Wheel balance weights falling off?
 

After one track day I put my new set of wheels and tires back in my garage only to find several weights falling off. These are the stick on weights inside the barrels. So I cart them all off the the tire shop, they tell me all four wheel are out of balance. I ask why the weights are falling off. They say, "you are getting the wheels really hot and melting the glue. When they cool, they fall off. Put duct tape over the weights to hold them on."

This is all news to me. What is everyone else doing? :lurk:

Metal tape.

New wheels need the barrels wiped down with a alchol pad. They put something on them to protect the finish when they are new. I have ran into this several times. Wipe them down and you should be good to go!

I've used both duct tape and aluminum tape with good results.

Frankly I've stopped balancing my track wheels. Tires move on the wheels, weights slip/go away, etc. Plus I'm not that concerned about tire vibrations on the track compared to the street. Especially for autocross wheel balancing just isn't that noticable.

Even for DEs I don't feel any vibrations. Not saying they aren't there, just that they're way outside my attention zone.

HTH, and have a good one,
Mike

HVAC Aluminum duct tape

has anyone used dynamic wheel balancing beads? I'm not sure if they work well at high speeds but some of my customers have used them on truck wheels.

http://callieskustoms.com/CalliesKus...g%20Beads.html

Per a post or two up, make sure the person balancing the tire cleans the area where the stick-on weight is to be applied. I've used the black "Gorilla Tape" available at Home Depot, Lowes, etc. and have never lost a weight.

Feff

Sorry for the confusion. My wheels were not new, they were new to me. They had just been refurbed and powercoated when the weights were applied. They had zero miles on them since powdercoating. They were clean at the time but I doubt they used alcohol or acetone before appling the weights.


Thanks for the confirmation that I'm not alone and tape is the correct solution everyone. :cheers:

I've mounted hundreds of tires for guys at the track. I use the stick on weights from NAPA and aluminum tape. Make sure you clean the wheel off where are you putting the weight and tape with some brake cleaner. I've never had a single weight fall off.

Aluminum tape, and mark the tire to see how much it moves. I reverse the direction each event & they usually move back about the same amount.

I also mark the weight locations so if I throw one I can just replace it.

:D

YMMV

It also depends on the brand of stick on weight they use. Since the use of stick on weights has increased a lot lately this is less of a problem because most tire shops are now using quality weights. However, in the past I have been to stores that used the cheap weights and they fell off the rims when I pulled into the garage after driving home.

Bill

FYI, acetone will damage powdercoating. Denatured alcohol should work fine.

In Kali the Enviro's have all the tire places switch from lead weights to steel weights & they are a little bigger dimension for a 1/4 oz. I seem to find more getting loose than the old lead ones, hence every one gets alum tape.


Can't get decent brake cleaner spray either, the stuff the sell now works about as good as maybe windex.
:ack:

Walmart used to clean my wheels with alcohol before sticking on weights. No tape. It is fairly difficult to get them off when changing out tires. In fact it is a PITA to remove all the adhesive. If Walmart can make them stick... it's not rocket science...

Lately I have stopped bothering with balancing and cannot feel the the difference even at Road America. When you consider that the tires slip a little on the rims and that big hunks on track turds end up on the inside of the rim or stuck to the tread, I kind of think balancing may be in vain.

Just another opinion.

Maybe too late reply, but might be useful for others that have some trouble.
Check the dyne of the rim surface (Surface tension energy).
Stick-on weight should be small facet.

However, check to other possibility factors
Shelf life of adhesive must not over than 1 year.
Application method should provide at least 1 kg/cm2 force applied.

Please don't revive 2 year old threads.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/foru...s-or-more.html