balancing is also an art.(believe it or not) I've had some badly bent wheels and could get them to balance as smooth as silk, although sometimes it takes a few trys. lol
And for the record, I have my weights on the inside because I don't like unsightly weights, fully understanding that it is not optimal.
Again, you can ask the shop to put the weight on the inside and it may ride smooth, but YMMV.
Balancing is also an art.(believe it or not) I've had some badly bent wheels and could get them to balance as smooth as silk, although sometimes it takes a few trys. lol
And for the record, I have my weights on the inside because I don't like unsightly weights, fully understanding that it is not optimal.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2011
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From: Columbia SC
Sorry, I disagree. I've owned a Mercedes and Lexus and they come from the factory with weights on the inside and their dealers' service centers balance the same way. Believe me, you get one hell of a smooth ride. Further, I see the C7's have no weights on the outside. I just can't imagine someone hammering/installing a weight onto the o/s of such wheels.
The fact that weights are on the inside to prevent damage (or impact the appearance) to the outside rim has NOTHING to do with what provides the best dynamic balance.
I have my own computer balancer and I balance boths ways depending on the wheel.
Mr. Sam P.E.
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2007
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From: stratford ontario
yes, get them off the fronts before they damage the wheel finish over time. Have you considered stick on weights that go on the barrel of the wheel? I always use that option and everything is fine...no lead weights on the sides for me.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2014
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From: Gering Nebraska
These are stick on weights but they are placed to the outside of the barrel they are very visible. Will have them rebalanced and request the weights be moved to the inside of the barrel. Thanks everyone for your input.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2011
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From: Columbia SC
When I do a STATIC balance with my computer spin balancer I put stick on weights as close to the center of the wheel on the inside barrel as they will go. I NEVER put any weights on the inside rim when doing a STATIC balance.
I would never try to balance the wheel and tire from an outside rim on a STATIC balance. Just not the way to do it to optimize the balance.
I get good balances with this method that have served me well at speeds over 150mph.
I would never try to balance the wheel and tire from an outside rim on a STATIC balance. Just not the way to do it to optimize the balance.
I get good balances with this method that have served me well at speeds over 150mph.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2014
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Static balance with one weight will take the hop imbalance out of a tire, but not the dynamic shimmy imbalance which would be twice per revolution of the tire. The only way to get a good balance is with 2 rows of weight. Weights for the outer plane of the wheel go behind the face of the wheel, or even split, and hid behind the spokes. Or in the case of my wheels, the spokes are too small to hide tape weights, so I painted a few strips of tape weights charcoal grey to match the wheel. I have balanced thousands, and it is the only way to balance a wheel if you want a smooth ride over looks. Of course it would be a PIA, but they do make weights similar to a tire patch that get glued inside the tire. I still have a unused box of those I didn't feel was worth the effort. I am pretty OCD about wheel balancing. Instead of calling it good at .25oz, I will cut the weights in thirds to try and get below .10oz. A small rock pebble weighs more than that!
Last edited by REDHOTS; Mar 9, 2015 at 05:57 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: orlando florida
St. Jude Donor '15
putting weights on the inner most part and then as far inward towards the outside with stick on weights is what the OP is referring to. still a dynamic balance.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2014
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For anyone with a wheel balancer, or getting wheels balanced, the machine has 2 modes. Coarse mode which can round up/down to .25oz, and fine mode which will read out in increments of .05oz. The problem I see in course mode the machine can read all zeros, but if you switch it to fine mode and check the residual static imbalance (hop) and it can be over a 1/2oz yet the machine will read all zeros in dynamic mode. The rounded .25oz can line up on the inside and outside plane, and make the static balance too high. If balanced in fine dynamic mode to .1oz, or lower, the static imbalance will always be less than .25oz. Sorry I can't explain it any better, but the fine mode works well on a wheel balancer, and most shops don't bother, because it takes a little longer. Sometimes a dozen spins, moving the tape weights just a little bit one way or the other.
Also, if a wheel is balanced to zero in static mode only, it could have a high residual dynamic imbalance. For example, it could be like 4 ounces of dynamic imbalance inside/outside, and read zero in static mode. That would cause a wheel to not hop, but have a high speed shimmy.
Also, if a wheel is balanced to zero in static mode only, it could have a high residual dynamic imbalance. For example, it could be like 4 ounces of dynamic imbalance inside/outside, and read zero in static mode. That would cause a wheel to not hop, but have a high speed shimmy.
Last edited by REDHOTS; Mar 10, 2015 at 08:05 AM.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2014
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Sorry, but I didn't want this thread to die. I would love to have a Hunter road force balancer, that would keep me awake at nights. Looking for feedback from anyone out there, that has one, that can explain why that is worth the time and money, if used to it's potential, over attention to details compared a run of the mill balancer is all.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,092
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From: orlando florida
St. Jude Donor '15
http://gsp9700.com/how/index.htm
have one where i work. the machine uses a barrel to put 1400 lbs of pressure to the tire to simulate being on the car and driving. can find the small out of roundness that can cause vibrations.
have one where i work. the machine uses a barrel to put 1400 lbs of pressure to the tire to simulate being on the car and driving. can find the small out of roundness that can cause vibrations.