Is there a special balancing technique for wheels with TPMS installed??

[Dr Plastic]

This is on my '05 Explorer XLT AWD. My '04 Mazda RX-8 had a special way of computeing how much and where to place the stick on wheel weights due to the added mass of the TPMS sensors.

I am asking this because I just recieved and installed my wheels and tires from the Tire Rack (AT Italia Presa in 18 x 8.5 with Sumitomo HTR Sport HR tires in 255/55H18) and I have a VERY noticable shimmy at speeds over 60-65 mph. They stated that the wheels where balanced with a Hunter Road force balancing machine but the wheel will shake back and forth at least 1" at around 70 mph. The highway speed where I live is 65 so the normal speed around here is 70-75 mph and the cops don't mess with ya.

Can anyone provide advice on how to take care of this?

TIA

 

[ffdemoss]

I have has my stock 2005 rims balanced at Walmart every 6,000 miles for the last 30,000 miles and never had a problem with them balancing them. They pull all the old weights off, then run the tire then place new weights.

 

[IAmTodd]

I've found if you take the wheel off, rotate it a bit and reinstall it, making sure to cross tighten the lugs helps. If it doesn't, get them balanced somewhere else.

 

[Old As Dirt]

If the tire/wheel is spun, there should be no difference if you had a anvil welded to the wheel. (slight exageration) The weights should be placed on the inside and the outside to make things exactly right. If balancing does not correct the problem, the tires might be out of round. Don't let them try to grind them down to achieve roundness.

 

[Dr Plastic]

Well I took the car to my local Ford dealership (Hall Ford in Newport News, VA) and had them run the Hunter Road Force on all four wheela and tires. It turns out that the right front tire was out of round! That set me back $120! I had them rotate the tire to the rear and called Tire Rack. They sent me a new tire and will be reimbursing me the cost of the balancing considering that the tires were stated to be balanced on the Hunter Road Force machine before they left the warehouse!

There was no special balancing for the TPMS equipped wheels so I had them train the wheel sensors since I could not do it myself due to the lack of a training magnet.