Stoley

Like many of you, I opted to save some dough and get my PS2's from Costco. Problem is, they were never able to get the balance just right. I was hoping someone could give me some insight as to the propery way to do it (I think the weights are supposed to be on the FAR inside edge - completely out of sight - is this correct?) Costco placed them on the outside edge of the inner lip, so they can be easily seen from the side.

I'l give them one more chance before I take it to the dealer and pay them to do it...

swajames

Make sure you're getting the balance on a Hunter RoadForce machine. It can adjust for imbalances in all planes. That said, on a properly balanced wheel the weights have to go where they have to go, and sometimes that will be on the outside edge.

Veight

Im going to find out where Discount Tire puts them tomorrow on my new 166's. I can see where the flat weights are on my original 124's.

Not on the outer face of the wheel, but on the outer edge near the spokes of the wheel. So not on the inside of the wheel but also not on the decorative outside surface.

monacobmw

Unfortunately, the weights are usually placed in sight of everyone. I agree that a Hunter Road Force Machine should be used to handle the job. I have had my work done by a specialty shop that only deals with high end cars, and even these cars need to have ugly weights placed in bad places.

For a $50,000+ vehicle and expensive wheels, I am not sure that Costco is the place to go to balance the wheels (even if they are cheap on the purchase price). It is not worth me trying to push my views on someone who may want to save money (that is a personal decision), but I can only state that even a tiny bit of vibration can ruin a very expensive car feel.

Ricracing

The wheels balances can well be inside.

I have had the same wheels and tyres now for the
4th summer, with no visible balance led pieces,
without any problems.

swajames

That's not necessarily true for everyone's car, Ric. For a wheel that is out of balance it may in either the vertical or horizontal plane and it may be necessary to place weights in a specific location to counter a specific imbalance. That may mean that to be properly effective a weight may need to be placed on the outside edge or wherever the machine determines it needs to be. This is specifically what the Hunter machines are designed to do, these are the machines that many if not most BMW dealers use. The Hunter machine will also attempt to corrrect out of round issues with either the tire or the rim, and will try to match the low spot on one with the high spot on the other. In some cases, the act of placing a weight "out of sight" during a balance performed with a lesser machine is what creates new imbalances and leads to complaints that despite being "balanced" the owner can still feel some vibration.

Stoley

Thanks for the advice - I think I'll pay the dealer to do it right (I hope they do it right!!!)

Veight

I called Discount Tire. They have the Hunter Road Force and charge extra for balancing with it. So tomorrow ill see if i can get it included with the tires.

The want an addl $20 per tire for that balance with the Hunter.

MidnightRider

Mine have always been inside of the decorative exterior surface. BMW uses their own weights and balancing system. Nothing visible from the outside of the rim. Go to the dealer, spend an extra $20 and feel good about it every day when you look at your ride.

allenman

I have to say that I am constantly amazed that you guys will buy $600-1000 set of tires from Costco. Is this really somewhere you want to take your finely tuned German machine? If nothing else, I'd want to go to a quality retailer just for the experience. I guess I could understand if it was half the price, but jeez, we're talking about so little money. And back on the subject, depending on the design of the wheel, weights on the outside may be necessary. But they should be glue ons, not the cip on variety.