I just had a set of Cooper CS5 Ultra Touring tires put on the GP yesterday morning at America's Tire (Discount Tire outside of CA). In the evening I took a closer look and noticed how many stick-on wheel weights were used to balance them. Two had 17 weights each, for 4.25 ounces each, one had six weights, and one had none. The 17 weights seems excessive. Should I take the tires back and have them match mounted and road force balanced or is 4.25 ounces per tire acceptable? They have a GSP9700 per gsp9700.com but who knows if it was used or used properly.
Excessive wheel weights?
- Thread starter NMBurb02
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WTH. 17 weights on one tire!?
That is crazy.
Not only that, 17 weights makes losing some from potholes and other bumps all the more likely.
That is crazy.
Not only that, 17 weights makes losing some from potholes and other bumps all the more likely.
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Here's a pic of one. 12 weights in the first row and 5 in the second.
I am no expert on balancing wheels by any means but that seems wrong. I'd call another tire shop and ask them if 17 weights is a normal thing.
Or wait for someone around here with more knowledge to chime in.
Or wait for someone around here with more knowledge to chime in.
One issue is the rim shape puts them closer to the hub. If you had flange weights it would take less to do the job.
Do you have more weights opposite, on the inner flange? If so you could probably lose a lot of weight by doing a static balance, which might be "good enough".
Do you have more weights opposite, on the inner flange? If so you could probably lose a lot of weight by doing a static balance, which might be "good enough".
Stock wheels or aftermarket?
Kestas
Staff member
I agree with eljefino that flange weights would have been more efficient, being farther from the axis.
Tire tech should have broken down the tire and rotated it 180 degrees... sometimes you get a heavy spot on the tire matched up to the heavy spot on the wheel by chance...
And yes, mounting the weights inboard of the lip takes more weight on average... but not that much...!
Bent wheel possibly... ? The tire shop probably would have told you though.
My Honda Oem wheels ( no outer lip for weights...) with Michelin Defender tires all have less than 2 oz on the outside of the wheel... with stick on weights. Shop used 1/2 oz weights as well, so there are only 4 or less separate weights...
Put the wheel on the front if it's not there already... does it run smooth...? If yes, maybe leave it as is... up to you.
And yes, mounting the weights inboard of the lip takes more weight on average... but not that much...!
Bent wheel possibly... ? The tire shop probably would have told you though.
My Honda Oem wheels ( no outer lip for weights...) with Michelin Defender tires all have less than 2 oz on the outside of the wheel... with stick on weights. Shop used 1/2 oz weights as well, so there are only 4 or less separate weights...
Put the wheel on the front if it's not there already... does it run smooth...? If yes, maybe leave it as is... up to you.
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Once on a Rental Ford Edge there was wheel weights halfway around the wheel, should taken a photo I thought that was nuts lol.
OE alloy wheels with no outer lip for flange weights.
The pictured wheel is on the passenger rear and also has a 1.25 oz flange weight on the inner lip, about 45 degrees forward of the stick on weights. So it has a total of 5.75 oz of weights.
The other weight heavy wheel is on the front drivers side and does not have any flange weights.
I quickly peeked at the other two wheels and I believe the one with the six stick-on weights (rear drivers side) has a small (maybe 0.5 or 0.75) flange weight on the inner lip maybe 30 degrees from the stick-ons and the one without any stick-ons has a 1.0 or 1.25 oz flange on the inner lip.
It could be an issue with my wheels or the techs at America's Tire. Twice before I have taken the GP back to AT to have the wheels re-balanced shortly after having them do a rotation and balance.
The pictured wheel is on the passenger rear and also has a 1.25 oz flange weight on the inner lip, about 45 degrees forward of the stick on weights. So it has a total of 5.75 oz of weights.
The other weight heavy wheel is on the front drivers side and does not have any flange weights.
I quickly peeked at the other two wheels and I believe the one with the six stick-on weights (rear drivers side) has a small (maybe 0.5 or 0.75) flange weight on the inner lip maybe 30 degrees from the stick-ons and the one without any stick-ons has a 1.0 or 1.25 oz flange on the inner lip.
It could be an issue with my wheels or the techs at America's Tire. Twice before I have taken the GP back to AT to have the wheels re-balanced shortly after having them do a rotation and balance.
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How did the car run/ride ??
Originally Posted By: NMBurb02
The pictured wheel is on the passenger rear and also has a 1.25 oz flange weight on the inner lip, about 45 degrees forward of the stick on weights. So it has a total of 5.75 oz of weights.
There's something up, like a bent wheel. They knew it was a turkey from all the weight it took and that the right rear is the place to put them as the driver will feel any effect the least.
While they might alert the customer about bent wheels, the customer usually could care less, so the tech/ management develop a "learned helplessness" to the issue.
You could go back on a quiet day, and ask, 'sup?
The pictured wheel is on the passenger rear and also has a 1.25 oz flange weight on the inner lip, about 45 degrees forward of the stick on weights. So it has a total of 5.75 oz of weights.
There's something up, like a bent wheel. They knew it was a turkey from all the weight it took and that the right rear is the place to put them as the driver will feel any effect the least.
While they might alert the customer about bent wheels, the customer usually could care less, so the tech/ management develop a "learned helplessness" to the issue.
You could go back on a quiet day, and ask, 'sup?
Originally Posted By: geeman789
Tire tech should have broken down the tire and rotated it 180 degrees... sometimes you get a heavy spot on the tire matched up to the heavy spot on the wheel by chance...
Bent wheel possibly... ? The tire shop probably would have told you though.
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Originally Posted By: NMBurb02
The pictured wheel is on the passenger rear and also has a 1.25 oz flange weight on the inner lip, about 45 degrees forward of the stick on weights. So it has a total of 5.75 oz of weights.
There's something up, like a bent wheel. They knew it was a turkey from all the weight it took and that the right rear is the place to put them as the driver will feel any effect the least.
While they might alert the customer about bent wheels, the customer usually could care less, so the tech/ management develop a "learned helplessness" to the issue.
You could go back on a quiet day, and ask, 'sup?
Ding Ding winner winners!
Have them re balance that wheel.
Tire tech should have broken down the tire and rotated it 180 degrees... sometimes you get a heavy spot on the tire matched up to the heavy spot on the wheel by chance...
Bent wheel possibly... ? The tire shop probably would have told you though.
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Originally Posted By: NMBurb02
The pictured wheel is on the passenger rear and also has a 1.25 oz flange weight on the inner lip, about 45 degrees forward of the stick on weights. So it has a total of 5.75 oz of weights.
There's something up, like a bent wheel. They knew it was a turkey from all the weight it took and that the right rear is the place to put them as the driver will feel any effect the least.
While they might alert the customer about bent wheels, the customer usually could care less, so the tech/ management develop a "learned helplessness" to the issue.
You could go back on a quiet day, and ask, 'sup?
Ding Ding winner winners!
Have them re balance that wheel.
One of my CS5 Ultra's did not require any weights, and the other three required three weights each.
In the numerous times I have had new tires installed at DT over a couple decades, only a couple of times a tech botched a balance job. But they are quick to get it straightened out.
I know when it's busy at the DT stores here, they put a lot of pressure on the techs to get a car done in under twenty minutes. No small feat to remove four old tires and put on four new ones. So their bound to make mistakes.
The CS5 Ultra's are wonderful tires. I am loving them more and more with a few thousand miles on them now. Did you get a great deal after all?
In the numerous times I have had new tires installed at DT over a couple decades, only a couple of times a tech botched a balance job. But they are quick to get it straightened out.
I know when it's busy at the DT stores here, they put a lot of pressure on the techs to get a car done in under twenty minutes. No small feat to remove four old tires and put on four new ones. So their bound to make mistakes.
The CS5 Ultra's are wonderful tires. I am loving them more and more with a few thousand miles on them now. Did you get a great deal after all?
Originally Posted By: Papa Bear
How did the car run/ride ??
I haven't had the chance to get it up to highway speed yet. I thought I detected a slight steering wheel vibration at about 50 mph but the next time I had it up to that speed I could not feel anything.
How did the car run/ride ??
I haven't had the chance to get it up to highway speed yet. I thought I detected a slight steering wheel vibration at about 50 mph but the next time I had it up to that speed I could not feel anything.
Originally Posted By: 3for3
One of my CS5 Ultra's did not require any weights, and the other three required three weights each.
In the numerous times I have had new tires installed at DT over a couple decades, only a couple of times a tech botched a balance job. But they are quick to get it straightened out.
I know when it's busy at the DT stores here, they put a lot of pressure on the techs to get a car done in under twenty minutes. No small feat to remove four old tires and put on four new ones. So their bound to make mistakes.
The CS5 Ultra's are wonderful tires. I am loving them more and more with a few thousand miles on them now. Did you get a great deal after all?
It was pretty busy day, so much so that they put my car up on floor jacks instead of the standard lift. They were probably trying to get the car out the door and did not take as much time as they should have.
They matched tirecrawler at $108 per V speed rated tire and gave me the $30 per tire credit for the Falkens coming off but would not roll over the certificate so I ended up getting them for $78 per tire or $493 OTD, which isn't too bad for a tire AT/DT retails for $153 and DTD has for $134.
They definitely have great steering response but have not yet broken in completely from a ride comfort standpoint.
One of my CS5 Ultra's did not require any weights, and the other three required three weights each.
In the numerous times I have had new tires installed at DT over a couple decades, only a couple of times a tech botched a balance job. But they are quick to get it straightened out.
I know when it's busy at the DT stores here, they put a lot of pressure on the techs to get a car done in under twenty minutes. No small feat to remove four old tires and put on four new ones. So their bound to make mistakes.
The CS5 Ultra's are wonderful tires. I am loving them more and more with a few thousand miles on them now. Did you get a great deal after all?
It was pretty busy day, so much so that they put my car up on floor jacks instead of the standard lift. They were probably trying to get the car out the door and did not take as much time as they should have.
They matched tirecrawler at $108 per V speed rated tire and gave me the $30 per tire credit for the Falkens coming off but would not roll over the certificate so I ended up getting them for $78 per tire or $493 OTD, which isn't too bad for a tire AT/DT retails for $153 and DTD has for $134.
They definitely have great steering response but have not yet broken in completely from a ride comfort standpoint.
"Should I take the tires back and have them match mounted and road force balanced"
The GSP 9700 Road Force machine only works if the tech knows what he's doing and devotes the time to it that is needed. A shop might have only one or two guys (if any) fully skilled in using all the capabilities of the GSP9700. Balance weights, even excessive weights, don't cure road force problems. Road force problems are an out of round tire or a tire that is stiff in one part and not so stiff in another--road force uniformity. Does the tire still have any red or yellow dots, if it ever had any? If the low point on the rim is known, the red dot for the stiff area of the tire should be matched with that--match mounting. If that's not known or if there's no red dot, the yellow dot (light spot) should be at the valve (heavy spot) for weight matching.
So, when the shop isn't as busy, stop in and talk to the manager. Tell him you are concerned, and would like the job done better. Let us know what they do for you.
The GSP 9700 Road Force machine only works if the tech knows what he's doing and devotes the time to it that is needed. A shop might have only one or two guys (if any) fully skilled in using all the capabilities of the GSP9700. Balance weights, even excessive weights, don't cure road force problems. Road force problems are an out of round tire or a tire that is stiff in one part and not so stiff in another--road force uniformity. Does the tire still have any red or yellow dots, if it ever had any? If the low point on the rim is known, the red dot for the stiff area of the tire should be matched with that--match mounting. If that's not known or if there's no red dot, the yellow dot (light spot) should be at the valve (heavy spot) for weight matching.
So, when the shop isn't as busy, stop in and talk to the manager. Tell him you are concerned, and would like the job done better. Let us know what they do for you.
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