Getting Alloy Wheels Balanced

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Thu 12 Mar 2009 13:35
Getting Alloy Wheels Balanced - Glaikit Wee Scunner {P}
Very soon I'll need to get a pair of new tyres fitted to alloy rims. Until now I have only ever had steel rims (since 1973!). The current balance weights are stuck on the rear part of the wheel, so presumably the rims need to be cleaned first. Is it normal for a tyre fitting place to clean and degrease appropriately to fit such weights? I am not a great wheel cleaner.
I have seen the hammer-on type weights fitted to alloy rims and definitely do not want that.
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Thu 12 Mar 2009 13:42
Getting Alloy Wheels Balanced - billy25
Last time I had mine done, the "fitter" simply spat on the rim and rubbed a clean patch with his finger and a cloth. Don't know what was in his spit, but those wieghts never came off until the next tyres went on! ;-)

Billy

Edited by billy25 on 12/03/2009 at 13:43

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Thu 12 Mar 2009 14:00
Getting Alloy Wheels Balanced - Andy P
Just make sure that when they balance the wheels they use the proper alloy wheel progam on the machine. I've had alloys balanced in the past where they've stuck all the weights on the outside rim and I've been left with terrible vibration through the steering wheel. on the ones I have no, most of the weights are along the centreline with a few along the inside rim.
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Thu 12 Mar 2009 14:05
Getting Alloy Wheels Balanced - Pica
I recently got some new tyres on the CRV and the company that fitted them (an indie) did not balance the wheels properly and I had extreme steering wheel shake. Went to another Indie and the shake was better but there was still some (driving on the motorway one of the weights came off!!! it went with a loud bang as it wacked the underside of the car). I then went to a major chain who told me the reason the wheel was shaking was that the wheel was slightly buckled and was not able to be balanced so I got them to replace the damaged wheel with the spare.

I took the buckled wheel to a company who specialises with Alloy wheel refurbish and re-rolling to be told there was nothing wrong with the wheel (he showed me on his machine) and he balanced this wheel and all the other wheels and the car is now perfect. He showed me each wheel reading zero on his machine before fitting them to the car (the best £20 I could have spent). He said he corrects badly balanced wheels all the time as most tyre garages employ people who are not trained properly in the art of balancing! So from now on I will buy the tyres online and get the refurbish company to fit them.

I wonder how many other wheels are being driven around without being correctly balanced
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