merlin

Should wheel balancing weights be fitted on the outside of alloys where they're visible?

I had an accident before Christmas & part of the repair included 2 new MY00 alloys on the fronts. The other day I notice that both rear wheels now have balancing weights on the visible rims of the alloys. I'm 99% sure that they didn't before the car went into the Subaru garage for repair. The weights are not visible on the fronts. My guess is they took the opportunity of swapping the front & rears which is fair enough, but I thought that alloys should have their weights fitted out of sight. They certainly look ugly with the weights showing.

Nick

All good tyre fitters should use stick-on alloy weights when balancing alloy wheels. These fit out of sight. Some good tyre fitters will also have a nice machine that is able to calculate the weights to actually hide then behind the "spokes".

To use hammer-on weights on your alloy wheels will damage your wheels & the fitter has a legal duty of care to not damage your wheels.

merlin

Thanks for that Nick - I suspected as much.

The question now is what can I do about it? I did sign a form saying that I accepted the repair, but I didn't look too closely at the wheels - I was more concerned with the bodywork repairs. The garage did however say that if there were any problems they would sort them out - but I'm not sure how they will react to me demanding new wheels. Am I correct in assuming that by using clipon weights, they have reduced the life of the wheels by damaging the alloy. If that's the case, then maybe that's justification for replacements?

You would have thought that an official Subaru garage with a good reputation would have known better

Chris Clayton

Merlin,

The standard MY99 wheels certainly arrive on a new car with weights fitted to the outside of the alloy, so if that is how they arrive as standard then I honestly don't think you will get much joy out of a Subaru garage.
I bought some stick on weights from my motorcycle dealer and carefully took the clip on weights off and stuck the stick on ones in the inside of the wheel on exactly the same line as the clip on weight and it all worked fine (no vibrations). I had the wheels off today to swop them round and they also have clip on weights on the inside rim as well.

Cheers

Chris C
MY99 Silver

john banks

I was surprised to see my MY00 arrive from the factory with balancing weights on the outside. From previous cars with alloys, it seems the wheels are rebalanced every time the tyre is changed - I now use a tyre place that does "hidden balancing" as described above - looks much nicer. Problem is when the weights have to be removed for later balancing if they are on the outside as it leaves marks.

logiclee

Not only are outside weights unsightly the metal reacts with the alloy and starts the corrosion process.

My wheels will need refurbishing in the spring due to the previous owner having external weights. The paint has started to bleb where the weights were situated

Lee

DJB

Interesting story about this subject.

Changed all 4 tyres about 2 weeks ago, just when the snow was at its worst. Had all 4 tyres balanced and noted that 2 different tyre fitters worked on my car. One changed and balanced the nearside wheels, the other the offside wheels.

About 5 days later, as the road conditions improved, I noticed a terrible vibration through the steering which started at 70 mph and was unbearable above this. Noticed that there was no balance weights on any of the wheels (outsides).

Went back to tyre fitter - it took them 2 shots to get it right but problem now resolved. Learned that balance weights are fitted to the inside of the wheel only, at this place (for cosmetic reasons).

The nearside wheels had been balanced with stick-on weights and these had ALL fallen off. The two offside wheels had been balanced with hammer-on weights and were ok.

I certainly don't want stick-on balance weights again. And since they can balance wheels with inside-wheel weights only anyway, I don't think that minor damage to this hidden part of the wheels matters.

D.

Darren Thompson

I had some tyres fitted at my Subaru dealership and they let the YTS fit them, the wheel are gold Speedlines. When I collected the car the young lad had hammered weights to the edges of the wheel damaging them. This was a costly mistake which cost them the repair of all 4 wheels by Speedline and the loan of some while mine were replaced/repaired. Good service though no arguments they were sorry and just got on with sorting the problem out.

Darren.

merlin

Thanks for all the responses. I've talked to the garage about the problem. He reckons that all the new WRXs have balance weights on the outside & had I asked to have the balance weights fitted on the inside, then there wouldn't have been a problem. Next time I will, but I don't expect to have to tell a professional setup how to do their job...

So the bottom line was there was nothing they would do. It reminds me how some of the VW garages treated me in the past when I had a Golf and it leaves a bad taste in the mouth - particularly as I have to look at the ugly weights every day

Ian E

iTrader: (1)

Merlin,

As has been said earlier in the thread, Scoobys do come with balancing weights on the outside of the rims - or at least my MY97 and MY00 did when I bought them new. I have also bought a set of Gold ex P1 wheels (MY2000 style) and they have the weights in the same place.

I suspect the garage has left the back wheels untouched but swapped the front wheels and used hidden balancing?

Cheers,

Ian E.

Sonic Boom

My STi5 Type R also arrived with the Gold Alloys and outside balanced weights... Seems to be the standard.

merlin

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Ian E:
<B>Merlin,
...cut...
I suspect the garage has left the back wheels untouched but swapped the front wheels and used hidden balancing?

Cheers,

Ian E.[/quote]

I wondered if that was the case too, but I checked the original front wheels that came off the car & the weights are clip on, but hidden. Hence I'm pretty convinced that on my car at least, originally all the wheels had hidden weights. Anyway, cheers for all the help - I'll just put it down to experience & get on. On the positive side, it will be another good reason for changing to 17" wheels when the tyres need changing

merlin

(Edited to include ...cut...)

[This message has been edited by merlin (edited 09 January 2001).]