Firestone RF Tire Balancing
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Racer
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 326
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From: Midland & Granbury TEXAS!
Firestone RF Tire Balancing
Local Firestone dealer sold me a set of RFs to go along with my ZO6 chromies but was unable to balance them properly with a standard spin balancer. Local Discount tire dealer had a "Load Force" machine which did as good a job as one can do, but they didn't charge me as they stated the $1300 tires were too different from each other to balance w/i specs. I road tested afterwards and found only a very slight vibration at 70-80 and no vibration at faster speeds up to 140. After all my research on replacement tires to the stcok Goodyear RFs, I now think maybe I should have gone with Michelins or Perellis!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 1999
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From: Los Angeles CA
Re: Firestone RF Tire Balancing (mrwesttexas)
Local Discount tire dealer had a "Load Force" machine which did as good a job as one can do, but they didn't charge me as they stated the $1300 tires were too different from each other to balance w/i specs.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2001
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From: Henderson, NV
Re: Firestone RF Tire Balancing (allanlaw)
Hi all,
I agree with Allan on this one. My tire dealer changed out my GY's for F.S's I bought from Tirerack and balanced them all just fine with stick weights inside the rim. The tech had a hard time on one getting it balanced(took a couple tries on the machine), but then the master balancer who worked there stepped up and hooked it up in seconds and I was outta there!
Steve
I agree with Allan on this one. My tire dealer changed out my GY's for F.S's I bought from Tirerack and balanced them all just fine with stick weights inside the rim. The tech had a hard time on one getting it balanced(took a couple tries on the machine), but then the master balancer who worked there stepped up and hooked it up in seconds and I was outta there!
Steve
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Re: Firestone RF Tire Balancing (mrwesttexas)
My Firestone runflats were balanced great with stick on weights to the inside. No vibration at all, regardless of speed. Find another shop or have them redo it. It should not vibrate.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 326
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From: Midland & Granbury TEXAS!
Re: Firestone RF Tire Balancing (mrwesttexas)
I've done more searching thru the CF archives and find I'm not the only one with tire balancing problems, but the problem is not limited to Firestones. It seems not all tires are created equal. Some do in fact have different weights and some are more "in the round" than others. Some tires are kept on the shelf too long also. The "load or road force" balancing machines used by some Discount Tires Stores seem to be the best in getting large diameter wheel/tire combinations balanced. As explained, sometimes you get lucky and actually buy 4 tires which are similiar in weight and mfg quality and even regular spin balancing will work on them. The Discount Tire dealer says his experience indicates more problems with the Firestones, but he doesn't sell them so no wonder he says that! All I know is the local FS dealer who sold me the run flats tried to balance them on 3 separate occasions w/o success.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 7,393
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From: Los Angeles CA
Re: Firestone RF Tire Balancing (mrwesttexas)
This is how we learn new things. Is the problem that the tires were too different from one another, or they were just individually screwed up when compared to what a normal tire should be? When I get wheels balanced on a Hunter 9700, they go on the machine one at a time. The balance on each of them is completely independent of the balancing on the others. On the other hand, if a particular tire is square instead of round, clearly out of the norm for a tire, then I can see that balancing it would be challenging, at best. In other words, just like trying to balance an out of round rim - you can get close, but no cigar.
Right? Or is something else going on? :confused:
Right? Or is something else going on? :confused:
