Balancing masses used on black gloss rims

[Holden17]

A current thread title on ‘wheel weights’ reminded me of a question which I thought might have my answer until I saw it was addressing a totally different context.

Our black edition ute is probably getting close to needing a wheel balance check. I’ve never owned black rims before but was always annoyed by the glue residue that was left behind on my silver rims when the wheels were ever balanced. I take a lot of pride in keeping my cars clean and have just accepted that the rims can be gleaming silver but closer inspection shows rectangles of discolouration/muck where weights have been removed.

Now with the OEM black rims:
1. Will any of the black gloss colouring come off when weights are removed (maybe a silly question but I have no idea on how these rims are coated)
2. When I had the ute opticoated, for a bit extra they coated the outer surfaces (ie did not take the rims off) with a product as well - it certainly has made the rims easy to clean/keep clean & shiny. I can understand that where old weights are removed then the surface would not be protected but I would hope the black is not scratched/damaged which takes me back to question 1 again. Has anyone had experience with such coatings on rims?
3. Are the rims easily scratched or likely to be scratched by the tools used by the fitters?

So then, any stories of experience appreciated...as with any suggestions on what to instruct the tyre fitters (I usually go to Bridgestone) so that I can expect my shiny, gloss back rims to remain in A1 condition after they have been tampered with?? (Not much point having a whinge to them when it is too late, I figure).

Cheers in advance!

 

[GMVPSS]

G'day Holden,

My experience with tyre shops and Gloss black rims is that you can tell the guy at the counter to be careful with them, but the guy out the back on minimum wage doesn't give two sh!ts about them.

If they grab them on the spokes they will scratch them, even wearing gloves (gloves probably make it worse!)

The old lead weight double sided tape residue will come off with kero, brake cleaner or wax and grease remover. The only damage you might see from removing the weights is the screw driver they use to lever the weight off if they scratch the rim under the lead.

The factory rims are painted black, aftermarket are usually powder coated.

Some places also fit black weights which is a nice touch.

On my front runners I took them home to wash them and get rid of the lube they use to fit the tyre and found the metal stem I provided wasn't tight on one rim. it held air, but when you bumped it, it leaked! On the phone and back to them to get the tyre off and tighten the valve up. Like I said above, no matter what you say to the guy out the front, the ones doing the fitting couldn't care less.

Black rims look great on the car, but when someone else is taking them on or off, they don't take the same care as you or I would knowing how easy it is to scratch the paint!

I have also had the small inner rim locating diameter and cap area damaged when they drag the rim off the balancing machine and the thread chews into the hole! I pointed that and other damage to the rims out to them.

Useless.

I have seriously thought about buying a tyre fitting and balancing machine to do it myself and for people who would be happy to pay to have them done properly with care!

 

[Smitty]

have a GENF HSV ... with a set of Clubsport wheels and now replaced shitty Contis
(HSV I hope these things were free... coz they should have been)
which needed WEEKLY wheel balances and as a result differing weights
in different spots everytime ....I think I am eligible to make a comment

I can say the black coating/paint on the HSV does not come off when the weight is removed/ pulled off
... nor when I used glue remover to get rid of the left over tape and glue from the balance weight

 

[Holden17]

G'day Holden,

My experience with tyre shops and Gloss black rims is that you can tell the guy at the counter to be careful with them, but the guy out the back on minimum wage doesn't give two sh!ts about them.

If they grab them on the spokes they will scratch them, even wearing gloves (gloves probably make it worse!)

The old lead weight double sided tape residue will come off with kero, brake cleaner or wax and grease remover. The only damage you might see from removing the weights is the screw driver they use to lever the weight off if they scratch the rim under the lead.

The factory rims are painted black, aftermarket are usually powder coated.

Some places also fit black weights which is a nice touch.

On my front runners I took them home to wash them and get rid of the lube they use to fit the tyre and found the metal stem I provided wasn't tight on one rim. it held air, but when you bumped it, it leaked! On the phone and back to them to get the tyre off and tighten the valve up. Like I said above, no matter what you say to the guy out the front, the ones doing the fitting couldn't care less.

Black rims look great on the car, but when someone else is taking them on or off, they don't take the same care as you or I would knowing how easy it is to scratch the paint!

I have also had the small inner rim locating diameter and cap area damaged when they drag the rim off the balancing machine and the thread chews into the hole! I pointed that and other damage to the rims out to them.

Useless.

I have seriously thought about buying a tyre fitting and balancing machine to do it myself and for people who would be happy to pay to have them done properly with care!

Cheers for your time GMVPSS! ....for answering my queries so thoroughly! Yes, always comes down to the person doing the job so I guess I was wondering how resilient the rims are & from your response, not very, if the guy doing the job doesn’t get the message or simply doesn’t care

If you ever get that machine I’m sure you would get some customers who are looking for someone who gives a fig. Melbourne a bit far away ..I’d be replacing them far more often then balancing them!

 

[Holden17]

have a GENF HSV ... with a set of Clubsport wheels and now replaced shitty Contis
(HSV I hope these things were free... coz they should have been)
which needed WEEKLY wheel balances and as a result differing weights
in different spots everytime ....I think I am eligible to make a comment

I can say the black coating/paint on the HSV does not come off when the weight is removed/ pulled off
... nor when I used glue remover to get rid of the left over tape and glue from the balance weight

Wow, weekly wheel balances must have been a trial!

After having both cars serviced at the Dealership during the past fortnight I’m pretty certain if I took the car in with spotless/mark free rims, pointed this out to them & then demanded they come back in the same condition or else it will cost them, then surely they would take some care.

I’m assuming it’s a given that when tyres are rotated (front with back) they should be re-balanced??

 

[GMVPSS]

I’m assuming it’s a given that when tyres are rotated (front with back) they should be re-balanced??

I would ask if they do, but I doubt it, but you should see by removal of old weights and fitment of new weights if they have been balanced, or the centre caps not aligned where you had them. (I am assuming you do have all the centre caps aligned to the valve cap? or am I the only OCD one here? lol.)

If they're staggered they wont be rotating them, unless they go side to side (useless), or flip the tyres on the rims if they're directional! lol doubt it.

 

[Holden17]

I would ask if they do, but I doubt it, but you should see by removal of old weights and fitment of new weights if they have been balanced, or the centre caps not aligned where you had them. (I am assuming you do have all the centre caps aligned to the valve cap? or am I the only OCD one here? lol.)

If they're staggered they wont be rotating them, unless they go side to side (useless), or flip the tyres on the rims if they're directional! lol doubt it.

No mate, not staggered, just standard SV6 set up on the ute. No indication that they have been re-balanced but definitely been rotated fronts to back. Seems to be driving true but as we know tyre wear is a fickle thing.
Centre caps aligned to valve caps??..ummm, don’t think so but now you’ve got me wondering...I don’t mind being OCD when it comes to my vehicles.

 

[Bren66]

This reminds me of a personal annoyance I have with many tire fitters, most tire manufacturers these days check balance at end of production and put a yellow or red dot on the tire to indicate the lightest part of the tires sidewall which should be fitted next to the valve stem to minimize the need for weighs. Even Holden completely ignore this and just wack ample ugly silver balance weights on black rims, WTF?

 

[vc commodore]

This reminds me of a personal annoyance I have with many tire fitters, most tire manufacturers these days check balance at end of production and put a yellow or red dot on the tire to indicate the lightest part of the tires sidewall which should be fitted next to the valve stem to minimize the need for weighs. Even Holden completely ignore this and just wack ample ugly silver balance weights on black rims, WTF?

Sometimes, you can line up either dot and the weight required on the rim is way to excessive to balance the tyre properly, so you have to turn the tyre on the rim to reduce the amount of weight to put on the rim...However it is not essential to line a dot up with the valve to get the so called light spot on the tyre with the valve of the rim

Another issue faced with trying to line up these pretty dots is, it can be a pita to line one or the other up with the valve, especially with the lower profile stuff...Even turning the tyre on the rim is a pita, because it is so stiff.

Another issue of yours is, the weight colour....It is a balancing act on which colour weights to get.....There aren't a great deal of black rims out there, when compared to lighter colours, so what do you order and how many boxes of each colour do you order?

So yes it might be a personal annoyance for you, but there are also other factors to consider

 

[vc commodore]

G'day Holden,

My experience with tyre shops and Gloss black rims is that you can tell the guy at the counter to be careful with them, but the guy out the back on minimum wage doesn't give two sh!ts about them.

If they grab them on the spokes they will scratch them, even wearing gloves (gloves probably make it worse!)

The old lead weight double sided tape residue will come off with kero, brake cleaner or wax and grease remover. The only damage you might see from removing the weights is the screw driver they use to lever the weight off if they scratch the rim under the lead.

The factory rims are painted black, aftermarket are usually powder coated.

Some places also fit black weights which is a nice touch.



Useless.

I have seriously thought about buying a tyre fitting and balancing machine to do it myself and for people who would be happy to pay to have them done properly with care!

Firstly glove wearing....Unfortunately in this day and age of OH&S, gloves are pretty much a necessity for a fitter to wear, along with ear plugs....So not a great deal that can be done there. Unless you change gloves every wheel change, which then becomes a costly exercise.

Removing old wheel weights....Fitters are not allowed to use kero, brake fluid, or petroeum base products...Against OH&S laws....The stuff I have used can lead to removal of paint, due to the lack of coating thickness used on rims....However this generally happens after the rims are a few years old. Another issue is, the double sided tape used on the stick on wheel weights is pretty sticky.....It can be quite difficult at times to remove old wheel weights...

Black wheel weights....I covered this in the previous posting.