BCM Community

Bus Discussion => Bus Topics ( click here for quick start! ) => Topic started by: Scott & Heather on February 19, 2017, 09:28:37 AM

Title: Wheel weights fell off
Post by: Scott & Heather on February 19, 2017, 09:28:37 AM
So my stick on wheel weights dropped today while parked. What's the best option for wheel balancing? Not a fan of beads because it seems to take miles to get them to balance out. Not a fan of sticking wheel weights on because apparently they fall off. Can I request they clip them on? Ignore my daughter in these pics. She's enamored with the chrome. You can see the lead weights just laying on the inside dish of the rim. (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170219/2986f9814953282bb840438ad77987ad.jpg)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Wheel weights fell off
Post by: luvrbus on February 19, 2017, 09:42:34 AM
Just go with Equal for 10 bucks a tire, I never had problem with it taking a long time to balance or go with $$$$ balance masters or the other brand Centramatic, It is probably the drums that need to be balanced not the tire 
Title: Re: Wheel weights fell off
Post by: kyle4501 on February 19, 2017, 12:21:24 PM
If the surface is clean & dry - AND - if the adhesive for the wheel weights is fresh (not too old) --- they will be difficult to remove.
Mine haven't fallen off and are still very secure after 4 years.
Title: Re: Wheel weights fell off
Post by: Jim Eh. on February 19, 2017, 01:51:10 PM
^ 2nd
Title: Re: Wheel weights fell off
Post by: DoubleEagle on February 19, 2017, 08:54:42 PM
If you can tell where it was located, just clean it up and glue it back on with something appropriate. I have used the equal powder on trucks and buses, but the catch is you need a special inflation valve to handle it, with a different color valve cap to warn mechanics. I also had problems with it clumping when it mixed with the moisture from the added air. I have them spin balanced now, but equal works when it is dry.
Title: Re: Wheel weights fell off
Post by: gumpy on February 19, 2017, 10:20:17 PM
Spin balancing corrects for imbalance in the wheel and tire. That's all.

Dynamic balancing will correct for imbalance in hubs and drums.

The best solution is to have the tire and rim spin balanced and augment with a dynamic balance system such as Centrimatics, or other. That's what I use. I'm not a fan of the powder, though I've never personally used it. I use antifreeze in my tag tires because I don't have Centrimatics for those.

In your situation, I would stick the weights back on, and then consider acquiring a set of Centrimatics or adding the powder.
Title: Re: Wheel weights fell off
Post by: sixtyseven on February 19, 2017, 10:30:10 PM
Hey Scott,   I always wondered what would be a good way to keep my wheels clean.   I never thought about having my kids lick them clean after each run......you're pretty smart ;D
Title: Re: Wheel weights fell off
Post by: RichardEntrekin on February 20, 2017, 05:14:34 AM
Scott.

This seems to work for me. Clean the area with adhesive remover. Acetone or lacquer thinner would probably work as well. Stick the weights on. Cover with a large piece of aluminum duct tape, the real kind, not the grey cloth crap. I put mine on the inside so they don't show.
Title: Re: Wheel weights fell off
Post by: Zephod on February 20, 2017, 07:10:08 AM
I never heard of anybody gluing a weight on a wheel. That just sounds like something some dishonest dealer would do. When you change tyres the weight changes so it had to be removed, possibly damaging the rim. Either that or the adhesive breaks and the weight flies off unpredictably, possibly killing somebody that it hits. I have clip weights on my wheels and am disappointed not to have pellets.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Wheel weights fell off
Post by: Boomer on February 20, 2017, 08:18:59 AM
Why do you think a drive wheel needs to be balanced?  And why would someone put a stick on wheel weight on the outside of a polished drive wheel instead of lead weight on the other side?
Title: Re: Wheel weights fell off
Post by: luvrbus on February 20, 2017, 08:23:22 AM
Quote from: Boomer on February 20, 2017, 08:18:59 AM
Why do you think a drive wheel needs to be balanced?  And why would someone put a stick on wheel weight on the outside of a polished drive wheel instead of lead weight on the other side?

They wouldn't do it to my wheels either
Title: Re: Wheel weights fell off
Post by: gg04 on February 20, 2017, 08:52:31 AM
I've never had any stick on weights come loose. Unless misbalanced  centrifugal force keeps them in place.  Always on the backside of wheel..rdw
Title: Re: Wheel weights fell off
Post by: Lee Bradley on February 20, 2017, 09:20:15 AM
Stick on weights don't work well if you have waxed the wheels.  First saw them on racing wheels/tires where they are wide enough that they balance both sides (inside and outside) with the electronic balancing machines.
Title: Re: Wheel weights fell off
Post by: eagle19952 on February 20, 2017, 01:19:23 PM
i have never balanced a drive wheel bigger than 16 inch...unless it was on a motorcycle.

and i have not experienced any detrimental result.
Title: Re: Wheel weights fell off
Post by: Dave5Cs on February 20, 2017, 01:59:52 PM
Mine are not balanced either and have never had any problems.
Title: Re: Wheel weights fell off
Post by: lostagain on February 21, 2017, 06:58:13 AM
90% of charter buses and trucks I have driven the last 40 years don't have balanced wheels on them, and they ride nice and smooth. One of the weights installed by the previous owner of my 5C fell off recently (3 oz) on a front wheel, doesn't make any difference, so I won't bother putting it back on.

JC
Title: Re: Wheel weights fell off
Post by: Lin on February 21, 2017, 08:59:45 AM
We have Centrmatics on all four wheels.  I believe that I noticed the difference when they were installed.  It's nice that even if you need to change a failed tire, you remain perfectly balanced.  They can be expensive, but we were able to find them on Ebay or Craigslist very reasonably.  Whatever you want eventually turns up on one of those sites.
Title: Re: Wheel weights fell off
Post by: Jim Eh. on February 21, 2017, 09:08:33 PM
FYI, 1 oz of weight = 6 lbs of force hitting the pavement. Just because you can't feel it in the seat of your pants doesn't mean it's not there (and not doing damage to your tires/suspension).
I'm just sayin ...
Title: Re: Wheel weights fell off
Post by: Scott & Heather on February 21, 2017, 09:27:29 PM
I am a believer in keeping all
Of my tires/rims balanced if nothing else to relieve vibration on the drivetrain/suspension components. But I agree, stick on weights especially on the viewable portion of a polished rim is schlocky...same shop that messed up my wheel bearings last summer. Anyway, I'll stick them back on for now. Eventually I'll just get beads.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Wheel weights fell off
Post by: B_K on February 21, 2017, 09:59:11 PM
Scott FWIW we used to have the wheels on our buses balanced too.
And the shop that did it would ONLY use the stick on weights as they said they'd had too many complaints of scratches on aluminum wheels from the clip-ons.
But they also took extreme measures to make sure the wheel was clean where the weights were to be applied and I NEVER had one come off before it was removed by them to rebalance a new tire. (and again they took measures to make sure all residue was removed form the old spot!)

BTW I also understand why you have to keep it so smooth riding so Emily can sleep like a baby going down the road. After all she needs all the energy she can get to keep those wheels spit shined for you at the next stop!
;D  BK  ;D
Title: Re: Wheel weights fell off
Post by: Scott & Heather on February 23, 2017, 08:30:04 PM
LoL. Yeah the shop has caused me all kinds of headaches. I'll restick in the same location. And yes Emma loves to kiss the chrome. She's the cutest weirdo this side of Portland.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Wheel weights fell off
Post by: dtcerrato on February 23, 2017, 08:54:16 PM
Have you tried centramatic balancers?
We have them on our drive axles - end to any future balancing.