I put new eagle GSC's on all around, four wheel alignment and had weights for tire balance put on the inside of the wheels. The car still is not as smooth on the highway as it should be. I can feel it in the steering wheel, Firestone tells me it's the inside weights. Is it true that a proper balance cannot be achieved using inside weights only? Thanks.

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1994 Z28 Arctic white, M6, SLP shifter, MTI CAI, LG Motorsports Rubber Bellows(3-5hp), Air foil, De-screened MAF.

I have always used inside weights on all my vehicles with no problems.
Sounds like the Firestone place there is like the ones here and they're lying to you.

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More fun than the law allows!

I just put on new Kumho's and told the manager the car is raced, he went out and told the guy changing the tires the car sees over 100mph speeds and it's super smooth at 100+ with inside weights. It's possible you have a bad tire. I'd make them make it right or tell them you will go somewhere that can do it right.

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95 Z28, SLP Y pipe, Flowmaster muffler, SFC, STB, KYB shocks, Moroso CAI, 1LE front anti roll bar, Hurst shifter, TBB, LT4 KM, LG Motorsports pedals

[This message has been edited by warner (edited June 11, 2002).]

maybe the alignment sucked... Probably w/ the toe.

This is true, but usually the inside weights are used with 'tape weights' that are stuck on inside of the rim towards the outer side of the wheel, usually just inside the spokes. Again, this is a comprimise, but I've had excellent success with them, and would never ruin my wheels by using outside weights again.

I would check the wheels to see if they are true (having gone through that nightmare recently - see sig) and the tires for flat spots. Try swapping the wheels front to back - does the vibration move? If the wheels are true and the tires not flatspotted, try swapping the tires between rims, as the balancing requirements will change - hopefully for the better.

Is that "Firestone" as in a Firestone service center? My friends have used the ones around here, and regretted it.

DaveH

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'00 Z28 Convertible, M6, Pewter w/black top
SLP LoudMouth Cat-Back
OEM SS Hood
!Front and hood grills (looking for aftermarket replacements)
Corbeau Targa RS seats
Lowered ~2.5" w/HALs and Suspension Techniques SpeedTech springs
GW SFCs and LCA relocation brackets
Home-made short shifter handle
1LE LCA and PHR bushings
some wobbly Z06 wheels (18x10.5" front and rear)
My Home page
and more pics that don't fit on my home page.

"This car does have a quiet muffler. I can show it to you. It's on the floor of my garage...."

My car has seen over 100 with no vibration problems, and thats with the steel driveshaft to boot.

Dave (acarnut),

I have tried emailing you a few times about your PWO wheel experience. The mail is always returned as "undeliverable". The email address you have here and on your web site seems to be the same, but won't work for me. Could you see if it is current? Thanks.

Regarding stick on weights, I no longer use them. I never really had a problem with them except for having them fly off. I cured that by taping over them with racers tape. But, I could always get a slightly better balance with external clip on weights.

Bob Bishop

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lateapex@worldnet.att.net
'94 Z28 with C5 front brakes and other road racing stuff

Wheel balance does not depend inherently on whether the weights are clip-on or stick-on, though with stick-ons you are at the mercy of the ability and patience of the tech to cut them to the correct length. If he's going to mount them on the inside diameter of the rim rather than on the flange (where the clip-ons go) then he also has to make an accurate adjustment in his distance measurement (with that caliper that measures the lateral spread between the weights). FWIW, they'll stay on much better when installed that way.

If you're referring to weights on the inside only vs inside and outside of the wheel center you'll get a better balance allowing weights on the outer (visible) side as well as on the inside. Less weight is required to correct dynamic imbalance that way.

Norm

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1979 Malibu, 355, 5 speed, cornering tweaks, some other stuff
2001 20th Anniversary Maxima, 5 speed

Sorry 'bout that. My webmail provider decided to discontinue its free service. Imagine that - the nerve! Try acarnut @ newsguy.com (I've changed my profile).

As for loosing weights, I've only knocked off the clip-on type - but then I'm the only person that handles and washes my wheels.

One of the guys where I work made several trips back for rebalancing of his Pirelli 7000 SS tires - swapping them between the wheels was his fix.

DaveH