Tire balancer questions

I finally scored a spin balancer. I have weights but not a lot. I can't find anywhere that sells an assortment of clip on weights. Is it worth it to by some stick on weights and use those on alloys? It is a new balancer so it has the smarts to tell you where to put the weights. Well it should, the automatic readings always gets the width and diameter wrong.

The second question is with the balancing itself. The first balance is never perfect. I always need to add 5 or 10 grams in different places the second time. I have watched shops balance tires and I have never seen them add weights after the second spin. I checked my mounting by pulling the wheel and reinstalling it and it always says balanced. Is this normal?

Hmm. Could need to be calibrated? Most folks don't put a great deal of effort into really balancing them out right.

I calibrated it with the 100 gram weight it came with. It is still the same. Once winter is done I can see if the ride is good or bad.

i bought all my weights on amazon and ebay, and i use stick on weight for nice wheels where i don't want them to be seen. mine has a setting for clip on weights inside and out, clip ons inside and stick ons in the middle, and just stick ons in the middle. once calibrated with the 100g weight i haven't had any issues with things coming up not balanced, except that time i accidentally dropped the cut off inside nub of a valve stem into my FIL's truck tire, it kept coming up slightly off in different locations every time i ran it.

Just remember that the weight that it calls for is based on where it thinks the weight is on the wheel diameter/width wise. So for clip on weights, you need to measure the rim where the weight sits, not the actual lip.

It's also extremely possible that it is not calibrated correctly. Happens very frequently. They can also be knocked out of calibration by dropping a wheel onto the spindle.

Stick on weights can be a special level of torture, but once you get the "feel" then you know that, say, X wheels will want 2/3rds of the weight called out because the wheel's bell is so deep (even though you set the machine to inboard stick on weights)...

Zero is always zero.

In reply to patgizz: Ebay (facepalm) , I guess I forgot to look there. $30 for 5 of each. No one uses the stick on type here. I have seen 1 my life. I assume they don't stick in winter. I should try some for my autocross wheels.

pjbgravely wrote: No one uses the stick on type here. I have seen 1 my life. I assume they don't stick in winter.

Clip on weights are rare anymore, most new cars starting with German cars from 15-20 years ago have no lips for them, stick on is the only way.

They stick just fine if they have a clean surface to adhere to. For OE wheels, carb cleaner and a rag is great for removing most everything. For aftermarket wheels, carb cleaner removes the paint because non-OE wheels are pretty chintzy. (There's a reason why new OE wheels tend to be $900-1200 even for a Chevy, they're better)

Knurled wrote:

pjbgravely wrote: No one uses the stick on type here. I have seen 1 my life. I assume they don't stick in winter.

Clip on weights are rare anymore, most new cars starting with German cars from 15-20 years ago have no lips for them, stick on is the only way.

German cars here are few and far between and I probably will never own one. I will try the stick ons for the summer wheels. The Honda Pilot came with after market alloys but they have bang on weights. I am not sure I dare to change tires on those wheels myself. I always try to get factory alloys. Like you said they are much stronger.

pjbgravely wrote: In reply to patgizz: Ebay (facepalm) , I guess I forgot to look there. $30 for 5 of each. No one uses the stick on type here. I have seen 1 my life. I assume they don't stick in winter. I should try some for my autocross wheels.

race tire guys at the track stick them on and then silver tape over them so that they won't come off on track

Local tire place I frequent sells them to us for next to nothing. They purchase them in such bulk that I bet they are getting down to under $.10 each (or less). I would stop into one if you have one locally and ask. Explain what you are doing (because race car) and see if they can help you out. Offer to pay so you can come back adn get more when needed. Free usually means a one time thing.

pjbgravely wrote: In reply to patgizz: Ebay (facepalm) , I guess I forgot to look there. $30 for 5 of each. No one uses the stick on type here. I have seen 1 my life. I assume they don't stick in winter. I should try some for my autocross wheels.

Live in northern MN. Never had a stick on come off.

If it takes a second or third time to hit zero, make sure the width and diameter numbers are right. Having those off will do what you describe.

We buy boxes of stick on weights somewhere :). Clean the wheel first and you're fine.

I've never personally had a problem with sticky weights, in Michigan. If it's a corroded wheel (steel or alloy) hit it with the whizzy wheel first, they stick fine.

Myer's Tire Supply is the place to go for wheel weights and associated shop equipment. They most likely supply the majority of the tire shops in your area.

Advance carries them in their commercial area as well.

For an entirely new level of horror, try a static balance of your brake drums. I went through six drums from my local supplier trying to find good ones, the best needed 5oz, the worst needed 9oz.

NAPA has wheel weight assortments, there are several different weight profiles so what you would need to know is what you would need most of.

Also, the weight that you screw into the spindle only CHECKS calibration. It should show a notification on the display. You may need to have a service technician come in and calibrate it.

Thanks all. Myer's Tire Supply is 1 1/2 hours away but I will check them out online. I have the assortment of clip on weights from Ebay coming and I will try stick-ons for the few wheels I have that don't take that type.

The calibration said everything was fine. I re-balanced 2 wheels without pulling the old weights and it said they were 5 grams off both sides. The second balance zeroed it. The problem may have been from the used weights I am using.

The strange thing is the automatic tool measures inside rim distance correctly but then messes up diameter and width. I have a width measuring tool and I know the wheel diameter. The instructions have a bit of engrish in them so I might not be understanding. I still haven't figured out how to switch it to read ounces but thankfully it reads inches by default. It might be possible the width measurement only works on newer huge offset front wheel drive car wheels which I don't have.

which machine is it?

on mine i had to press 3 buttons at the same time to change it to ounces. and it had to be precisely the same time. it took about 20 tries but now my machine is reading ounces all the time.

It was sold by Apache. I guess I better find out who made it so I can get parts. Now I see how to change it, I need to push stop and the inside rim measurement + and - at the same time. The instructions show a up and down arrow which threw me off.

I now see the rim diameter measure device can be calibrated. I will have to try that next time I use it.

Walk the parking lot of a tire shop when they are closed. You'll likely find upwards of several pounds worth out there.