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Old 07-01-2006, 06:56 PM   #1
timd
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Wheel weight positioning

Had steel showing (oops!) on a tire so I got a new one. After the tech mounted and balanced the new tire, I noticed that on the outside of the wheel, there was a 2 inch weight. On the inside of the wheel and almost directly opposite the two inch weight was another weight about 1 inch in length. I personally don't have any wheel balancing experience but common sense tells me weights shouldn't be put on opposite ends of a tire. Defeats the purpose, doesn't it?
I understand the need to put weights on the inside &/or outside of the rim but OPPOSITE EACH OTHER? Would an EXPERT please reply.
I had this done at WalMart, which makes me suspicious of the weight placement.
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Old 07-02-2006, 07:53 AM   #2
CapriRacer
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Re: Wheel weight positioning

If you look at balancing as weight distribution, then what should happen is that balance weights should be put on the rim to counter balance uneven weight distribution of the rim and/or tire.

So if the uneven weight is centered relative to the tread center, then balance weights should be evenly split side to side, but 180 degrees opposite the unevenness of the rim and tire weight.

But what if the uneven tire and rim weight is off center relative to the center of the tread? Then a weight has to be put on to make the weight centered (that means AT the location of the unevenness, but on the opposite side relative to the tread center), and then 2 weights evenly split 180 degrees opposite.

But since there will be weights opposing each other (on the same side), why not eliminate the third weight? And that's what the machine does! It reduces 3 weights down to 2. The math is fairly complicated, but the balance operator doesn't even need to know what the theory is - the machine does all the work.

Hope this helps.
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Old 07-02-2006, 11:09 AM   #3
timd
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Re: Wheel weight positioning

Thanks, CapriRacer.
I guess my inexperience shows. I was only considering balancing in two dimensions (or one); that is, as if the wheel was a flat disk. Your explanation makes sense. Thanks again.
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