Wheel weights won't stay on!

[coax]

Yep I've had the same issue. Recently bought tires. Lost 3 weights on the drive home. Took it to another Discount Tire store, the guy did a better job putting the weights on but still lost weights. (I've had this problem on every vehicle I've had go to Discount Tire so now I count weights each time I go.).

FWIW I've only lost weights on the inside of the rim/wheel. But now I've had them put on sticky weights on 2 out of 4 tires, going back next week to get the others done.

Here's pics from the first go. Someone incompetent did this. Also used the wrong size cone on the machine as Grench mentioned. Second guy did a much better job both with the machine (car ran smooth until the weights came off) and installed them better (but they still threw weights).

 

[Stevesnj]

Even my stick on weights fall off. They were Harbor freight weights. What are good stick on's?

 

[coax]

Also can anyone comment on what the correct clamp on weights are? I am returning my Hankooks tomorrow and getting some Trail Grapplers, so want to have a bit of an idea what type of clamp on weights are the correct for the rim or how to tell?

 

[scottryana]

On my old car, it had rather high wheel speeds and it was in the manual to put aluminum tape over the stick on weights. I can't see the weights coming off if the inside of the rim is cleaned and the weights have adhesive on them and then over the top you put the aluminized tape.

 

[DSRTRDR]

within 10 miles after I got new tires on 80s rims for my 40, three wheel weights came off; not even going much over 50 mph, newly paved highway (no ruts) - sure enough, 4-Wheel-Parts did not use the correct weights for 80 series rims - I had them swallow it and balance all tires again with stick-on weights; which have not come off, yet . . .

 

[Golgo13]

@beno
What does the dealership use for weights? Are they from Toyota? Or are they different?

The Toyota weights are made to be installed on the Toyota rims. The profile of the rim is specifically made with the weights in mind. To my knowledge, this shape hasn't changed for the OE aluminum wheels ever. There are also only two suppliers I know of who make the weights for Toyota and both of them have to meet the same requirements. The same thing goes for the clip-on weights for steel wheels, but with a different profile for the steel rim shape. Of course, after seeing those pictures from coax, you can tell that sometimes it just matters how hard you hit them with the hammer.

As far as stick-on weights go, the best are from 3M and actually come in a roll and are cut to length based on the amount of mass needed. You just have to make sure the surface is nice and clean. Sometimes, people get a buildup of wax from the carwash or get some tire-shine(which are usually silicone based oils) and stuff doesn't stick to that so well. Although, I haven't seen many members here who seem to use carwashes or tire shine...
The aluminum tape trick isn't so much to hold the weight down as it is to seal out water and protect the adhesive. I've used a non-scratch scotchbrite pad and acetone to clean the inside of the rim in the past. Usually works pretty well.

Also, @98 SNAKE EATER that is a sweet tattoo in your palm! Good call on buying your own balancing equipment.

 

[702FZJ80]

I just bought 5 285/75/16 Falken Rocky Mountain ATS from Discount and they used the stick on weights. The tire tech actually buffed out the inside of the wheels where adhesion would have otherwise been comprised due to road grime/rust etc.

Hopefully they don't fly off!

 

[neal0124]

I dumped about 9 ounces of ceramic beads into each of my tires and don't bother with wheel weights.

 

[R0b0con]

I was going to suggest beads myself. Never have to balance again! Just be careful who you let change your tired.

 

[Timpanogos Slim]

I have those teflon coated wheels and the stick-on weights stay stuck even to teflon - assuming they actually take the time to clean the wheel first. Yeah they tossed a couple of the first set of weights.

but i'm in the habit of just figuring that a tire store will do something wrong the first time around. seems like i always go back for a re-balance. sometimes twice.

 

[OGBeno]

@beno
What does the dealership use for weights? Are they from Toyota? Or are they different?

They are supplied to us by local supply companies with supply agreements with our dealership group.

We have too many non-Toyota rims/vehicles coming in to justify spending the premium on Toyota wheel weights.

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

OK, a little update on this thread.

Since my last post, I've put on quite a bit of miles and did one 5 wheel rotation.

In that time, I've thrown 2 weights

Both times, it was from the LF wheel, once before the rotation and once after the rotation.

The first time it let go, I was doing about 90mph and it shot off like a bullet

Went right back to my shop and rebalanced it, then marked all of the positions and weights on the tires with a sharpie

The second time around, I was doing about 50mph, heard a thunk on my fender and stopped immediately.

Hung a U-Turn, picked up the weight and pounded it back on the same spot

This particular wheel had 55grams of weight on the outside (10-35-10)

The 35gram weight had fell off and the two remaining 10 gram weights looked like they were about to come off, so I pounded those back in too.

So I got to thinking as to why it was only the left front wheel throwing weights while the weights on all of the other wheels remained secure

My only rational is that I tend to make harder right turns on my daily commute (tight rights around corners and two long high speed off ramp curves)

I kept my eye on them daily and every once in a while the ones on the left wheel would look like they're coming loose and I'd give them a few shots with a hammer I keep in my door pocket

Now, since I've had the D-Tracs (315/75/16), I've been playing with tire pressure to see what works best for both comfort, wear and mpgs

I had contacted GoodYear early on and they recommended 40-43psi given the stock GVWR

I usually run about 40 for my local commute and bump it up to 50psi for long trips.

Didn't take into account all the extra weight I'm running (full rack, dual batts, dual swing outs, large plate bumper, dual winches, trail gear, etc., etc.)

So now my thinking is that my normal runabout pressure just isn't enough to keep the beads from flexing around on hard turns, which might cause it to push the weights out

Soooo, for the last 2 weeks, I've been running 55 psi as a test and driving the piss out of her on tight windy roads and I have yet to see one come loose

Ride is much more harsh though

 

[maxamillion2345]

Sad man, Matt is gone. Sad.

 

[maxamillion2345]

Theres a memorial run for DiscoveredLC next month near Reno.

 

[Dave 2000]

Tyre pressure should not affect wheel balance weights, they rely on a firm grip of the rim. Just go to a tyre fitter who uses stick on weights, once the fitter cleans the area with a brush/solvent then sticks them in place they are not coming off. Centrifugal action also works in favour of weights on the inner rim and against weights on the outer edge of the rim. Most tyre shop do not have the correct type to suit the thickness of the Toyota alloy rims IMO.

regards

Dave

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

Tyre pressure should not affect wheel balance weights, they rely on a firm grip of the rim. Just go to a tyre fitter who uses stick on weights, once the fitter cleans the area with a brush/solvent then sticks them in place they are not coming off. Centrifugal action also works in favour of weights on the inner rim and against weights on the outer edge of the rim. Most tyre shop do not have the correct type to suit the thickness of the Toyota alloy rims IMO.

regards

Dave

The problem with inner mounted adhesive weights is that they don't give nearly as good a balance as outer mounted clip on weights (especially with larger tires)

I'm using the correct FN weights and they grip the rim fine, but the flexing of the over sized tire bead is what seems to be pushing them out when under inflated

Never had this problem with the stock tire size

Now that I think about it, I've had the same issue with the drag radials mounted on my Road Runner

They call for 9" or wider wheels, but I'm using 8" steelies and I've thrown a couple of weights when aired down at the street drags

Never had an issue at normal driving pressure though

 

[gothodgie]

i have been running BB's in my tires for a number of years now and have not had any problems from it... the first time i used them i broke 2 of the tires down after about 6 months to check on the BBs and the only noticable change was that the copper coating had worn off... i have run them in 2 sets of bias ply tires and 1 set of radials and i will continue to use them...

for reference i ran 12oz in 2 different sets of 35s and have 16oz in the 37s i have now... i jug of BBs did all 4 37s at a cost of about 8$...

just my .02

 

[98 SNAKE EATER]

i have been running BB's in my tires for a number of years now and have not had any problems from it... the first time i used them i broke 2 of the tires down after about 6 months to check on the BBs and the only noticable change was that the copper coating had worn off... i have run them in 2 sets of bias ply tires and 1 set of radials and i will continue to use them...

for reference i ran 12oz in 2 different sets of 35s and have 16oz in the 37s i have now... i jug of BBs did all 4 37s at a cost of about 8$...

just my .02

How are they at highway speeds?

I've used them before in big rigs, buses and slow driving mud trucks, but I regularly push 90+ on long trips with my Cruiser

 

[gothodgie]

they are fine on the highway, you would not know they are there if you didn't know they were there ... my top speed on the highway is usually around 70... the only thing i had to get used to was the sound they make when you come to a stop... sounds kinda like a metal waterfall...

 

[Dave 2000]

The problem with inner mounted adhesive weights is that they don't give nearly as good a balance as outer mounted clip on weights (especially with larger tires)

I do not have a lot of experience of particularly large wheels but, have found that more often than not the tyre fitter's experience counts for one hell of a lot. Unsure if the beads in the tyre will be much better than stick on weights but would be interesting to find out.

regards

Dave