Wheel Weights, inside or out?

[Sport (no trac)]

My X with factory alloys has the original factory wheel weights clamped onto the outside edge of the wheel. The wheels are balanced perfectly, but what I want to avoid is the corrosion and pitting caused by clamp on weights collecting sand, salt and road junk.

Does anyone have an opinion on stick-on vs clamp on wheel weights? Is there an easy and reliable way to replace the clamp-on weights with stick ons?

 

[mattadams]

I've lately told em to always use the outside weights, on both sides of the wheel. I had too many times where the stick-ons would just fall off.

 

[jimbo74]

i am with matt on this.... seeing as i am a retired tire guy.. i always recomend a dynamic/clamp on weights indide and outside.... it is the most accurate balance..... tape weights are really only for show cars..you know, the ones lowered soo much that they go through a set of tires every 10000 miles.

 

[Jefe]

Depends on the application, and the installer. The local guy won't even mess with hidden weights because they can be problematic. And since my M/T's are always going out of balance, the weights are outside.
However when I put 17" cobra-r's on my parents mustang, the shop I was at wanted to put the weights inside so I let 'em, and I can't say I ever had a problem.

 

[jimbo74]

i forgot to mention there are several different ways to put wieghts.... static balance/inside only weights [tape or clamp] dynamic balance/in & outside [tape or clamp] or various variations of the two.....

with the clamp on weights it also depends on which ones you use.... there are different weights for steel, aluminum, foreign, domestic..... if the wrong ones are used on your application, then they may ding up and scratch the wheel and/or fall off....

 

[rpenner54]

Man one of my wheels has so many weights on one side that they decided to stick them on both the inside and outside of the wheel! I have never really had a problem with my clamp-on ones. Although I did throw one off a while back and it made driving a real pia!

 

[mattadams]

when I got my new tires/wheels a few weeks back (just before CCR) I had Big O balance them, they used only the inside "stick-on" weights. I didn't have my explorer with me, I just them mount and balance em, and we tossed em in the back of the truck so I could take them home and put them on the explorer. Getting the wheels out of the bed of the truck three sets of weights fell off right there. Now I'm no expert, but if the wheel weights fall off when your just moving the tire from one vehicle to another, how the heck are they gonna stay on when your driving? LOL. I took it to another big O who apologized profusely saying they would never have done such a thing, and re-balanced them for free using the outside clamp-on weights. Good experience with that Big O, not with the other Big O .
And no, not THAT big o!

 

[RTStork]

I always have the clamp on weights installed on the inside. They look so much better and I have not had any vibration problems. I can see putting them on both sides if that's what is need to balance the tire but if you can balance it with weights on only one side, who would want them ugly weights on the outside?

 

[jimbo74]

Originally posted by RTStork
I always have the clamp on weights installed on the inside. They look so much better and I have not had any vibration problems. I can see putting them on both sides if that's what is need to balance the tire but if you can balance it with weights on only one side, who would want them ugly weights on the outside?

just the inside is called static.... it may balance ok but dynamic is by far the best for longevity and lower vibrations.... dynamic is the only way to go in my opinion... but static is ok.. dynamic is the most accurate...

 

[Jefe]

Originally posted by jimabena74

just the inside is called static.... it may balance ok but dynamic is by far the best for longevity and lower vibrations.... dynamic is the only way to go in my opinion... but static is ok.. dynamic is the most accurate...

Oh. . now your second post makes sense. Hmm. . Learn somethin' new every day. . =)

 

[HIX]

Any of you guys have the powder balance done? The put a certain amount inside your tire and they are always balanced. Pretty cool.

 

[jimbo74]

are those the automatic balance weights that always recalibrate or the ones affixed to the inside of the tire? Personally, i dont like those methods... they cuase to many problems and i do not really understand how they work or how to do them...... also, i think that is how beadlocked wheels are balanced as they cant be regularly balanced.. i also assume the balance is not as good as a standard balance...

 

[HIX]

They put the powder inside the tire and when it starts spinning the powder moves via centrifical force to the spot where its needed

They use it alot on motorcycles and big 4x4 tires and some semi tires. From what I hear it works better than the conventional ones.

 

[jimbo74]

i have heard of that method, but it scares me still.... what about when you park your truck? then it will do it all over again...what if you go wheeling and some water gets in? then you have a big clump of stuff bouncing around cuasing vibrations inside your tire....

 

[HIX]

It's made not to clump and it only works over like 25 mph. Regular weights are ineffective below that anyway.

 

[01EB5.0]

The indy car racers use the stick on weights and so do I. They never fall off for me or the race car drivers due to a nice tool called duct tape! Just have the shop do the inside ones and put a large piece of duct tape over ther weights. you'll be good to go

 

[jimbo74]

Originally posted by 95XLT
The indy car racers use the stick on weights and so do I. They never fall off for me or the race car drivers due to a nice tool called duct tape! Just have the shop do the inside ones and put a large piece of duct tape over ther weights. you'll be good to go

as long as they use solvent to clean the wheel first..... duct tape doesnt stick to brake dust..... i know this well

 

[Goober]

I'd rather have clamp on weights, but the last time I had them balanced the guy told me he couldn't get them on BFG KO's. I don't think the stick on ones have fallen off, but I'd rather have the other ones.