Tip For Tire Buyers With OEM Wheels (1 Viewer)

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Jul 20, 2014
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Don't let the tire shop use clip on weights. I bought a set of tires last week (new) and when I pulled out of the driveway and got up to about 45 I heard a couple of clanks under the truck. Didn't think anything of it, maybe rocks or something. Got the thing up on the freeway and it was vibrating, took it back to have the tires balanced, took it back on freeway, within 100 yards I hear 3 loud clanks hitting inside the 2 front wheel wells and passenger rear. I knew they were weights because the truck started vibrating right away.

Took it back a third time and they put stick on weights. Tech said he didn't want to use them at first because he would have had to use a wire wheel (on an airgun, really hard right) to scuff away some corrosion and road grime. Well, he did it the right away and a few mile test on the freeway, no loud clanking noises haha.

So if you buy new tires, insist on stick on weights! Or I read in another thread orange Toyota specific clip ons only.
 
agreed - even a 4x4 shop like 4 Wheel Parts got the tire weights wrong when I bought new tires for the 80 rims on my 40 :rolleyes:

lost at least three within 20 minutes of driving off their lot (including highway up to 65 mph) - brought it back and insisted on stick-on weights - no problems since

4 Wheel Parts should use stick-ons in the first place :doh:
 
Hmm. I've had problems with stick-on weights flying off, never with clip-on, so it would seem that YMMV?

Muddy1
 
I just bought an LX450 this weekend and noticed the clip on weights. Lame.
 
From what I have read, if the tire shop uses the proper (rarely happens it seems) clip on weights, then they should stay on.

The stick on weights flying off I think would be highly dependent on improper surface prep before applying them to the wheel.
 
Maybe that's because the Lexus wheels are different than the Toyota?

The Lexus wheels are the same as the Toyota Wheels. Designed at the same time and made by the same suppliers.

From what I have read, if the tire shop uses the proper (rarely happens it seems) clip on weights, then they should stay on.

The stick on weights flying off I think would be highly dependent on improper surface prep before applying them to the wheel.

^^THIS
 
They probably used the type of clip on weights :meh:

These wheels require FN weights (orange box)

I had the same issue with my local tire shop and they just couldn't get it right, so I went out and bought my own tire machine and a pair of balancers on Craigslist :flipoff2:

tiremachinestuffCL1.jpg

tiremachinestuffCL2.jpg


Got an assortment of ALCFN weights and haven't had one fly off yet :cool:

ALCFNweights3.jpg

ALCFNweights2.jpg
 
I had the same issue with my tires and Discount not being able to get weights to hold on the rims. Had them go stick on weights. For reference I was curious and found this site that has all sorts of weights and their appropriate use.

Discount used "AL" and "MC" weights on mine, kicked probably 10 weights over the course of probably 5 visits to their store. Those weights are listed for use on GM, Ford & Chrysler vehicles. *sigh*

http://www.ammcoats.com/wheel-weights/clip-on-wheel-weights/

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I had the same issue with my local tire shop and they just couldn't get it right, so I went out and bought my own tire machine and a pair of balancers on Craigslist :flipoff2:

tiremachinestuffCL1.jpg

Every time I deal with discount tire it makes me want to buy a balancing machine even though I have no room for it. Would have probably paid for its self by now.

Thanks also for the correct weigh weight information, maybe someone could add to the FAQ so others can make sure they get the correct weights

I am tempted to buy a small box or two and take with me to South America incase I need the tires re-balanced.
 
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clips are superior to stick weights if you can get the clips to stay on. as many people have alluded to, there are many different kinds of weight clips. As a former "tire technician" at discount, I can vouch that weights from time to time may not have been secured the best. but, buy the guy working on your car a cold soda and stand next to him as he balances the tires. If they can't hammer the weights on and they're flying across the shop, make them get weights that will work. They probably have boxes of them in the back - but most people there only distinguish between steel and aluminum rims.
 
Didn't we do this thread already? with the same pictures even!
 
They probably used the type of clip on weights :meh:

These wheels require FN weights (orange box)

I had the same issue with my local tire shop and they just couldn't get it right, so I went out and bought my own tire machine and a pair of balancers on Craigslist :flipoff2:

tiremachinestuffCL1.jpg

tiremachinestuffCL2.jpg


Got an assortment of ALCFN weights and haven't had one fly off yet :cool:

ALCFNweights3.jpg

ALCFNweights2.jpg
Nice set up. Nice 69 Roadrunner. Those hammer on lead weights cause havoc here in the rust belt- the salt on the roads, aluminum wheels, and lead weights cause lots of corrosion. The stick ons are cool cause they don't cut through the finish going on
 
Properly installed, the correct clip on weights will stay on until broken, eaten, by the rocks.:hillbilly: They are better for lateral imbalance, problems on the edges, sidewall, a leading cause of wobbles, shimmy.

The stick on weights are pretty much fool proof, harder to knock off. In some cases I have had to run both, stick on to deal with the main problem, then clip on to deal with lateral. This is most common with bigger tires.
 
While you're at your local tire shop, make sure they use a finger plate to balance your OEM wheels. Huge difference in the amount of weight my 315's KM2's take when they forget to use the finger plate adapter.
 
This is a great thread! I never even considered the difference in weights before. They must train the local Discount Tire guys in Gilbert and Mesa, AZ pretty well 'cause my Nitto TGs have never lost a weight. I will, however, in the future pay more attention.
 

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