Wheel balancing

Discussion in 'The Bench' started by John Codman, May 30, 2023.

  1. John Codman

    John Codman Platinum Level Contributor

    I stopped at the grocery store this AM and parked next to a Kia. I noticed that it had big aluminum wheels and low-profile tires. Between the spokes I saw the biggest pile of stick-on wheel weights ever. I counted them and there were 15 of what appeared to be 1/2 oz weights. As I was curious, I walked around the car, the left rear had eight, the left front 12, and the right front also eight. Four, four, six. and seven and a half ounces. I don't know how you folks feel, but I would not have accepted that on a new set of tires and wheels.
     
    Last edited: May 30, 2023
  2. telriv

    telriv Founders Club Member

    Myself neither.
    I would have tried to spin the tire to another spot on the rim.
    Today the newest balancers can figure out where to mount the tire in relation to the rim for the best option.

    Tom T.
     
  3. John Codman

    John Codman Platinum Level Contributor

    I would have done the same Tom, but I now think it would have been futile. The tires are the Landsail brand, which I had never heard of. Walmart sells them, and they are also available on Amazon. They are dirt cheap. You get what you pay for.
     
    1973gs likes this.
  4. GSX 554

    GSX 554 Gold Level Contributor

    I fought with the local Tire store that put over 40 OZ on one tire . They tried moving the tire on my Alloy wheel to no avail . Tried telling me it was a chunk out of my rim ??? Yeah sure . Finally got another tire . They were BF Goodrich All Terrain 265/75/R17 on a Suburban . .

    There is a formula about Weight on a tire and it can't be a % of the total tire . 40 OZ is way over .
     
  5. BQUICK

    BQUICK Gold Level Contributor

    Part of the issue is that new weights are no longer lead so you have to use like 3x as many now......
     
    1973gs likes this.
  6. John Codman

    John Codman Platinum Level Contributor

    True, but the low-profile tires and Aluminum rims are much lighter then the old 15" tires mounted on steel wheels. That's actually kinda the point.
     
  7. TORQUED455

    TORQUED455 Well-Known Member

    With Hunter's wheel balancers, you can split weights, or even switch to static balancing to reduce the amount of weight. Split weights means you put weights in 2 different spots instead of a lump sum in one spot. Push a button, follow the instructions. You will use more weights total in 2 spots, but significantly less than one lump sum in either spot. Static balancing is another trick. You still allow the machine to spin the wheel, but you are only interested in hop, not lateral (dynamic) forces. Weight usage goes way down, and the results are generally the acceptable to very good. We usually do that on larger SUV or pickup tires when the need arises.

    We'll move a tire on a wheel if the road force variation exceeds the limits. Again, the machine does all of the calculations and we just follow orders. That has nothing to do with weight usage. A procedure called "bead massage" when mounting a tire certainly helps with road force.

    I wonder if the Kia has a smooth ride or not? Inferior equipment, an unskilled person doing the work, or crappy tires/wheels come mind with what the OP saw.
     
    bostoncat68 likes this.
  8. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    I especially like spoke mode. The balancer can hide the weight behind the spokes of the wheel.
     
  9. kcombs

    kcombs Well-Known Member

    I was trained on a bubble balancer in the mid sixties. We were told to use four weights that we would place in pairs on the steel rim and spread out or towards each other until the tire was balanced on the bubble. We would fasten two weights to the steel rim and then turn the wheel over and reposition the remaining weights. We would then move the weights towards each other or further apart until the bubble was centered again and then fasten the remaining weights. Seemed to work. Of course, spoked rims were only aftermarket.
     
  10. John Codman

    John Codman Platinum Level Contributor

    I did the same in the early '60s. I don't recall any comebacks due to imbalance. The new machines are of course much better.
     
  11. Dano

    Dano Platinum Level Contributor

    It all starts (or ends) w/having the wheel properly fixtured on the balancer. Hunter makes an amazing machine. Unfortunately most don't use it to its full potential nor are most customers willing to pay for the time it takes to get a perfect ride.
     

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