Wheel balancing weights

Ok, let me re phrase that, stickies are harder to get perfect than clip ons, and go out sooner, due to falling off.

The chap where i have mine done told me that.

The machines at places like Pro-Tyre have an arm into which the weight is placed, this is then extended to the distance required, and the weight stuck to the inside of the rim. You cannot really get more accurate. As for them coming off, I've never had a weight come loose in over 10 years of using stick on weights.
 
I thought they were for balancing the tyre not the alloy wheel? Aren't the alloys already balanced?

Alloys don't get balanced, just allowed out the door of the factory if they pass QC, but with a small dot printed 180 degrees from the side the centre of mass falls. The tyres fitted at the factory have a small dot printed on the same side as the centre of mass falls. Line up the dots and the factory can fit less weights.

So maybe you have just been unlucky and got some exceptionally bad examples of the tyre, at exactly the worst angle on the wheel.
 
Doesn't look right to be. A chap at work complained when his came back with a load of lead. They re mounted the tyre with much less weight needed and it drove perfectly afterwards as it did when it went in.

As has been said they should use the markers on the tyres and (if they have them) the ones on the wheels to get the balancing as close as possible before they start adding weight.
 
The machines at places like Pro-Tyre have an arm into which the weight is placed, this is then extended to the distance required, and the weight stuck to the inside of the rim. You cannot really get more accurate. As for them coming off, I've never had a weight come loose in over 10 years of using stick on weights.

Lucky you, iv lost several.
 
Stick-on weights are perfectly fine as long as the fitter has cleaned the wheel properly before sticking them on and the driver doesn't use a pressure washer at point-blank. Clip ons often break the wheel laquer and trap water against the rim encouraging corrosion.

My thoughts on too many weights are as long as the balancer is properly calibrated and the operator knows what they are doing then it is normally a wheel or tyre issue. But I assume you'd know if your wheels had a buckle or not and cheap tyres often need a lot of weight,but your Goodyears should be fine.
The only thing I can think of is the fitter didn't align the tyre properly- the correct way it to line up the valve on the rim with the yellow paint mark on the sidewall, it marks the lightest part of the tyre and should be aligned with the heaviest part- the valve. If the heaviest part of the rim (valve) is accidentally lighned up with the heaviest part of the tyre (paint mark opposite valve) the the wheel will likely need a fair amount of balance weights to get right no matter the wheel/tyre used, it compensates for the incorrect positioning of the tyre on the rim. Not many fitters know this.
 
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I had 2 new rear tyres fitted and I have about 10 weights now all in a line on the back wheels, my alloys are very open with only having 5 spokes, so very noticeable!
 
where are the paint spots in relation to the valve?

If you mean there where the wheel is heavy marks, they're painted on the outside of the wheel, and are cleaned off at PDI. They have no relation to the position of the valve.

On the tyre, if it has them, there is no relation to the valve, obviously.
 
Meant on the tyre, see my first post.
Paint spots on the tyre have no direct relation to teh valve, but they do indicate the light (not heavy) part of the tyre and it's logical to align the light part of the tyre (paint mark yellow usually) with the heavy part of the wheel - the valve. You can fit the tyre any way you want, but this way usually reduces the amount of balance weights needed.
 
Meant on the tyre, see my first post.
Paint spots on the tyre have no direct relation to teh valve, but they do indicate the light (not heavy) part of the tyre and it's logical to align the light part of the tyre (paint mark yellow usually) with the heavy part of the wheel - the valve. You can fit the tyre any way you want, but this way usually reduces the amount of balance weights needed.

Since when is the valve the heavy side of the wheel?
 
My we are being picky!
of course a valve isn't heavy itself, but there is only one valve so it will add a very small amount of weight to that part of the wheel.
After all a 5g weight can make a difference.
 
New tyre + wheel + weights = balanced.

Seriously, what is the issue here. I've seen wheels with far more weights on than that. If there is no wobble at high speed, then it's fine.
 
My we are being picky!
of course a valve isn't heavy itself, but there is only one valve so it will add a very small amount of weight to that part of the wheel.
After all a 5g weight can make a difference.

The valve, minus the weight of the metal that would fill its hole, weigh less than the imperfections in the manufacturing of the wheel.

The valve rarely falls on the heaviest point.

And if the wheel has a dent or 2, that also moves the COM.
 
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The only thing I can think of is the fitter didn't align the tyre properly- the correct way it to line up the valve on the rim with the yellow paint mark on the sidewall, it marks the lightest part of the tyre and should be aligned with the heaviest part- the valve. If the heaviest part of the rim (valve) is accidentally lighned up with the heaviest part of the tyre (paint mark opposite valve) the the wheel will likely need a fair amount of balance weights to get right no matter the wheel/tyre used, it compensates for the incorrect positioning of the tyre on the rim. Not many fitters know this.

I cant see the spots on the tyre, but there is an arrow directly above the valve so maybe Goodyear use that rather than paint to align with the valve.

Oh, and 'tyre fitting glue' lol. :p
 
Excuse the dirty alloy but this is what they did to mine:

Alloy.jpg


Not as bad as yours Fox but still seems a bit overkill.
 
The valve, minus the weight of the metal that would fill its hole, weigh less than the imperfections in the manufacturing of the wheel.

The valve rarely falls on the heaviest point.

And if the wheel has a dent or 2, that also moves the COM.

Again, I am talking about the tyre (see first post again) not the heaviest point of the wheel, you obviously cannot adjust the position of the valve in regards to the heaviest or lightest point of the rim, but you can fit the tyre accordingly if you know or choose to.
Look closely at your wheels sir, you will find that the valve hole isn't simply a drilling unless you have poor or cheap wheels, it is normally surrounded by extra material to reduced the effect of a hole on wheel structure.
I'd hope your wheels were manufactured to better tolerances than the weight of a valve.
If your wheels have a dent or two, then balancing isn't your worry.
 
I cant see the spots on the tyre, but there is an arrow directly above the valve so maybe Goodyear use that rather than paint to align with the valve.

That would mean they can predict where the have spot will be and put the arrow in the mould. It almost certainly will be painted/printed on if it had one.

Again, I am talking about the tyre (see first post again) not the heaviest point of the wheel, you obviously cannot adjust the position of the valve in regards to the heaviest or lightest point of the rim, but you can fit the tyre accordingly if you know or choose to.

Nobody makes wheels for cars to that sort of tolerance. The tyre has nothing to do with the valve. Slight damage, for instance a couple of chips in the rim for clip on weights is perfectly acceptable. You're talking arse.
 
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