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[bmwexecutive]

Ummmmm. The guy just finished refinishing both of my right side wheels and after inspecting them to make sure everything looked good I noticed that small wheel weight on the side facing the axle was missing. There's the little adhesive thing that shows where it was, but the weight itself is gone! What does this mean?!?!

EDIT: Just called up Tires Plus because I had a new tire installed on the rim I'm talking about last night and they said they took the weight off when they balanced the tire. He was trying to explain it to me over the phone but I didn't get it. Why would all of the other 3 rims still have the weight but not the right rear?

[longtran]

you need to balance your wheels again.

[bmwexecutive]

Originally Posted by longtran

you need to balance your wheels again.

Please see my edit.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by bmwexecutive

Ummmmm. The guy just finished refinishing both of my right side wheels and after inspecting them to make sure everything looked good I noticed that small wheel weight on the side facing the axle was missing. There's the little adhesive thing that shows where it was, but the weight itself is gone! What does this mean?!?!

EDIT: Just called up Tires Plus because I had a new tire installed on the rim I'm talking about last night and they said they took the weight off when they balanced the tire. He was trying to explain it to me over the phone but I didn't get it. Why would all of the other 3 rims still have the weight but not the right rear?

They should have added new wheel weights when they mounted & balanced the tire. If they didn't, then you should change tire shops. Factory wheel weights look a bit different than the weights used by tire shops, and when tire shops balance wheels, they don't generally put the weights back in the same location as the old weights (..which is why you see the old adhesive). Did you bother to check other portions of the rim for newly installed wheel weights?

[sdbcerda]

The tire shop should have done a high speed balance and installed new weights on the inboard side.

[longtran]

Originally Posted by bmwexecutive

Please see my edit.

so they balance your wheels and put new weight on??

[Asiann]

Could be a remote posibility that it needs no weight added.

[bmwexecutive]

Originally Posted by sdbcerda

The tire shop should have done a high speed balance and installed new weights on the inboard side.

Yeah they did the high speed balance. I saw them stick the wheel and tire on a spindle and then close a black box over it and then heard what sounded like it spinning really fast. I didn't see any new weights on there though. I'll check it out when I go back out to my car in a bit.

[Asiann]

Wheel balance for BMW's is best when performed on the car to prevent any damage to the rim.

[bmwexecutive]

Originally Posted by Asiann

Wheel balance for BMW's is best when performed on the car to prevent any damage to the rim.

Like what kind of damage? Sratches? And how do you balance a wheel when it's on the car?

[Asiann]

Yeah scratches. When they mount the tire to the hopper or wheel balance machine the rim is butted against metal rings that hold the rim in place that can cause damabe when they tighten it and when they remove it using an impact wrench scratching the inner rims where the lug nuts are. They could really care less about your car and get paid by the hour. Notice any signs that says not responsible for danaged rims? The balance on the car is an old school technique and haven't seen many people do it these days since it takes a little bit longer (not much) and requires technique. They use a machine that speeds up each tire and he determines where the weight needs to be placed until the wheel is spinning perfectly.

[bmwexecutive]

Originally Posted by Asiann

Yeah scratches. When they mount the tire to the hopper or wheel balance machine the rim is butted against metal rings that hold the rim in place that can cause damabe when they tighten it and when they remove it using an impact wrench scratching the inner rims where the lug nuts are. They could really care less about your car and get paid by the hour. Notice any signs that says not responsible for danaged rims? The balance on the car is an old school technique and haven't seen many people do it these days since it takes a little bit longer (not much) and requires technique. They use a machine that speeds up each tire and he determines where the weight needs to be placed until the wheel is spinning perfectly.

Well, the good news is that I was getting that rim refinished after I got the tire put on anyway.

Thanks for the other info though. So if there is no weight on there now, do you think there's a chance that the wheel didn't need any additional weight? Also, how do I get the adhesive stuff off from the old weight --- goo gone?

[foofighter]

you're not making any sense. when they balance a wheel they they have adapters so the wheel sits flush to the "hub" of the balancer. They then slide a cone shape adapter to the face of the front wheel and then tighten it down by hand. I've never seen ANYONE use an impact wrench when balancing the wheels. Plus I dont see how they can balance the wheel while it's on the car, how would you know what portion of the wheel needs the wheel weights.

The Hunter wheel balancer is pretty accurate pinpointing where the wheel needs the weight.

Anyway, going back to the OP, it is entirely possible that when they mounted new tires they didnt need additional weights. That's pretty good, you might have been lucky that particular tire and wheel. goo gone or lighter fluid let it soak and remove.

[Getagrip]

Originally Posted by Asiann

Could be a remote posibility that it needs no weight added.

When I have balanced tires, I'll get a wheel/tire that needs no weight once in a blue moon.

[ward]

the wheels would have needed to be rebalanced when you got new tires

that's why you see a gap where a weight was,

when rebalancing the car must not have needed a weight on the inside, sometimes when balancing tires you don't need a weight on both inside and outside of the wheel.

it's not that odd to have no weight on one side

[Asiann]

I use to work at a tire store and have myself balanced tires. The spacers are metal and you canreceive damage from mounting on the machine. Also the impact wrench itself can cause damage around the lug nuts causing scratches. We had an older employee that would balance wheel on the car and it was done by feeling the vibrations on the handle of the machine that spins the wheel as well as assistance from someone at the wheel to check for vibrations. I don't know how he knew where to put the weight but he did. Usually rims will take weights and very will not. You can have them mounted on the inside or the outside. The taped weight is better for apperance and only bad when it domes off. The adhesive will come off with Goo Gone. The Hunter wheel balance is a really good machine but sometimes the wheel feels different when mounted on the car for whatever reasons. That is why balancing on the car is can be more effective.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by foofighter

you're not making any sense. when they balance a wheel they they have adapters so the wheel sits flush to the "hub" of the balancer. They then slide a cone shape adapter to the face of the front wheel and then tighten it down by hand. I've never seen ANYONE use an impact wrench when balancing the wheels. Plus I dont see how they can balance the wheel while it's on the car, how would you know what portion of the wheel needs the wheel weights.

The Hunter wheel balancer is pretty accurate pinpointing where the wheel needs the weight.

Anyway, going back to the OP, it is entirely possible that when they mounted new tires they didnt need additional weights. That's pretty good, you might have been lucky that particular tire and wheel. goo gone or lighter fluid let it soak and remove.

Werd!

[Asiann]

Foo, you are right about the metal spacers in front of the cone spacers and then the rim. It has been a long time when I worked there. Stand corrected. Never said anything about using an impact wrench to balance wheels but to dismount and mount the rim back onto the car. Some places will have a rubber coated socket to prevent wheel damage. I have seen workers miss the lug nut hole and accidently scratch the rim.

[foofighter]

Brotha i know what you mean, good tire shops will use those rubberized coated sockets. I watch them like a hawk when they dismount cuz you're right some of them dont give a shit. Good tire shops will hand torque your lugs as well, and the good ones use the sockets that will snap if you exceed the torque rating for that particular lug...that's a sweet thing to have.

[Asiann]

Originally Posted by foofighter

Brotha i know what you mean, good tire shops will use those rubberized coated sockets. I watch them like a hawk when they dismount cuz you're right some of them dont give a shit. Good tire shops will hand torque your lugs as well, and the good ones use the sockets that will snap if you exceed the torque rating for that particular lug...that's a sweet thing to have.

I don't know if people know about using a torque wrench for the lugs. It really pays to have one and not have one stripped. That really sucks.

[foofighter]

i usually bring mine with me just in case those monkey's dont have one.

I like these


but this is what i want

[Asiann]

Nice! How much for either set?