Wheel/Tire balancing questions...

[Troll]

Disclaimer: Car has no shakes or vibrations at all with original Bullitt wheels and 245/45/17 all around.

So, I took my 17x9 wheels and had 275/40/17 tires mounted on them. Had wheels and tires "spin balanced" on the machine. I watched them do it and there are weights on 3 of the 4 wheels.

Brought them home and put them on car. Car vibrates in steering wheel and seat. I only drove it about 100 miles total so far. It seems like it's getting better or I'm getting used to it. I'm going to switch the fronts and backs and see if that helps.

Question is: Is spin balancing a really complicated thing. I just assumed if you stuck them on that machine and put the weight where it told you, it was gold. I've never really had this problem before. Is it something the shop did wrong or do the 275/40s feel/handle/wobble or do something different on the front that's causing my vibration?

I don't want to be a real A-hole and take my car back and have them check them. And... I REALLY REALLY REALLY don't like air wrenches on my lugs. I have lots of bad luck with that.

Thanks for any input!

[speedracer]

Disclaimer: Car has no shakes or vibrations at all with original Bullitt wheels and 245/45/17 all around.

So, I took my 17x9 wheels and had 275/40/17 tires mounted on them. Had wheels and tires "spin balanced" on the machine. I watched them do it and there are weights on 3 of the 4 wheels.

Brought them home and put them on car. Car vibrates in steering wheel and seat. I only drove it about 100 miles total so far. It seems like it's getting better or I'm getting used to it. I'm going to switch the fronts and backs and see if that helps.

Question is: Is spin balancing a really complicated thing. I just assumed if you stuck them on that machine and put the weight where it told you, it was gold. I've never really had this problem before. Is it something the shop did wrong or do the 275/40s feel/handle/wobble or do something different on the front that's causing my vibration?

I don't want to be a real A-hole and take my car back and have them check them. And... I REALLY REALLY REALLY don't like air wrenches on my lugs. I have lots of bad luck with that.

Thanks for any input!

I'd say the guy didn't put the weights on right (even though the balencer tells you how much and where) Don't let them use an air wrench, I was at firestone (needed tires mounted bad) and the dude picks up a air gun and I walked out of the waiting area and into the shop and said I want them torqued Mr.

[SV1000s]

couple things....

1. the weights could be the wrong size or misplaced on the wheel. I assume they used the self adhesive weights and stuck them to the inside of the wheel.
2. if all 4 wheels/tires are identical in size, always place the two wheels with the least amount of balancing weights on the front end.
3. wider wheels/tires up front will always feel/steer differently. They have a way of finding every expansion joint and imperfection in the road and that could cause some slight "feel" issues...could
4. you could have lost a weight off one of the front wheels (or even rear wheels)

Chances are you lost a wieght and/or they messed up balancing the wheels. And you're right Adam...spin balancing is not rocket science.....it's one of the easiest things to do Take it back and give em hell ;)

[SonofaBish]

Usually, they put the weights on and then re-run the wheel on the machine to be sure that the wheel balanced perfectly. Did they do this?? If so, that should eliminate any possiblity of wrong weights or wrong placement....

Also, i've heard from several places that the stick-on weights don't do as good of a job at balancing as the weights they tap onto the inside of the rim... I really don't see a problem with them putting the weights on the inside of the rim, so maybe you could ask them to do that if you want???

[scott5]

i spin balance mine at work and i always put the weight on it and then re-check them. And as long as it says no more weight required its all balanced.

[Rodeheaver's]

couple things....

1. the weights could be the wrong size or misplaced on the wheel. I assume they used the self adhesive weights and stuck them to the inside of the wheel.
2. if all 4 wheels/tires are identical in size, always place the two wheels with the least amount of balancing weights on the front end.
3. wider wheels/tires up front will always feel/steer differently. They have a way of finding every expansion joint and imperfection in the road and that could cause some slight "feel" issues...could
4. you could have lost a weight off one of the front wheels (or even rear wheels)

Chances are you lost a wieght and/or they messed up balancing the wheels. And you're right Adam...spin balancing is not rocket science.....it's one of the easiest things to do Take it back and give em hell ;)

X2, or they tryed to statc balence them and screwed it up, its pretty easy to screw em up, i use a bubble balencer on mine and they seem pretty good @ 140mph...

[SV1000s]

I always preferred the stick on weights for custom wheels as they don't mar the wheel or finish. The rim (hammer on) weights always mess up the wheels. The stick on weights are not good if you use alot of wheel cleaner on your rims as that will gradually weaken the adhesive, and they will eventually fly off. The hammer on/rim weights are MUCH easier to install properly...but they can become serious projectiles at high speeds (if they fly off the rim)....6 to one 1/2 dozen to the other! There are pros and cons with everything!


Nice job with the bubble balancer Tim...they're tough to get perfect!!

[Troll]

if all 4 wheels/tires are identical in size, always place the two wheels with the least amount of balancing weights on the front end.

thanks for all the input guys!

the weights are the hammer-on type and they are on the inside edge of the wheels.

SV, I am going to switch the fronts and backs tonight. When I put them on, I did not even look. I looked at them last night and (as my luck usually has it) the two fronts have most of the weights on them. I'll slap those on the rear and do a couple 6,300rpm burnouts and straighten 'em right up. thanks again.

[Troll]

I am going to switch the fronts and backs tonight.

So... this ^^^ doesn't work.

I take the car back to tire store today. Tell them my issues. Dude that is running the joint eyeballs me and says (sarcastically and rolling his eyes) "puuuulll it in the seeeecond baaaaay!"

So... I watch them. They take all wheels off and put them on the machine one by one and they remove weights they put on 50 miles ago and replaced them with new weights in different locations ON ALL WHEELS.

One guy who worked on wheels comes in to tell original dude that runs place that it's done. He gives me the nod. I walk up. He says, "You're all done here!" I say, "Any of them out of whack?" He shrugs his shoulders and looks at guy who worked on it... "Any of them out of whack" he says. Worker dude says, "Um, yeah all of them!"

I stared at both of them and they stared at me for about 10 seconds.

I said, "Well OK then thanks I appreciate it!"



The guy who balanced them was not the same guy that did it a few weeks ago when I had them mounted and it does ride as smooth as whipped butter now.

All's well that ends well, I guess.

[How Much?]

If you come in at 4:30 you get a 4:30 balance which usally means they dont give a rats ass!! I try to get everyone on the money, just because if i dont do it right the first time, not only does it make the shop look bad, it makes me look bad, remember most of these guys are hired right off the street with very little if any car knowledge! I on the other hand take pride in my work! I need a new JOB!!!!! HAHA

[Troll]

If you come in at 4:30 you get a 4:30 balance

the first mounting was at 11:00am in the middle of the week and there were NO other customers there.

why do they treat me like a d1ck when they fuggered it up the first time around? and... they proved it saying "they were ALL out of whack".

I left work 2 hours early today just to get there with plenty of time before close. I don't want to leave work early and 4uck around with this bullsh1t.

Does anybody know how to make a Molotov cocktail? :D

[How Much?]

Some people suck!!!!

[Troll]

upon further inspection, they did strip a lug onto the stud.

I'm going to get 7,000,000 roofing nails and throw them across the entrance to the shop.