Wheel & Tire balance
10-15-2018, 04:22 PM
#1
Advanced
Thread Starter
Wheel & Tire balance
The previous owner has the wheel weights on the outside of the wheel, they need to be cleaned up, is there any problem with rebalancing and putting the weights on the inside? Thanks in advance.
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86project (10-16-2018)
10-15-2018, 05:55 PM
#3
Melting Slicks
I agree with the road force balance. Ask if they have a Hunter road force balance machine. I would not spend the money if the tires only have 5k left on them. Not cheap and it takes a while. I was able to watch mine done. One wheel took over a half hour. Before they add any weights they move the tire around on the rim to get the best balance before weights. With a Hunter road force balance and a Hunter laser four wheel alignment it is smooth as silk. Dan
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86project (10-16-2018)
10-15-2018, 06:18 PM
#4
Team Owner
Most all tire shops have some sort of balancer that allows for weight placement on the inside of the wheel. Weights can be placed to the outside of the edge and to the inside of the wheel edge. Also, these weights are no longer made of lead; they are steel. So expect more pieces of the weights. Would be a good idea to remove the wheels and clean the inside of the wheel before a re-balance. That way, the foam tape on the weights will stick much bett to the wheel.
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86project (10-16-2018)
10-15-2018, 06:22 PM
#5
Race Director
Most all tire shops have some sort of balancer that allows for weight placement on the inside of the wheel. Weights can be placed to the outside of the edge and to the inside of the wheel edge. Also, these weights are no longer made of lead; they are steel. So expect more pieces of the weights. Would be a good idea to remove the wheels and clean the inside of the wheel before a re-balance. That way, the foam tape on the weights will stick much bett to the wheel.
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86project (10-16-2018)
10-15-2018, 09:19 PM
#6
Le Mans Master
My tire shop has always used stick on weights on the inside of the wheel. None on rim
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86project (10-16-2018)
10-16-2018, 09:26 AM
#7
Advanced
Thread Starter
Have a good day,Mark
10-16-2018, 09:45 AM
#8
I'd think nothing done without confirming 'tire date code' - mileage likely means 'nothing'. I believe you clean, replace tires and balance in a single event. TIRE DATE CODE & TREAD DEPTH first concern. Cleaning the wheel 'barrel' is easily accomplished on a balancing machine using a ScotchBrite pad.
10-16-2018, 01:01 PM
#9
Le Mans Master
The balance weights can be moved to either the inside flange or use stick on weights in the barrels of the wheels.
Especially with wider wheels (like on our Corvetttes) if the weights are only placed on the inside or outside rim edges (like hammer on weights) there can be some imbalance from side to side. Usually this is minimal, but can happen. That is why many balancers put weights on both inside and outside edges.
Many shops have gone to stick on wheel weights in the barrel of the wheels. This is my preferred method. In '85, the factory used this method to balance and claimed it was to improve balance by placing the weights closer to the centerline of the wheels.
Road force balancing is the best balance method because it accounts for weight distribution plus it also accounts for variations in tire construction uniformity which can mean hard spots on the tire. This method makes for the smoothest ride.
Bubble balancing can even be used, but may not be as good as any spin balance done correctly.
I was an en gineer at a car company and investigated tire balance by many shops in our state. More than half of the balancing done was over 1/4 oz out of balance. Whether due to poorly calibrated/maintained equipment or bad methods, most did not do a good job. In those cases even a bubble balance would have been better. So when you are shopping for a balance shop, don't look only at price, but ask when it has been calibrated, etc. You can also have them balanced, then rotated 180 degrees then balance again to see if they need balance weights. If it does, the balance was not done accurately.
In practice most methods work well enough for a normal street driver, but many of us are picky about our cars.
Good luck.
Especially with wider wheels (like on our Corvetttes) if the weights are only placed on the inside or outside rim edges (like hammer on weights) there can be some imbalance from side to side. Usually this is minimal, but can happen. That is why many balancers put weights on both inside and outside edges.
Many shops have gone to stick on wheel weights in the barrel of the wheels. This is my preferred method. In '85, the factory used this method to balance and claimed it was to improve balance by placing the weights closer to the centerline of the wheels.
Road force balancing is the best balance method because it accounts for weight distribution plus it also accounts for variations in tire construction uniformity which can mean hard spots on the tire. This method makes for the smoothest ride.
Bubble balancing can even be used, but may not be as good as any spin balance done correctly.
I was an en gineer at a car company and investigated tire balance by many shops in our state. More than half of the balancing done was over 1/4 oz out of balance. Whether due to poorly calibrated/maintained equipment or bad methods, most did not do a good job. In those cases even a bubble balance would have been better. So when you are shopping for a balance shop, don't look only at price, but ask when it has been calibrated, etc. You can also have them balanced, then rotated 180 degrees then balance again to see if they need balance weights. If it does, the balance was not done accurately.
In practice most methods work well enough for a normal street driver, but many of us are picky about our cars.
Good luck.
10-17-2018, 10:47 AM
#10
Advanced
Thread Starter
The balance weights can be moved to either the inside flange or use stick on weights in the barrels of the wheels.
Especially with wider wheels (like on our Corvetttes) if the weights are only placed on the inside or outside rim edges (like hammer on weights) there can be some imbalance from side to side. Usually this is minimal, but can happen. That is why many balancers put weights on both inside and outside edges.
Many shops have gone to stick on wheel weights in the barrel of the wheels. This is my preferred method. In '85, the factory used this method to balance and claimed it was to improve balance by placing the weights closer to the centerline of the wheels.
Road force balancing is the best balance method because it accounts for weight distribution plus it also accounts for variations in tire construction uniformity which can mean hard spots on the tire. This method makes for the smoothest ride.
Bubble balancing can even be used, but may not be as good as any spin balance done correctly.
I was an en gineer at a car company and investigated tire balance by many shops in our state. More than half of the balancing done was over 1/4 oz out of balance. Whether due to poorly calibrated/maintained equipment or bad methods, most did not do a good job. In those cases even a bubble balance would have been better. So when you are shopping for a balance shop, don't look only at price, but ask when it has been calibrated, etc. You can also have them balanced, then rotated 180 degrees then balance again to see if they need balance weights. If it does, the balance was not done accurately.
In practice most methods work well enough for a normal street driver, but many of us are picky about our cars.
Good luck.
Especially with wider wheels (like on our Corvetttes) if the weights are only placed on the inside or outside rim edges (like hammer on weights) there can be some imbalance from side to side. Usually this is minimal, but can happen. That is why many balancers put weights on both inside and outside edges.
Many shops have gone to stick on wheel weights in the barrel of the wheels. This is my preferred method. In '85, the factory used this method to balance and claimed it was to improve balance by placing the weights closer to the centerline of the wheels.
Road force balancing is the best balance method because it accounts for weight distribution plus it also accounts for variations in tire construction uniformity which can mean hard spots on the tire. This method makes for the smoothest ride.
Bubble balancing can even be used, but may not be as good as any spin balance done correctly.
I was an en gineer at a car company and investigated tire balance by many shops in our state. More than half of the balancing done was over 1/4 oz out of balance. Whether due to poorly calibrated/maintained equipment or bad methods, most did not do a good job. In those cases even a bubble balance would have been better. So when you are shopping for a balance shop, don't look only at price, but ask when it has been calibrated, etc. You can also have them balanced, then rotated 180 degrees then balance again to see if they need balance weights. If it does, the balance was not done accurately.
In practice most methods work well enough for a normal street driver, but many of us are picky about our cars.
Good luck.
10-17-2018, 11:29 AM
#11
Pro
Some balancers will give you options on where to put the weights. One of the options is in the center and inside lip, this will also spread out the weights.
Gary
Gary