Wheel Weights

[Tim Polzin]

Maybe I'm showing my ignorance, but why do I see adhesive wheel weights mounted on the outside lip of Fuchs wheels? Seems like it would esthetically look better to mount them on the inside lip. Perhaps there is a good functional reason?

Tim

[Jim T]

You won't see wheel weights stuck to the outside lips of MY Fuchs wheels!

I've never had them stuck on the outside, and never have had a problem with out of balance wheels.

I'd imagine some shops stick 'em on the outsides because its probably easier and faster, and they don't really care?

[Tim Polzin]

Thanks Jim, that was what I wanted to hear! Tomorrow I will have the wheels balanced.

Tim

[911pcars]

Tim,
Although most tire/wheels are fine with the weights on the inside, the "proper" method is to place weights where they're needed despite the cosmetic consequences. A dynamic wheel balancing machine takes into consideration two planes; the axial (width) and radial (diameter), and indicates where to place balancing weights on the wheel. With relatively narrow street tires, placing weights on the inside is usually fine. However, if your tires are really wide, as in a track car, then you might run into some high speed vibration with weights on only one side of the wheel. It depends on where the unbalance is. This is the same reason why they don't balance long shafts (e.g. crankshafts) on only one end of the shaft.

So in short, put em on the inside and don't worry about it, but that's why some shops do it that way.

Sherwood Lee
http://members.rennlist.org/911pcars
www.seinesystems.com

[Eric Coffey]

Tim-

I think Sherwood is right on the money. To achieve the "perfect" balance, you would most likely need weights on both sides of the rim. However, with the speeds our cars usually see (under 150mph), balancing with weights on the inner lip only is perfectly OK. Also, to prevent the weights from flying off (unlikely, but it does happen), I recommend putting a piece of racer's tape over each weight. The best stuff i've found is the adhesive-backed aluminum tape (like heavy gauge aluminum foil, with a sticky side).

[Ottawa911]

Just a word of caution.....I brought my Fuchs wheels into a shop and asked that the weights be applied to the inside. When I got them home and mounted them on my '70T, I found that the weights were striking the rear calipers so I had to get the shop to put them on the outside. I think "thinner" weights would have been ok but the shop only had one kind.
Good luck.

[Jdub]

Remember to use the shorter motorcycle schraeder valves to minimize the need for a heavier weight.

John

[Steve W]

Weights don't need to be mounted on the outside lips of your rims! Don't let any one tell you otherwise. However weights must be mounted to both halves of the rims to account for side to side imbalances. The weights needed for the outer side can be mounted on the outer half of the wheel, right behind your rim spokes. However, it takes a bit of an experienced wheel mounting mechanic to know how much and where to place the weight there so it balances out. The balancing machine does not expect you to mount the outer weights right behind your spokes, so the amount shown on the digital display can throw off an inexperienced mechanic. You will never find weights on the outside lips of my wheels.

[Marshall Reddin]

I take the workshop manual with me when I have the wheels balanced. Volume V, section 6, page 4.1-1/5, complete with picture. May not be pretty, but Porsche shows both inner and outer weights.

Marshall
'75 911 3.2

[Tim Polzin]

Just got back from the tire shop. They were able to put all the weights on the inside, one set near the spokes, one set near the inside edge (7 and 8 x 15s). according to the machine, it balanced up perfectly. Once the #@$%@# snow is gone, I'll see how they work. Thanks all for the help.

Tim