Euromeister Balance Weights Fall Off

[cmonref]

Bought a set of 17" Euromeisters from our host a couple of years ago, then promptly put the car in for paint. Finally got it back, took the wheels out of the boxes, and mounted new tires. But two problems surfaced: (1) front wheels were very tough to balance (rears were fine), and (2) weights on the front wheels fall off.

Staying with the weight: I put the newly-mounted tires and wheels in the back of my SUV. When I took them out of the SUV, half of the weights on the fronts fell off! Took them back to the tire dealer.

They played a while, finally gave them back. I put the fronts on loosely while I finished getting the car ready for the road. Today, when making what I hope are the last adjustments before driving, I found weights on the garage floor under one of the front wheels/tires. The car has not been on the ground yet and the lug nuts are only loosely put on (yes, I know to tighten before driving!)

Oh, me. Anyone run into weights that will not stick to the black paint that Euromeister uses on the inside of their wheels? The tire guy, thinking out loud, mentioned removing the paint in the spots where the weights would be attached. But I notice that he did not do that.

I am concerned about the number of weights on the front wheels, but that is another problem to solve. Right now, I am trying to just get the weights to stick!

Brian

[Quicksilver]

It sounds like wax or something. A bit of paper towel with a solvent should do the trick. I have found gasoline works well.

[zedsn]

I take it you are using the stick on lead flat ones? If the tape glue is suspect you could get some clear silicone and use that on the tape area and then use aluminum tape like the race car drivers do for added assurance but initial prep is the key. I gently used fine sand paper then brake cleaner before I stuck my weights on.

[xbmwguy]

I am assuming you took these to a reputable shop..most of the time if the installer/balancer sees too much weight going on he will deflate tire and spin the tire 180 degree. Just sayin

[Cook&Dunning]

My problem has always been the opposite - when I get new tires installed on rims it is a pain in the arse to remove the old wheel weight goo. That stuff is on there good. I humble suggest this is an installer issue, not a wheel issue. I get taping track car weights. YMMV

[Tori]

I recently bought the Euromeisters and balanced my wheels myself (work at a tire shop) I had no issue with the weights sticking. I don't even think i used the solvent since the wheels were new.

Your tire guy should have solvent that is safe for the wheel finish that will clean the area. We have to use it all the time on used wheels with brake dust, and CV joint grease build up.

[Cairo94507]

I agree, installer issue. Also, they should be spinning or rotating the tire on the rim to find the location where the tire requires the least amount of weight for a true balance. Good luck.

[cmonref]

Great advice! Thanks for spending the time to point out issues like solvent to prepare wheel surface while not damaging finish and suspect weight glue, boiling down to an installer problem. To the question on "reputable shop" this is the local Goodyear that has done several sets of tires for me over the past 25 years -- but this is the first Euromeister they have seen. I will load up and go see them tomorrow.

Thanks again!

Brian

[Bleedsblue]

Agreed on all above points, but no one has yet mentioned that some Euromeisters have been truly out of spec in the past. I haven't heard of any in a while, but there were some (maybe 2013?) that people ended up sending back due to balancing issues. I've had a few pairs of Euros personally and never had trouble with balancing or weights (and multiple other sets of painted/powder-coated wheels with weights sticking just fine).

[cmonref]

some Euromeisters have been truly out of spec in the past.

I recall reading much about this and it has me worried (see #1 above). I received the wheels in May 2014, and put the car in for paint in September (there were transmission problems that interrupted things.) The wheels stayed in the boxes until Sept '16. I advised the shop that I was worried about balancing "right out of the box" and they spun the wheels before I ordered the tires. The spinner screwed up his face and said that they were on the ragged edge of too far out of balance. I wonder if he was too lenient in his assessment. I think I will discuss both problems with the shop on the morrow. I may end up discussing this with our host (who sold me the wheels.)

[cmonref]

Upon further review ... I got the wheels from our host in October 2013. So these may have been part of the 2013 batch that Bleedsblue talks about. And the price now is $7 less than I paid back then.

[Tori]

Originally Posted by Cairo94507

Also, they should be spinning or rotating the tire on the rim to find the location where the tire requires the least amount of weight for a true balance. Good luck.

Nobody, is going to do that. Sorry, but you couldn't pay me enough to mount a tire, spin it, record what the weights are... mark the tire. Dismount, move tire, spin again, record, mark, and repeat what.....360 times ?

[MARISOL78sc]

Think that is what a Hunter Road Force Balancer does......

[Tori]

For what it's worth, in my set of wheels.... one of my fronts took no weights to balance. I realize this is purely a tire and wheel combo. But, i was impressed about that.

[Tori]

Originally Posted by MARISOL78sc

Think that is what a Hunter Road Force Balancer does......

Not so much. It' balances it to the car. Taking into account hub and bearing runout, along with axle balance.

[kuba_kuba]

Really? There was a bad batch in 2013? I must have had that batch. Had to buy one more front and one more rear and they're still not well balanced.
Maybe i'll pick up another front and rear since they're now cheaper

[Bleedsblue]

Originally Posted by cmonref

Upon further review ... I got the wheels from our host in October 2013. So these may have been part of the 2013 batch that Bleedsblue talks about. And the price now is $7 less than I paid back then.

Well, poop! I don't believe in coincidences, but I do believe in Pelican's customer service--as well as Euromeister's. I just hope it hasn't been too long for you to receive some form of help if the wheels are truly off.

I know you trust the tire shop but the wheel weight thing makes me distrust them. It is possible the quality of their work and workers has gone down, I've seen that locally with a tire shop everyone in the amateur racer/enthusiast community loved for decades. When the main guy retired I think, it rapidly went downhill and now it's basically just your random Joe Bob Tire shop, nothing special.

Good luck either way!

[Ken911]

Originally Posted by Tori

Nobody, is going to do that. Sorry, but you couldn't pay me enough to mount a tire, spin it, record what the weights are... mark the tire. Dismount, move tire, spin again, record, mark, and repeat what.....360 times ?

The goodyear dealer did that with the tires on my mustang. mounted them spun em. then marked them and rotated a couple on the rim.

[Cory M]

When I mount my tires if i have to put more than 3oz on to get it right, I'll rotate the tire on the rim and try again. I only put weights on the backside of nice wheels. To help it stick on your Euromeisters I would wipe the surface down with alcohol. On the racecars we tape the weights down using aluminum hvac tape. Black duct tape would work too if you don't want it to be visible in the black inner rim.

[Tori]

Originally Posted by Ken911

The goodyear dealer did that with the tires on my mustang. mounted them spun em. then marked them and rotated a couple on the rim.

I understand that they'll do this if the tire calls for lots of weight, but nobody is going to hunt for the lightest spot.