For those you didn't catch my posting on the question from another part of Edmunds.com, here it is:
A couple of thoughts:
The Hunter machine gave "good" and "bad" indications, which you explained in your post. I think you can trust the machine to be objective.
If your rims were measured with the tires still on them, then you didn't get a complete picture of the state of the wheels - just an indication. The best way to measure wheels is with the tires off and then measure exactly where the beads seat.
There is a "quirk" in the Hunter machine where it judges wheels to the same criteria as the tires and the assembly. This means that a horrible wheel will "pass". However, what's important is the assembly value. Just keep the wheel peculiarity in mind when trying to judge the wheels by themselves.
I paid $17 per tire at Discount tire. All of my tires were within the rollout spec. They only checked one rim separately. Most of my tires for my SUV came in at around 18 pounds. One came in at 28 pounds and they ratated the tire 180 and it dropped to 18. I put on Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza tires. All tires balanced with a maximum weight of 1.25 oz. I thought that was good for an SUV tire.
Last year I replaced tires at Firestone, and rebalanced the wheels. The car is 2000 Buick Regal. The new tires are fine, but the new weights started to rust. Or, to be precise, the steel holders that attach the weights to the wheels are rusting: the lead weights cannot rust.
The original GM weights did not rust for four years, so I understand that something is wrong with the new weights. The wheels are aluminum, and I am afraid that the rusting steel will damage wheels. I asked the owner / manager of Firestone if it is OK, and what can be done. He answered that everything is normal, and, any case, they do not carry weights that do not rust.
Does it make sense to replace the weights at GM dealership by not rusting OEM ones?
1) There are about 5 different weight contours. To ensure that the weight never falls off, it is important that the proper weight be used. The wheel industry needs to do some standardization.
2) Coated weights are available for every configuarion. Bare steel can cause aluminum to corrode. The good news is that it takes a long time for this to get bad enough to cause a problem with the wheel. The bad news is that it takes so long that anyone who uses a uncoated weight will be able to deny responsibility.
I would suggest that anyone who finds a shop using uncoated weights on alloy wheels 1) tell them to stop right where they are - that you'll arrange to have the proper weights installed and 2) that you intend to take your business elsewhere FOREVER!!
Also says "Every vehicle platform has a different sensitivity level and tolerance to RFV and imbalance. Known sensitive vehicles may require lower limits to resolve ride disturbance issues."
Yes, put them on my 2001 Sienna. Unbelievable difference. Great in rain. Very quiet com[pared to the OEM tires. Car rides great..can't say enough..and if they really last 80,000 miles that will be great too.
>finds a shop using uncoated weights on alloy wheels
I have weights on LeSabre wheels with the little round holes around the perimeter, 1998. The weights have rusted. How do I tell if the weights have coated snapon parts? Are my wheels aluminum.
My newer LeSabre had chromed wheels. Is there the same problem for those wheels? Are they aluminum also?
Hi, can someone recommend a good tire shine spray that can resist rain, looks glossy, and lasts about two weeks? I've heard that Meguiars and Black Magic are pretty good. Comments are deeply welcomed.
Meguiars Endurance and Mothers Duration are probably the two most durable tire dressings available. Meguiars makes a version of Endurance called High Gloss that you would probably like. You can find them at most auto parts stores.
I need help finding replacement wheels for my '05 SE-R so I can mount snow tires this winter. I have some 225/60R16" tires I'd like to use although the Altima has 245/45zr18" on them the 16"s are only 1" larger OD so I think if I can find the rims with the right offset and backspacing to clear the big rotor/caliper the 16s might work?
I need to replace my tires on my 2004 Infiniti G35 sedan. The tires that came from the dealer are Goodyear Eagle GS-D, as we all probably know they have horrible tread wear, and are too expensive. Has anyone heard of Avon MS/550 tires? I have read about them on Tirerack.com, but when I ask around at the dealer or ask some friends, they have never heard of them. Any recommendations?
I have four 18 inch tires and wheels, stock from a Mazda RX8, 2004, with less than 1000 miles on them. They are Bridgestone Potenza, 225/45/R18 with 18 inch allow wheels. They are too slick for Chicago winters but someone in a warm climate must want them. How do I sell tires long distance?
Or you could list them on a RX8 internet car club or maybe contact a local or regional RX8 club. Someone will probably want them for a second set or to replace damaged pieces.
The avon tire is a british tire sold under the cooper tire brand here in the US...I have the MS550 A/S on my 04 malibu maxx....have about 20K on them and love them...great in wet weather..no snow yet..so cant say....great tread wear..but have balanced and rotated them every 7.5K or so..I understand the MS550 (performance tire0 can get noisey and wear quickly......I have the all season version and Im quite happy with them....got them thru NTB in Northern VA
I believe I've found the tire for my Tercel. After some fairly extensive research, I had initially narrowed my search down to the Bridgestone Turanza LS-T and the Yokahama Avid Touring. I need an all season touring tire with excellent snow traction. I came across a comparison chart on the Tire Rack's web site that compares all the tires in this class in many performance catagories. The Turanza ranked 1st of the 30 tires in this catagory, but it's also among the most expensive ($61). The Yok ranked 7th overall and it's priced quite a bit lower than the Turanza ($42). What I didn't expect was a $33 tire to rank 3rd overall AND have a better snow traction rating than either the Yok or the Turanza. This tire is the Kumho Touring A/S 795. After reading the reviews for this tire, I found the vast majority of people very very satisfied with this tire and wouldn't hesitate to buy it again. There were very few negative reviews. The only consession I can see is this tire has a 70K mileage rating as compared to the 80K rating of the Yok and Turanza. Considering its lower price and better snow traction numbers, I'd say it's worth the slight consession.
I recently replaced the stock Geolands (with 25K) on my Subaru Forester. They seemed OK for my tastes but were uniformly dissed Edmunds, Tire Rack & other sites. My goals were comfort 1st (noise & ride) with great wet weather characteristics 2nd (living in NW WA state), the all the rest.
So, based on tons of accolades from tire rack & other sources, I replaced them with BFG Traction TAs, T rated . I was immediately impressed that the TAs had less rolling resistance, more noise, & it felt like every road imperfection was magnified! . After driving them for two weeks at various inflations, I took them back (discount tire has a 30 day ride satisfaction policy). Since I have had good experience with Kuhmo Ecsta HP4s on a Civic Si & A4 I opted for Kuhmo Solus HP-4s -- this is a newer version of the Ecsta HP4. . So far I have about 100 miles on Kuhmos. The ride is definitely better/smoother, but I think the road noise may the TAs.
For the things I can immediately evaluate (noise & ride) I am not convinced that either is better than the Geos - maybe the engineers at Subaru are not so dumb when it comes to tires after all!
I have considered taking the Kuhmos back & trying the Yoko Avid H4s or the Avid TZD, but it would cost another $40 for the mounting and balancing. A head to head test of the TZDs & HP4s at Tire Rack was pretty close to a toss up, with the TZDs being slightly better in comfort & the HP4s handling slightly better. Not sure I could discern the difference.
A tire commonly recommended for smooth quiet ride is the price Bridgestone Turanza LTs. I had these on a Caravan. They were fine tires, but I couldn't say they were super smooth & quiet either. I am wondering if I am not not expecting too much from a mere set of new tires -- or perhaps I simply cannot discern the nuiances! At any rate I have yet to experience the "transformation" that some describe with new rubber.. I think I will stick with the Kuhmos. Good luck on your search, just don't expect miracles! :confuse:
In what I can read & have experienced Kuhmo appears to be an exceptional tire value that often gets overshadowed by the better known/advertised brands. Let us know what you think after you make you move!
Ok, i really don't know where to ask this type of question but i guess ill just have to talk about it here :P . This is my first time rotating and rebalancing my newly bought performance Nitto tires (non-directional) at discount tires. I have several concerns/questions i would like to ask to anyone who can comment on this i'd greatly appreciate it: "Does anybody in here know whether or not rotating non-directionally is better than rotating uni-directionally?" "Today, they also did the wheel balancing and i've noticed that on all 4 of my wheels had different amount of balancing weights on them. On 2 of them, they had the clip weights and also stick-ons. On the other 2, No clip-ons, but just stick-ons. My main concern is that is it normal to have different amount of weights on all 4 wheels? My LF(left front) had 1 stick-on, my RF had 2, my LRear had 6 and last one had 7. I'm afraid of imbalanced tires. Please feel free to comment. Thanks!
The whole point in balancing is to correct uneven mass distributions in the wheel and tire. The unevenness is not uniform or it would have been compensated for before the two were mated.
So: 1) the balance weights are not going to be the same amount from assembly to assembly 2) the balance weights are not going to be in the same position from assembly to assembly.
I find in interesting that both clip-on and stick-on weight were used. Is it possible that the clip-ons were used on the back side and the sticks-on the outside? If so, then it might be that this was done for appearance purposes, but more likely the outside rim flange won't accomodate clip-on weights.
Rotation: Since each vehicle's wheel position has its own unique wear characteristics, the best thing to do for even wear is to have a tire visit every position. This is accomplished using a "modified X" pattern ,where the drive tires stay on the same side and the free wheeling tires cross. And if you have a full size spare include it as well.
....about the reviews on the Tire Rack's site; I haven't quite been able to figure out how 15-20 people will rant and rave about how good a tire is in every aspect while another will say that same tire is absolutely horrible in those same catagoies. What is this one person doing so differently that they end up with completely unsatisfactory results when everyone else is highly recommending the tire? I don't get it????
Is it possible that some people have an interest in the tire selling well? I've noticed a similar pattern on Amazon where they have reviews of an item...
1) Original equipment tires, though they may have the same model name, are often different from replacement market tires.. In my experience, OE tires tend to be pretty crappy..
2) People that don't get to choose their tires (new car buyers) may tend to be more critical than someone that chose their tire and paid money for it.
3) A tire that is great for a Nissan Sentra in a 14" size, may be terrible on an Odyssey mini-van in a 16" size... I always try to match up the review with the type of car the reviewer drives.
I like the Tirerack reviews from their staff, better than the survey averages... They test the tires on the same car..
I have thought of that as well, but I highly doubt that literally hundreds of people have an interest in the sales numbers of a partiular tire. The likelyhood of someone posting extremely good reviews of a product for the sole purpose of promoting sales of that tiem I think would occure on items that only have a small number of reviews. I think a more likely explination for reviews from both ends of the spectrum on the same tire would be along the lines of what kyfdx mentioned; different sizes, different vehicles, different climates, different driving styles, etc.
Some of whether unidirectional or non directional rotations are better/worse depends on the vehicle itself and whether or not you are ok with the consequences of either. Here is one interesting contrast I live with.
Corvette Z06, 51/49 weight balance, front engine, rear wheel drive,
VW Jetta TDI, 60/40 weight balance, front engine, front wheel drive,
On the Corvette Z06 front tires are different sizes from the rears. (265-40-17 fronts, 295 -35-18s) If some things are not obvious let me know.
So with non directional tires, while the manual does not recommend it, one can rotate left to right, right to left, front to front, rear to rear only.
Also if one is willing to mount and dismount tires, one can also do inside to outside, outside to inside; again front to front rear to rear only.
One key observation is over the course of 56,000 miles I notice an EVER so SLIGHT faster left side wear (front and rear). So I did the non recommended swap left to right right to left, to even out left to right wear.
I researched and chose to get uni directional tires (V tread for clarity) so naturally the only swap I can now do is the mount/dismount tire, left to right, right to left. As a practical/economical issue- no rotation.
The Jetta TDI, shop manual hints at greater right front passenger wear. The OEM both in owners manual and shop manual recommends 4 tire, front to rear, rear to front rotation.The nexus for your situation is unidirectional tires will probably be front to rear rear to front rotation. So as you can see only two tires would see the right front passenger rotation. The best (as Capriracer has mentioned) is for ALL tires (5)to see the right front passenger position. Some anecdotal data indicates that if only two tires see the right front passenger side, the right side can wear 1/32 in faster than the left. If you are talking 100,000 miles that can equate to app 15,000 miles of faster wear. So to make a longer story shorter a 5 tire modified X rotation will greatly even out tire wear so you can get the most mileage given the structural conditions and of course how one tends to drive.
Hi, thanks for the info. really helped some. After rotating uni-directional (the service guy said it doesnt really matter if rotate nondirectional or uni? I can undertand that each tires should visit every position now) & balancing my tires today, i've noticed a better reistance to vibration when driving. I've also noticed that my front wheels (now in the rear) had more wear than my rear tires (which are now in the front. To answer about the clipons, they were installed in the inside of the rims( i had to lay flat down to look for them under the car). The stick ons can be visible near the outside of the wheels. I've read somewhere in a article online about clipons and stick ons can be used but clip ons were mostly used on alloy, metal wheels. I still find it strange that clipons were used. One question i would like to put out is that on performance tires, should there be less balance weights on the fronts and little bit more in the rear? Now knowing the wear on my tires, i plan on rotating and balancing every 3,000 instead of 6,000 miles just as a precaution. My theory is (correct me if im wrong) that the heat on the street can reduce thread? Since im in Texas where i do alot of freeway, city driving, my tires need to be rotated more often? One more concern i have is that of using tire dressings. I've used Meguiar's tire dressing only twice and after researching about the damaging chemical effects on the tires, i've decided not to use them anymore. Please, if anyone who has any comment on anything i've said above, correct me or lend me your expertise so that i can take better care of my tires! :P
highroller, it depends on which dressings you use. Many of them contain certain types of silicons that degrade the tire's built-in UV protectors, but there are also some that don't. Unfortunately I don't know which ones are which. I'm sure you could find out with a little research.
The TDI Jetta owners and shop manuals, recommend 10k tire rotation intervals. I stick to that and would recommend at least consulting what your manual's recommend. You can actually rotate too frequently Right now I am at app 66k. Given my alignments balances, wear patterns PSI and 10k 5 tire cross rotation schedule, I project 100-125k miles on the worst of the oem tires that come on this vehicle, Goodyear LS-H's.
"You can actually rotate too frequently" Ruking 1, what do you exactly mean by your statement? Are you implying that i CAN rotate it frequently or rotating frequently is not a good thing to do? Just a little confused by your statement that's all . Well, since we're on the subject, does anyone think that rotating/balancing too frequently (let's say every 3,000 mile interval) can somewhat badly affect the thread life of a tire and/or cause uneven wear? IMO (in my opinion), i believe that doing so frequently would be just a waste of time and that nothing really bad can be done to the tires? I also believe that rotating/balancing tires is similar to changing the car oil. It really depends on the weather in the area and your driving conditions.
And by the way, the tire dressing i've used contain some hectane and acetone.
1) Once a tire is balanced, it is balanced. It makes no difference if it is on the front or rear or left or right. The weight it takes to balance, it is the weight it takes. The only thing that would affect the balance is adding material (like snow being packed in the openings) and taking material away unevenly, like irregular wear - which is caused by misalignment and aggravated by low inflation pressure and insufficient rotation practices.
Frequently rotating tires is a good way make sure that even small amounts of misalignment don't add up over time to irregular wear. IMHO there is no such thing as rotating too much, except for the cost and amount of work put into the process.
2) Clip-on balance weights are designed for both steel and alloy rims. For steel rims there is generally one (1) flange contour - and a weight to match. For alloys, there are about 5 different contours - and weights to match those contours - AND some alloy rims CAN'T accommodate clip-on weights, so stick-ons are the only option. Based on your observations, it looks like your wheels are such that clip-ons can't be used on the outside, but the inside (where it doesn't show) was designed for clip-on weights - not unusual.
3) Yes, heat will adversely affect treadwear, but it is minor compared to misalignment and poor inflation practices.
BUT the largest factor in treadwear is what I call TPM (Turns per Mile). Most tire wear occurs in the cornering mode - so the more corners you turn and the harder you corner, the more the wear on your tires. So if you drive mostly in the city (and therefore make lots of turns) you won't get as good of treadwear compared to someone who drives in the country.
So to improve treadwear, drive "gently" - easy on the accerator and brakes, and easy on the steering.
Is it because they sell so many racing and OE fleet tires? Whenever I read a tire review, the only time Goodyear is mentioned is when someone is describing how their replacement tire (the one they're replacing the Goodyears with) is so much better. One would also think if their racing tires are actually that good, they would also have the technology to produce some outstanding street tires, and yet every time I'm in the market for a set of tires, almost every brand is recommended over Goodyear. I don't get it.
Even though Capriracer says you can not rotate too much, the fact of the matter is even as he has mentioned this is GIVEN correct alignment and balance and cornering. So for example, I look after 5 vehicles, so if I do 3k rotations, I would have one vehicle up on jacks 10 times vs 3 times per year. So if I am getting a projected 100-125k using 10k rotation intervals, what practically would 3k intervals give/get me? and keep in mind that is x 5 or 50 times vs 15. I used to have lifetime balance and alignment at Sears for a total price of 75 dollars. Good deal right? This deal was so good that Sears no longer offers it. Can you imagine going to Sears 4 x a month for tire rotations? Bottom line is you still have to bring it there each time and they might not be able to take you as you wait. Since I did take it in EVERY 5,000 untill the newness wore off, every 5k miles DID not extend the life of the tires vs a longer interval like 7.5 to 10k intervals. Results of course can vary.
Thanks for all the info. guys. I'll plan on doing a 5,000 interval for the rotation/balance from now on. 3,000 mile interval IMO is a good way to check for wear, cracks, foreign objects on the tires but probably will last about the same as doing a 5,000 interval rotation/balance. Although, consistent driving into potholes, hard bumps, and what not can really affect the balance of the tires for some time while waiting for the 5,000 interval mark IMO. Ruking1, that was an awesome deal for lifetime balance and alignment. I have free lifetime rotation/balance and i'm looking forward to get a lifetime alignment in a couple days at firestone for about $140 (i'm in the process of checking prices thoughout my area). Well, i have one last question regarding the balance weights : If my wheels are made out of lightweight cast aluminum constructin, is it ok to use clip-ons (since i've read nowhere about how they should be used on aluminum wheels) or should i just use strictly stick-ons? I emailed the place where i bought my 18' motegi mr7 wheels and now waiting for there response on if i can or not. I was wondering if any of you know if clipons can be used on aluminum made construction is ok? And just for kicks, what psi do you guys set for your tires? I always put mine at around 35 psi or (33-35psi).
I only buy tires with lifetime rotation and balancing in the price--not as an addon. And I do price comparisons and then pick the store that's got the reputation level for service that I want.
I rotate at 7000 or a little longer. It does make a difference in tire wear IMHO. I do some rotations myself when the wheels aren't going to need balancing... Often if a little imbalance is there when first rotated, it smooths out after 1000 miles or so.
Sounds good but the tires I cite are BOTH oem tires and DO NOT carry lifetime rotation and balancing. As you probably can deduce, the orginal alignment and balance has been good for 66k on one and 16k on another. I project on one; GY LS-H's 100-125k miles. On a Honda Civic VP I project a lot less: 40k on Dunlop SP20 FE's.. Interesting thing is the same drivers drive each vehicle. Some disimilarities, 2950 #'s on the first and 2500#'s on the second. So while it is nice to have live time rotation and balancing, my own experience has shown that one particular set of tires has done extremely well with no balancing in 66k miles !! On the other hand I did 250,000 miles on one vehicle that had lifetime alignment and rotation and balancing and no tires lasted over 55k.
"is it ok to use clip-ons (since i've read nowhere about how they should be used on aluminum wheels"
If done properly, coated wheel weights should do minimal damage to alloy wheels. There are some exceptions:
1) If the rim is not set up with the proper contour, clip-on wheel weights will not fit properly.
2) The weight has to be matched to the rim flange contour. Ill fitting weights can wiggle and wear off the clearcoat, or worse fall off (more like fling off)
3) Do not use uncoated weights on alloy weights
"what psi do you guys set for your tires? I always put mine at around 35 psi or (33-35psi)."
Tire pressure is dependent on the load being carried. The place to look is on the vehicle placard, which is usually on a doorpost or in the glovebox. That pressure would apply for the tire size listed there. If you are using something different, then the pressure needs to be recalculated.
It's a good idea to use a bit more pressure than is listed on the placard - 3 to 5 psi. You get better fuel economy, better tire wear, better tire durability, better hydroplaning resistance, better snow traction and only give up a bit of ride harshness, and some impact resistance.
>1) Original equipment tires, though they may have the same model name, are often different from replacement market tires..
I agree with that where you mean the originals may be poorer than other types. OTOH I had great tires on an 89 Century. They gripped in rain as well as the Michelins I had used previously. And they seemed quieter. I bought a replacement set of the SAME tire. Out of round, out of balance even though they were well-balanced on the machine. Drove all the way to Ashville and back on them.
Went back to the store. They didn't even want to rebalance them. They offered me the choice of a different set of 4 or the Michelins I had cross-shopped when I picked the (Brand Name) tires. I took the Michelins. No problems.
The store knew those tires gave trouble. But the better ones were used for OEM parts, I think the ones that didn't make the specs went to the replacement market. I've left off the brand name because it could be any tire company that gives you a crappy replacement because the good ones are going to the assembly plants.
My mistake steve. I didn't really think bfore i posted my message. Thanks for the email and deleting the message. I'll try to be more careful from now on.
Well folks, many of you may have already know/heard about the danger of using tire dressings. But recently i've received an email from 2 tire manufacture companies (kuhmo and pirelli tires) regarding the use of some tire dressing products over the shelf. I asked the question,"Will the continue use of tire dressings on my tires cause cracks on the sidewalls or cause the longevity of my tires to decline much sooner than expected?" Here's my response that i got: " Thank you for your email and my apology for not have been able to get back with you sooner.
First of all, as long and the tire dressing is not petroleum base you are safe. However, we have done any study that proves that dressing a tire can harm the tire. There are chemical in the tire that leaks thru the rubber that helps prevent the tire from cracking; however, if one continues to use tire dressing, this action may clean off the chemical. Again, there no study that proves this scenario however, as long as the tire dressing is not petroleum base, tire dressing should be safe to apply on the tire."
From the statement above, I wasnt sure if the person either meant "we haven't done or we have done many". I think that person meant "we have done many studies that proves dresing a tire can harm."
Another statement i received just stated that "We recommend not using any tire dressings rather than using mild soap and water for the tires."
In conclusion, there has not been any large-scale studies that actually prove that a tire dressing can "eat out" tires. But, the scientists/engineers believe the petro chemicals from the tire dressings can react to the protected compounds in the rubber that can eventually lead the tire to become a defected product. I think as long as there is no petro chemical, silicon, or alcohol contents in the tire dressing bottle that you bought, it should be ok? But that's a hard product to find especially from the shelves of many stores. I've been looking into the 303 product and i'm waiting for their response to see what chemicals they put into their stuff. If anyone who has the 303, kindly share the info. to us? My greatest fear is the fact that thousands of people who have bought tire dressings off the shelves that contain petro, silicon, and alcohol chemicals are doing themselves a bad favor by putting these stuff on their tires. They may or may not understand the great extent of the danger of using these stuff over and over. Many products like Armorall have advertised that their product will block out UV rays and help condition the tires, but even so, they use petroleum distillates in their bottles. As far as i know, many of the tire dressings on the shelves contain petro chemicals, silicon, and/or alcohol. I've also heard that people with lifetime warranty on their tires may not be guranteed if they use tire dressings. Well, what do some of you think? Comments are welcomed.
I use 303 protectant on my tires and I am happy with it. I think it will not harm the tires, but I am not sure. It is supposed to protect the tires from UV rays. Please let me know what you find out.
.....that tires already have UV protection built in. It's the petroliums and silicons in the dressings that break down the tire's built-in protectants. 303 and Stoner's "Less time, more shine" are two products that don't use any of the harmful chemicals. Dressings are basically just that, and as long as you're not using the harmful ones, you're okay.
Comments
A couple of thoughts:
The Hunter machine gave "good" and "bad" indications, which you explained in your post. I think you can trust the machine to be objective.
If your rims were measured with the tires still on them, then you didn't get a complete picture of the state of the wheels - just an indication. The best way to measure wheels is with the tires off and then measure exactly where the beads seat.
There is a "quirk" in the Hunter machine where it judges wheels to the same criteria as the tires and the assembly. This means that a horrible wheel will "pass". However, what's important is the assembly value. Just keep the wheel peculiarity in mind when trying to judge the wheels by themselves.
Hope this helps.
The original GM weights did not rust for four years, so I understand that something is wrong with the new weights. The wheels are aluminum, and I am afraid that the rusting steel will damage wheels. I asked the owner / manager of Firestone if it is OK, and what can be done. He answered that everything is normal, and, any case, they do not carry weights that do not rust.
Does it make sense to replace the weights at GM dealership by not rusting OEM ones?
1) There are about 5 different weight contours. To ensure that the weight never falls off, it is important that the proper weight be used. The wheel industry needs to do some standardization.
2) Coated weights are available for every configuarion. Bare steel can cause aluminum to corrode. The good news is that it takes a long time for this to get bad enough to cause a problem with the wheel. The bad news is that it takes so long that anyone who uses a uncoated weight will be able to deny responsibility.
I would suggest that anyone who finds a shop using uncoated weights on alloy wheels 1) tell them to stop right where they are - that you'll arrange to have the proper weights installed and 2) that you intend to take your business elsewhere FOREVER!!
Hope this helps.
Also says
"Every vehicle platform has a different sensitivity level and tolerance to RFV and imbalance. Known sensitive vehicles may require lower limits to resolve ride disturbance issues."
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I have weights on LeSabre wheels with the little round holes around the perimeter, 1998. The weights have rusted. How do I tell if the weights have coated snapon parts? Are my wheels aluminum.
My newer LeSabre had chromed wheels. Is there the same problem for those wheels? Are they aluminum also?
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Comments are deeply welcomed.
Or you could list them on a RX8 internet car club or maybe contact a local or regional RX8 club. Someone will probably want them for a second set or to replace damaged pieces.
I wouldn't get rid of them... You'll want to put them back on when you sell the car, or take a hit for not having them...
regards,
kyfdx
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Uh GM..you've been doing it for 30 years, so has everyone else! :P
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
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So, based on tons of accolades from tire rack & other sources, I replaced them with BFG Traction TAs, T rated . I was immediately impressed that the TAs had less rolling resistance, more noise, & it felt like every road imperfection was magnified! . After driving them for two weeks at various inflations, I took them back (discount tire has a 30 day ride satisfaction policy). Since I have had good experience with Kuhmo Ecsta HP4s on a Civic Si & A4 I opted for Kuhmo Solus HP-4s -- this is a newer version of the Ecsta HP4. . So far I have about 100 miles on Kuhmos. The ride is definitely better/smoother, but I think the road noise may the TAs.
For the things I can immediately evaluate (noise & ride) I am not convinced that either is better than the Geos - maybe the engineers at Subaru are not so dumb when it comes to tires after all!
I have considered taking the Kuhmos back & trying the Yoko Avid H4s or the Avid TZD, but it would cost another $40 for the mounting and balancing. A head to head test of the TZDs & HP4s at Tire Rack was pretty close to a toss up, with the TZDs being slightly better in comfort & the HP4s handling slightly better. Not sure I could discern the difference.
A tire commonly recommended for smooth quiet ride is the price Bridgestone Turanza LTs. I had these on a Caravan. They were fine tires, but I couldn't say they were super smooth & quiet either. I am wondering if I am not not expecting too much from a mere set of new tires -- or perhaps I simply cannot discern the nuiances! At any rate I have yet to experience the "transformation" that some describe with new rubber.. I think I will stick with the Kuhmos. Good luck on your search, just don't expect miracles! :confuse:
So: 1) the balance weights are not going to be the same amount from assembly to assembly 2) the balance weights are not going to be in the same position from assembly to assembly.
I find in interesting that both clip-on and stick-on weight were used. Is it possible that the clip-ons were used on the back side and the sticks-on the outside? If so, then it might be that this was done for appearance purposes, but more likely the outside rim flange won't accomodate clip-on weights.
Rotation: Since each vehicle's wheel position has its own unique wear characteristics, the best thing to do for even wear is to have a tire visit every position. This is accomplished using a "modified X" pattern ,where the drive tires stay on the same side and the free wheeling tires cross. And if you have a full size spare include it as well.
Hope this helps.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2) People that don't get to choose their tires (new car buyers) may tend to be more critical than someone that chose their tire and paid money for it.
3) A tire that is great for a Nissan Sentra in a 14" size, may be terrible on an Odyssey mini-van in a 16" size... I always try to match up the review with the type of car the reviewer drives.
I like the Tirerack reviews from their staff, better than the survey averages... They test the tires on the same car..
regards,
kyfdx
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Corvette Z06, 51/49 weight balance, front engine, rear wheel drive,
VW Jetta TDI, 60/40 weight balance, front engine, front wheel drive,
On the Corvette Z06 front tires are different sizes from the rears. (265-40-17 fronts, 295 -35-18s) If some things are not obvious let me know.
So with non directional tires, while the manual does not recommend it, one can rotate left to right, right to left, front to front, rear to rear only.
Also if one is willing to mount and dismount tires, one can also do inside to outside, outside to inside; again front to front rear to rear only.
One key observation is over the course of 56,000 miles I notice an EVER so SLIGHT faster left side wear (front and rear). So I did the non recommended swap left to right right to left, to even out left to right wear.
I researched and chose to get uni directional tires (V tread for clarity) so naturally the only swap I can now do is the mount/dismount tire, left to right, right to left. As a practical/economical issue- no rotation.
The Jetta TDI, shop manual hints at greater right front passenger wear. The OEM both in owners manual and shop manual recommends 4 tire, front to rear, rear to front rotation.The nexus for your situation is unidirectional tires will probably be front to rear rear to front rotation. So as you can see only two tires would see the right front passenger rotation. The best (as Capriracer has mentioned) is for ALL tires (5)to see the right front passenger position. Some anecdotal data indicates that if only two tires see the right front passenger side, the right side can wear 1/32 in faster than the left. If you are talking 100,000 miles that can equate to app 15,000 miles of faster wear. So to make a longer story shorter a 5 tire modified X rotation will greatly even out tire wear so you can get the most mileage given the structural conditions and of course how one tends to drive.
Best regards,
Highroller
Ruking 1, what do you exactly mean by your statement? Are you implying that i CAN rotate it frequently or rotating frequently is not a good thing to do? Just a little confused by your statement that's all
And by the way, the tire dressing i've used contain some hectane and acetone.
Frequently rotating tires is a good way make sure that even small amounts of misalignment don't add up over time to irregular wear. IMHO there is no such thing as rotating too much, except for the cost and amount of work put into the process.
2) Clip-on balance weights are designed for both steel and alloy rims. For steel rims there is generally one (1) flange contour - and a weight to match. For alloys, there are about 5 different contours - and weights to match those contours - AND some alloy rims CAN'T accommodate clip-on weights, so stick-ons are the only option. Based on your observations, it looks like your wheels are such that clip-ons can't be used on the outside, but the inside (where it doesn't show) was designed for clip-on weights - not unusual.
3) Yes, heat will adversely affect treadwear, but it is minor compared to misalignment and poor inflation practices.
BUT the largest factor in treadwear is what I call TPM (Turns per Mile). Most tire wear occurs in the cornering mode - so the more corners you turn and the harder you corner, the more the wear on your tires. So if you drive mostly in the city (and therefore make lots of turns) you won't get as good of treadwear compared to someone who drives in the country.
So to improve treadwear, drive "gently" - easy on the accerator and brakes, and easy on the steering.
Hope this helps.
Well, i have one last question regarding the balance weights
And just for kicks, what psi do you guys set for your tires? I always put mine at around 35 psi or (33-35psi).
I rotate at 7000 or a little longer. It does make a difference in tire wear IMHO.
I do some rotations myself when the wheels aren't going to need balancing... Often if a little imbalance is there when first rotated, it smooths out after 1000 miles or so.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
If done properly, coated wheel weights should do minimal damage to alloy wheels. There are some exceptions:
1) If the rim is not set up with the proper contour, clip-on wheel weights will not fit properly.
2) The weight has to be matched to the rim flange contour. Ill fitting weights can wiggle and wear off the clearcoat, or worse fall off (more like fling off)
3) Do not use uncoated weights on alloy weights
"what psi do you guys set for your tires? I always put mine at around 35 psi or (33-35psi)."
Tire pressure is dependent on the load being carried. The place to look is on the vehicle placard, which is usually on a doorpost or in the glovebox. That pressure would apply for the tire size listed there. If you are using something different, then the pressure needs to be recalculated.
It's a good idea to use a bit more pressure than is listed on the placard - 3 to 5 psi. You get better fuel economy, better tire wear, better tire durability, better hydroplaning resistance, better snow traction and only give up a bit of ride harshness, and some impact resistance.
Hope this helps.
I agree with that where you mean the originals may be poorer than other types. OTOH I had great tires on an 89 Century. They gripped in rain as well as the Michelins I had used previously. And they seemed quieter. I bought a replacement set of the SAME tire. Out of round, out of balance even though they were well-balanced on the machine. Drove all the way to Ashville and back on them.
Went back to the store. They didn't even want to rebalance them. They offered me the choice of a different set of 4 or the Michelins I had cross-shopped when I picked the (Brand Name) tires. I took the Michelins. No problems.
The store knew those tires gave trouble. But the better ones were used for OEM parts, I think the ones that didn't make the specs went to the replacement market.
I've left off the brand name because it could be any tire company that gives you a crappy replacement because the good ones are going to the assembly plants.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Thanks,
Steve, Host
I asked the question,"Will the continue use of tire dressings on my tires cause cracks on the sidewalls or cause the longevity of my tires to decline much sooner than expected?"
Here's my response that i got:
" Thank you for your email and my apology for not have been able to get back with you sooner.
First of all, as long and the tire dressing is not petroleum base you are safe. However, we have done any study that proves that dressing a tire can harm the tire. There are chemical in the tire that leaks thru the rubber that helps prevent the tire from cracking; however, if one continues to use tire dressing, this action may clean off the chemical. Again, there no study that proves this scenario however, as long as the tire dressing is not petroleum base, tire dressing should be safe to apply on the tire."
From the statement above, I wasnt sure if the person either meant "we haven't done or we have done many". I think that person meant "we have done many studies that proves dresing a tire can harm."
Another statement i received just stated that "We recommend not using any tire dressings rather than using mild soap and water for the tires."
In conclusion, there has not been any large-scale studies that actually prove that a tire dressing can "eat out" tires. But, the scientists/engineers believe the petro chemicals from the tire dressings can react to the protected compounds in the rubber that can eventually lead the tire to become a defected product.
I think as long as there is no petro chemical, silicon, or alcohol contents in the tire dressing bottle that you bought, it should be ok? But that's a hard product to find especially from the shelves of many stores. I've been looking into the 303 product and i'm waiting for their response to see what chemicals they put into their stuff.
If anyone who has the 303, kindly share the info. to us?
My greatest fear is the fact that thousands of people who have bought tire dressings off the shelves that contain petro, silicon, and alcohol chemicals are doing themselves a bad favor by putting these stuff on their tires. They may or may not understand the great extent of the danger of using these stuff over and over. Many products like Armorall have advertised that their product will block out UV rays and help condition the tires, but even so, they use petroleum distillates in their bottles. As far as i know, many of the tire dressings on the shelves contain petro chemicals, silicon, and/or alcohol.
I've also heard that people with lifetime warranty on their tires may not be guranteed if they use tire dressings.
Well, what do some of you think? Comments are welcomed.
Best regards,
Highroller